Thank You

My town has elected me to the Board of Selectman and four days later I’m still deep in pondering the meaning of this leadership role for both me and those that have put their faith in me. It is a new place for me and my learning curve has certainly steepened in regards to my self expectations and honoring my supporters and all those future folks that will call Pepperell their home town.

I’m proud of having been a good son, a good brother and uncle, a good friend, good farmer and community member. Now it is time to be the best Selectman that I can be. I am reassured by my record of dedication to reach the heart felt goals I set. I rely on my passion for learning to succeed.

It is very humbling for me that so many, from friends to people I don’t know, have seen something in me that has prompted them to give me this leadership role. It’s a kind of praise I’ve never known. I also recognize that there are also nearly as many who voted for Joe, and against me. I embrace the work of understanding their wishes, debating our differences and honoring those relationships and the decisions that evolve from a broad and diverse section of our voters.

There are so many in town that didn’t participate in this and many other elections. I wish they would jump in, joining and guiding their community. I want to understand what keeps them at bay and persuade more voters to enjoy participating. A vibrant, engaged community can so enrich all of our lives.

Great thanks are due: My core team, Deb Fountain, treasurer, technology genius, strategist plowed through all kinds of hurdles to keep me in line.  My sister, April Healey, who is vigilant in finding ways to take care of me, dedicated hours of work and worry to campaign for my success and made it happen. Sherril Rosoff, my neighbor and creative and wise sign maker and strategist kept my mind lively with ideas and challenges and laughter. Her daughter Alexia, a media and PR expert, setting me on the best campaign course in the face of Covid 19 challenges. Jessica Veysey Powell, through conversations and smart interview skills helped people to get to know me. The Pepperell Community Media staff were amazing in their professional media help in producing my video campaign. Thank you too to those who donated financially to my campaign and those who gave of their time to make signs, wave signs, address postcards and join in our neighborhood parade. 

I also want to thank Joe Radwich for his dedication and service to Pepperell as Selectman, Lions Club member, PBA and local tree service guy. I appreciate his congratulations on my being elected and we recently talked at length about our community which was very helpful. We share a pragmatic, working man's, self employed life and I look forward to sharing efforts with Joe to meet Pepperell’s needs.   

So many dear friends encouraged me to run for the Selectman’s seat. Your encouragement and faith opened this door for me. Thank you! To my supporters, you’ve amazed me with your confidence in me. I rely on all of you to guide me so that I will not disappoint you.

Some have worried that the Selectboard needs to be more diverse. My wish, my goal, is to have all those voices stream through me and be heard in all of our decision-making.

To that end, first on my agenda, and heard so often, we need to make reliable town government news easier to access. I will ask the Selectboard  to hold an open Town Meeting once a month in a larger, more comfortable venue to have conversations with our town members about current issues as well as long term planning ideas. We also need to recover a local town newspaper or newsletter, rooted in the ethics of journalism. Any one? Any one?

Thank you all.
With ambitious regards, Tony Beattie

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