Biographical information
In my day job, I am treasurer/collector for the town of Hopedale. Previously was the assistant treasurer/collector for the town of Grafton from 2021-2023 and assistant treasurer/collector for the town of Mendon from 2017-2021. I am a third generation Mendonite, and my parents and brother live in town also.
How long have you lived in Mendon?
All my life (35.9 years as my birthday is at the end of May)
Why did you decide to run for reelection?
I enjoy the role, enjoy the institution of town meeting, and I believe it is a great way to continue to give back to the community.
What professional or volunteer experience will you bring to this role?
Years of attending town meeting, experience in municipal government, and organizing at federal, state and local levels.
Please describe other activities you’ve been involved with in Mendon or elsewhere, including any other elected or appointed positions.
For the town of Mendon, I’ve been on the Historic District Study Committee, Historical Commission, Economic Development Committee, Zoning Board of Appeals, and currently chair the General By-Law Review Committee.
What values guide your public service?
It is important that all residents of Mendon are able to have a voice, are informed about what is going on in their community, and that as few barriers exist in the way to civic engagement as possible. As moderator, I have tried to ensure Mendon’s town meetings have remained accessible, transparent and easily engaged with.
How do you make decisions when there’s no perfect option?
I go with the decision that benefits the greatest number of people, and is a detriment to the least. As far as how this applies to Town Meeting, this means ensuring the process remains fair, even if the outcome remains difficult.
What do you see as the core responsibilities of the moderator?
Like our state and federal governments, the town of Mendon has a separation of powers. However, instead of a president or governor, our executive is a select board. Instead of a Congress, our legislature is the body of Town Meeting. Uniquely, New England Open Town Meeting government is one of the most democratic forms of government in the world. Rather than being represented through a legislator, every voting resident in Mendon is their own legislator in local affairs. In this, I see my role almost akin to a speaker of the House. The moderator directs the flow and business of Town Meeting, and ensures that all members of the body get a voice and a vote. However, unlike a partisan speaker, my duty is to remain neutral, ensuring no single faction dominates the floor.
How do you handle heated or emotional debate while keeping town meeting productive?
I like to keep things light. Nobody wants to be stuck in a room for hours and hours. If I can defuse the tension with some well-placed humor, it reminds people that at the end of the day, we are all neighbors, and have the town’s best interest at heart. Sometimes though, debate does ensue, and that is healthy. I try to do my best to ensure that people leave feeling like they got to have their say, and that the proceedings were conducted fairly. Sometimes, when people engage in personal attacks, take things too far, I have to step in and rule people out of order, but it is a power I like to use sparingly.
What’s your proudest accomplishment as the town moderator? (Identify & explain)
I actually have two. The first one is more an accomplishment of the townspeople themselves, but I like to think I’m at least a small part. The town meetings we have in Mendon rarely devolve into name-calling or ugliness. The residents of this town are simply a pleasure to work with.
The second one is electronic voting. Electronic voting has been implemented during my tenure, and we’ve mastered it as a town (without losing any of the clickers!). I believe that it has encouraged more participation, and people feel less pressure, and thus are able to vote more freely. I hope we keep up this practice for a long, long time.
Mendon Commons sent questionnaires to each of the 13 candidates running for town office in the May 19 election. We are publishing the responses through May 18.
