Above: Representative Carolyn Dykema posted a farewell message announcing her resignation. According to media sources, it’s effective next week. (photo from Facebook)
This winter, I shared news that due to redistricting, effective the upcoming fall elections, State Representative Carolyn Dykema will no longer represent Southborough. Yesterday, the Community Advocate reported that timeline has accelerated.
The CA story state that she is resigning from office effective February 11th. She’ll be going to work for a clean energy company, Nexamp, as their Northeast Policy Director. (The article cites State House News for that detail.)
As I’ve previously written, one Democrat has already announced her run to represent our new district on the November ballot. According to the CA article, our town may be without representation until then. (That is, in the Mass House of Representatives. We’re still represented by State Senator Jamie Eldridge.)
CA writes:
Meanwhile, her district will temporarily be without House representation as voters wait to choose her successor.House Speaker Ronald Mariano has the option to call a special election to fill open seats before this year’s planned November election. But he would not say whether he would take that step in comments made last month.
On Monday, Dykema posted a farewell message on her Facebook page:
It’s been the honor of my life to represent the residents of the 8th Middlesex District in the Massachusetts legislature. After 13 years as your State Representative, I’ll be moving on to a new challenge!
While this is an exciting opportunity and a promising new chapter, it is bittersweet leaving a role I’ve loved and the wonderful people I’ve been so grateful to serve.The residents of Holliston, Hopkinton, Southborough and Westborough are remarkable people, and I’ve been incredibly proud to be your State Representative. Your welfare and wellbeing have always been at the center of my work. You trusted me to represent you, and I hope I earned that trust every day.
There are so many thanks to go around and I’ll look forward to speaking with many of you personally in the coming weeks. To my friends, supporters, local partners and colleagues, I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished together. You have given me memories I will cherish forever. To my current and past staff, you have been the heart and soul of the office and your dedication has made a difference in the lives of countless constituents. And of course, to my family, your love, patience, and support allowed me to pursue my passion. I couldn’t have done it without you.
Thanks for your friendship. Please stay in touch. I won’t be going far!
Good Riddance. What a terrible human being. She has attached her name to more harmful bills than any representative that ever represented this town. She never represented us. She represented herself.
What “harmful bills” would those be? Examples?
Nice to call her a terrible human being because you disagree with her politics.
Attacking a person because they disagree with you. Very typical here. It doesn’t matter
if you use Mickey Mouse’s name, the mere fact that you all become hateful, nasty, and retaliatory is what is frightening. Ever hear of “freedom of speech”. Knock it off. Let all of us have our opinion, and chill.
Democrats do it all the time.
My friend Carolyn represented us so ably that she was elected by us seven times with mostly overwhelming majorities. The more we got to know her, the more we liked her.
One thing I’m completely sure of: She gave you a respectful listen, because that’s who she is.
She didn’t represent your views, most likely, but she still would have helped you with the state government if you’d asked. Your sour grapes tell us more about you than they do about her.
READERS of mysouthborough.com,
This is an absolutely disgraceful comment by an anonymous disgruntled poster. I hope Ms. Dykema never sees this. The comment certainly does not reflect the appreciation that the Town has for her support over the years serving as our representative.
Beth – I respectfully urge you to rethink your original policy of “posting etiquette”. While it is your blog, some of the malicious and hateful comments (by anonymous posters) do nothing but undermine the work that you do with your reporting. The comments of a few (who continuously change their fictitious name) DO NOT reflect well on the Town.
Thank you for any reconsideration of your policy.
All blogs contain opinions that some may agree with or not. Claire, you certainly are not the arbiter of democracy, freedom of speech, or even etiquette, for that matter. Your own comments are over the top. While one may not agree with the above comment, or may not agree with how it was said, all persons have a right to express their opinions in the USA. I also do not agree at all with your spurious comments about Beth. Beth is good at what she does and is fair even when she probably doesn’t have to be. For the record, I happen to agree with part of the sentiment about representation of Ms. Dykema and being disappointed at times, not all the time, but sometimes.
I don’t consider her comment spurious. The anonymous commenter issue is definitely a thorny issue. I’ve honestly been considering making changes though I know that would anger at least as many as it pleases.
