Biographical information
I live with my wife, Meredith, and two youngest sons on Bates Street. I have been a practicing attorney for 26 years focusing on civil litigation; mostly business disputes, intellectual property and property damage matters. Prior to becoming an attorney, I was a police officer in New Hampshire and I was in the Marine Corps as an NCO in the infantry. I grew up in upstate New York, coming to Massachusetts in 1995. I have lived in and around Boston until 2020 when we decided on a wonderful house in Mendon.
How long have you lived in Mendon?
We moved to Mendon in November of 2020.
Why did you decide to run for Water Commission?
I decided to run in the effort to provide a service to the community in which we live. I am also interested with the issue of water in Mendon, as we live on a municipal line.
What professional or volunteer experience will you bring to this role?
I feel that most of my careers have been on the service-oriented side of things, and wanted to continue that with a more direct connection to the community in which we live. I offer my experience gained as an attorney in the effort to help with maintaining and improving the water system in Mendon.
Please describe other activities you’ve been involved with in Mendon or elsewhere, including any other elected or appointed positions.
I have never previously held, or sought to hold, any elected or appointed position. I have represented many people over the years pro bono where there was a need for, but not the ability to afford, an attorney.
I currently represent the Client’s Security Board of the Supreme Judicial Court in pursuing recovery from attorneys who have wrongfully taken their clients’ money.
What values guide your public service?
I was raised to believe in hard work and to treat others as you would like to be treated. I feel that I should be of use and am interesting in working to help our community.
How do you make decisions when there’s no perfect option?
There is hardly ever a perfect option. You must examine all the facts and make the best decision possible based upon the relevant needs and goals.
How do you see Mendon’s water needs changing over the next five to 10 years?
Whether desired or not, Mendon is growing. We do not want to get to a point where there is insufficient water to support its citizens and to protect their homes.
What measures should the town be taking now to meet its future water needs?
We need to carefully evaluate all of our needs and wants along with the actual possible solutions and find a path that best suits Mendon’s citizens’ water requirements. I do not feel that an open-ended reliance upon other towns for water is a sustainable system in the long run, so exploring possibilities to become independent is prudent.
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.
Photo above: Douglas Hartman with his wife and two youngest sons. (Courtesy, Douglas Hartman)
