12 May, 2024
I am writing to endorse Brian Herr for Select Board. I have worked with Brian for several decades as a result of our overlapping roles serving the community of Hopkinton. My roles on the School Committee, the Appropriations Committee, and as the Chair of the 300th Anniversary Celebration Committee have provided me with a long-term and multi-faceted view of Brian. We have not always agreed on the matters before us, but I have always found that Brian seeks input, listens to and respects other viewpoints, and works collaboratively to move the town forward. I have never doubted his fidelity to his mantra of “One Town, One Solution”, even when I held a different view of what that solution should be.
Hopkinton is at a critical juncture. We continue to wrestle with the unprecedented and unrelenting population growth which has required increased operating budgets and necessitated numerous capital projects for the DPW, Fire, Library, Police, Schools, Senior Center, and more. We are facing significant challenges and course-altering decisions in the near term with our water quality and supply, the MWRA connection, the MBTA Communities Act, Eversource appeals, Center School, significant transition of town senior staff and employees….and the list goes on. The decision which will have the greatest impact on the outcomes of all of these issues is the selection of our next Town Manager.
I was on the School Committee when Norman Khumalo was hired by the town, and witnessed first-hand the time and intention Brian put into managing a transparent and community informed hiring process. Following the selection of the Town Manager, Brian took the lead in facilitating the orientation and onboarding critical to providing our new town leader with the resources and context necessary to successfully manage this unique, complex, and beautiful town. For me, Brian’s understanding of the town’s history and operations, appreciation of the gravity and consequences of the matters before us, and relationships with our state legislators are both unique and essential to preparing our next Town Manager for success. As a 12-year member of the Select Board, Brian is well versed in the challenges and opportunities currently before the town.
I appreciate Brian’s willingness to run again for the Select Board, after having already served the town for so many years, and in multiple roles. I am certain this stems from his keen understanding of the current realities facing the town and his continued commitment to this community. He offers the perspective and vision necessary to select and support our next Town Manager, as well as the leadership skills and experience essential to meeting the legal and fiduciary responsibilities that members of the Select Board have to the town.
Please join me in voting for Brian Herr on Monday, May 20.
Sincerely,
Jean Bertschmann
4 Cider Mill
**This article was written by a group or person in the Hopkinton Community and does not necessarily reflect the views of HCAM or any of their Board Members or Employees.**