Claire,
I agree with you completely. I am grateful for the Blog and for Beth’s tireless work to keep us informed and engaged, but anonymity in this forum precludes accountability and untethers the writer from obligations of truth or civility. As a regular reader, it is clear this has escalated in recent years and I think the Blog would be a stronger and more useful forum if the anonymous option was eliminated.
In today’s Google age, everyone must rightly be sensitive to online perception, even when it is untrue. Southborough has many committees, and several vacancies that continue to go unfilled. When experienced and respected professionals willing to share their expertise are called a “comedy act” on this Blog, we all lose. I’m concerned that anonymous, and often malicious and untrue Blog comments contribute to dissuading citizens from participating in governance, committee work, and even public discourse.
Additionally, the Blog has broad readership that extends beyond our Town’s borders. Whether we like it or not, perceptions of our Town are informed by mediums like this Blog. How do we want our town to be perceived by families moving in, by prospective businesses looking for a home?
Requiring full names associated with valid email addresses will most certainly elevate the level of discourse and civility on this Blog, which will in turn make our community appear, feel, and be better. We do not and should not always agree, but we should show each other grace and humanity, and eliminating the anonymous feature is a step toward fostering this respect for our neighbors. We will all individually and collectively be better for it.
I don’t entirely disagree, but I would not be commenting if it were not allowed to be done anonymously. I can easily imagine a scenario where there are way fewer commenters who each make way more noise, and just because their names are used, I don’t imagine that means all their comments are suddenly more polite (I’ve seen plenty of non-anonymous comments that hold no punches).
My understanding is that this is Beth’s blog, so whatever rules she sets, we either follow or stop participating, but I could imagine a scenario where there are different codes of conduct for anonymous posters vs non-anonymous posters – slinging mud anonymously would not be allowed, for example, but a verified user might get more leeway.
Oh my goodness, if this is how you communicate when you’re feeling cheerful, I’d hate to meet you when you’re grumpy!
She did a lot for the TOS, more than people can Amagine, she almost, never missed a town gathering or event. putting the issues in town sometimes over family.
I wish her the best in the private sector.
I agree with the comment about town events. She was always ever present at every Summer Nights, Heritage Day and many other events held throughout the year. Although I didn’t always agree with her, I admire her for taking time out of her LIFE to be there. It is much more than I can say of our very own Town Administrator, Assistant Town Administrator and Police Chief. I attend a lot of events in this community and I have never seen one of them at any event – ever! What does that tell you about their commitment to our community? All 3 of them should be ashamed. Even Fire Chief Achilles (who has been here a shorter amount of time than all 3 of them) shows up to events. He had a “trunk” at the Trunk or Treat and even showed up at the Gobble Wobble this year. It is all about presence and it shows how much these 3 care about the community they are supposed to be a part of. Carolyn was always at Summer Nights, in the parade at Heritage Day and then in a booth. She would always listen and ask. More than most of our local officials.
I have definitely seen the Police Chief at past community events.
I agree. She was always at town events, was smiling and engaging and went out of her way to interact with the community. Perhaps more than any elected representative that I have ever seen in and around our local towns. I really enjoyed my interactions with her. My original comment still stands.
I’m wondering why you haven’t specified any of the terrible bills that you objected to.
I have to say our Police Chief has been very approachable and willing to listen during the many times I have spoken to him in group meetings at the Senior Center. Before the pandemic you could often catch him in an informal way at Dunkin’ Donuts. I have seen him at Heritage Day and Summer Nights. I would say he has an exceptionally good understanding of Southborough. You can’t always be everywhere and there is more than one way to commit to this community.
And Carolyn Dykema … so frequently seen in Southborough she must have a twin. Hat’s off to her for all that public service.
Thank you, Carolyn Dykema for listening and representing Southborough all these years. Best luck in your next endeavor! Louis & Karen Kuchnir
Well said Claire Reynolds!! The anonymous posters are slanderous and hiding behind their fake names. Put yourself out there and own up to your nasty posts. It is pathetic and sad that you cannot post under your own name.
Barbara Millett
I met Carolyn a few times and always found her to be personable and a pleasure to talk with. Best wishes to her for success in her new private-sector endeavor.