To the Editor:
On May 14th 2018, residents of New Marlborough will have the opportunity to participate in New England’s oldest form of Open Town Government that dates back to the early 1600’s. As citizen legislator’s we will enjoy the privilege to cast a vote and this year may be more exciting than most.
We have seven newcomers on the spring ballot ready to serve the residents of the Town of New Marlborough. It must be a difficult decision to divide one’s personal time with that of becoming a public servant; hopefully, we will give them all a warm welcome and endorse them on the ballot.
One candidate in particular, Daniel Doern, seems to have impeccable credentials for the office he seeks as selectman: a Masters Degree in Business Administration and 20 years experience in complex real estate development projects for both private land developers and public agencies. How timely Mr. Doern is willing to step up and serve the town at this critical juncture with the complexity of the Cannabis Control Commission regulations to be implemented with each special permit application.
If the past four months is any indication of what our future holds, concerning the review process of special permit applications for the recreational marijuana industry, the town will certainly benefit from the extraordinary credentials and expertise that Mr. Doern has to offer. Our own in-house expert to assist us with the technical review process of engineered studies and complex land development projects may be an asset we can’t afford to pass up.
Daniel Doern also has special skills and diplomatic leadership qualities that can bring diverse interest groups to a unified consensus. Prioritizing key values, identifying a broad range of solutions, weighing in on both the pros and cons of an issue, and ultimately making the best decision possible for the community not only takes a special skill, but it also takes the aspiration to do so. This is where Mr. Doern seems to excel. He understands that “officeholders are the agents of the people” and he reaches out to solicit the views of the residents. He embraces the concept of representing the voice of the people he hopes to serve; not reluctantly, but enthusiastically.
Thus, I wish a warm welcome to all of our new public servants and a special endorsement for the outstanding credentials of Daniel Doern. A vote for Mr. Doern is a vote for integrity and transparency in the governance structure of the town and the ambition to maintain the public trust.
Lucinda Shmulsky
New Marlborough
