[Ed note: My Southborough invited each candidate for a contested position in the annual town election to submit a letter to voters.]
To the Editor:
My Name is John Wood and I am asking for your support of my candidacy for a seat on the Southborough Board of Selectmen. As a 32 year resident of Southborough, I have been witness to many changes within our town. At no time more than now do I believe our Town has ever been at a more critical crossroad where the decisions that will be made by our Board of Selectmen will have such far reaching impacts for generations to come. Issues such as the impending Main Street Road Project, Preservation of St. Mark’s Golf Course, and the construction of a new Public Safety Complex will have a material and emotional impact on many of our Town’s residents. As such, I believe strongly that those who will be making many decisions in regard to these projects should not do so lightly. Each of these projects, on which so many people have worked so tirelessly, will require decisions based upon detailed analysis by individuals exhibiting common sense, fiscal responsibility, and respect for the feelings of the members of our community. Although I am a strong supporter of a new Public Safety Complex to be built upon a small portion of land on the edge of St. Mark’s Golf Course, I understand the importance in making sure that such a building is constructed in a responsible manner that takes into account financial considerations, functionality, and aesthetic concerns.
In order to help ensure that the various departments within Town are working with responsible and properly scrutinized budgets, I have served as a member of the Advisory Committee since 2010; I served as the Chairman of this committee from 2012-2014. Understanding the dire need for a new public safety complex to replace our current undersized and outdated police and fire stations, I have served as a member of the Public Safety Study Committee since 2015. I believe the efforts put forward by this particular committee have provided the Town with a solid plan for a public safety complex that will provide our police officers and firefighters with an appropriate facility that will meet the needs of our Town’s residents for the next 50 years. In addition to serving our Town’s government on committees, I have also enjoyed volunteering time to United Parishes food pantry and St. Anne’s Parish.
On a personal note, I moved to Fayville from the Town of Wayland at the age of 18; it was not long after this that I married my high school sweetheart, Sue Delarda. Sue’s family has been living in Southborough for 5 generations now; our two sons, RJ and Mike, attended the Southborough Village Preschool and then went through the Southborough school system until graduating from Algonquin Regional High School and then going off to college. Having worked as an EMT/Paramedic for over 25 years, I worked my way up to the position of Director of Operations; needless to say, I am no stranger to making decisions that will have a lasting impact on others. In my current role as a Sales Executive, I work in a fast paced environment where I must continually make meaningful decisions on a day-to-day basis. The love that my wife and I have for Southborough and my desire to make our Town better for our sons are the driving forces behind my candidacy. My family has always been supportive and understanding when it came to the seemingly endless nights when I could not be there for them because I was attending another committee meeting. With so much now on the line within Southborough, I want to be there to make sure that the love and respect that my family has showed for me is paid back somewhat by securing a promising future for them and all the residents of Southborough. With that, I am asking for you support in the form of a vote for the position of Selectman on May 9th.
Service to Southborough
- Lifetime of dedicated public service; over 25 years as an EMT/Paramedic
- 30+ years resident of Southborough; 5 generations of family ties to Southborough
- Southborough Fire Department – Call Firefighter/EMT (1988 – 1996)
- Advisory Committee (2010 – present, Chairman 2012 – 2014)
- Public Safety Study Committee (2015 – Present)
- United Parishes Food Pantry – Volunteer (2009 – Present)
Priorities for Southborough
- Support economic growth, especially along the Rte. 9 corridor
- Lower the residential tax burden by retaining existing and incentivizing new businesses within town
- Ensure that Southborough’s senior community can continue to remain and thrive within town
- Ensure that municipal departments are properly funded and staffed as to provide excellent levels of service
- Promote increased levels of open dialogue between residents, elected officials, boards, and committees
For questions or comments please email me at jwood01772@yahoo.com or visit my Facebook page: Committee to Elect John Wood for Selectman
Respectfully,
John M Wood
I strongly encourage people to consider John Wood for Selectman. He seems like a very genuine, level-headed guy and I’ve heard nothing but good things about his service on the advisory board and the public safety building committee. When you are planning something (be it a building, a machine, software, etc) there is nothing better that a trustworthy source who thoroughly understands the job that you are building for!