By Mike Majors
Mike is A 40-year resident of the Town of Acton, a member of the Finance Committee, Economic Development Committee, and the Minuteman School Building Committee
“Because Acton needs Dean Charter.”
As a long-term resident of Acton, I have seen the town go through many changes; some good, some not so much. Acton has embraced- or at least has adjusted to these changes because people have their own opinions and values. Most citizens generally tend to trust their instincts. If one scratches the surface just a little, one soon gets the impression that something is a little off and I believe it has to do with leadership and vision. Acton is fortunate enough to have an award-winning Finance Department and a Town Manager that is responsive to the needs of its citizens. We are also fortunate to have Dean Charter on the Select Board and that he’s running for re-election to that position on Tuesday.
Dean is effective because he is focused on the issues and relates to the pulse of the entire community. Is Acton’s success a result of good leadership or in-spite of it? Similarly, Dean Charter believes in budgets that are sustainable because he has been doing this his entire professional life. Dean spent 40 years as a Town of Acton employee and retired as the head of Municipal Properties. If the available revenues were not adequate to sustain his budget, he would manage somehow to make it work. More than any other individual Dean knows how this town works and what it’s needs are. He is successful because of his four decades of experience, and he talks to the people to get the real pulse of the community.
As an effective and popular Select Board member, he did not need on-the-job training to become an effective leader. He is sensitive to citizen concerns because he is out listening to the concerns of the man in the street with quiet conversation over coffee. Dean usually addresses these concerns first, by careful listening to all the facts surrounding the issue, understanding the various points of view, trying to relate to similar issues of the past using his encyclopedic knowledge of Acton and its people. Reaching consensus in a fair, open and just manner is his goal. Acton enjoys a stable local economy and an excellent school system, but it comes at a price, reflected in the increases in our quarterly real estate tax bills . Yet 99.8% of those of us who receive a real estate tax bill pay them on time! Which may mean they are are responsible citizens who realize that real estate taxes provides the majority of our operating budget.
Because he is out taking with citizens, and not on a school bus, he realizes that Acton citizens are aging, with the over-65 crowd being our fastest-growing segment. He knows that Acton benefits from a population that gets more culturally unique and helpful service agencies such as Acton Nursing, our scheduled and on demand Shuttle. We have survived these shortages and disruptions of all types by the Covid 19 pandemic including mask mandates, labor issues, supply chain disruptions, and the alarming rise in the cost of energy. Inflation is rapidly reaching record proportions and Russia’s War with Ukraine may impact the entire world in several ways, none of them good. The point here is that leadership can make a difference in how well we survive in our world. We, as a community, have navigated troubled waters effectively, but not without some pain. Our success can be attributed to strong leadership as it impacts the quality-of-life Acton affords its citizens. A great school system, a strong, local, regional, and Deans’ tireless focus on the needs of our community is required now more than ever. He listens to all sides. He is respectful. He is organized and pays diligence to develop balanced solutions to complex problems.
The impact of the pandemic, the continuing energy crisis, the record inflation, lingering supply chain issues, and more recently the Russian invasion of Ukraine will have a very serious impact on our next several Town Budgets as well as the Regional School District Budgets. Our large real estate tax bills of today, may soon seem like the good old day if we continue our current spending patterns, especially if some of the dire predictions regarding the world economy come to pass. Some serious budget revisions are in store and this will demand strong open and honest communication from the Town as well as the School District Administration.
Additionally, to our ongoing concerns about diversity and race, many projects will require excellent listening skills and compassionate leadership. Meeting our housing needs and a commitment to filling empty storefronts in our commercial districts with new and productive tax-paying business entities should also be a priority. Dean can motivate the Select Board to support these ventures.
Finally, with the upcoming special historic events such as the 250th anniversary of April 19th, 1775, Dean’s unique knowledge of Acton’s history will inspire the event planners to develop exhibits and events that are educational, inclusive, and fun celebrations of our unique history. Developing a workable solution for the empty Kmart parcel should also keep the Select Board busy, and Dean is the man who can move these projects forward.
In short, Acton is fortunate to have good people like Dean Charter and his wife Marsha in our community. I am fortunate to be able to call him a friend. We need him now and for the future. I enthusiastically support Dean Charter for re-election to Acton’s Select Board.
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