I will be a candidate for re-election to the Select Board at the Town election in April. I am making this announcement early to ensure continuity of the forward movement we have enjoyed during the last three years in which we have recovered from the near paralysis of Covid, and the almost complete turnover of the town’s senior administration.
While not everyone has agreed on positions I have taken as a member or this past year as chair, I have used my experience, knowledge of the town, organizational and communication skills to address problems in an orderly, rational and respectful way. It runs from the little things, like parking meters, to the big things, like state-imposed zoning changes and housing mandates. The meters will be gone soon, and I expect the lack of cell phone service in Concord center will be resolved before the end of the year. I also expect that the budgets presented at Town Meeting will be at or close to Finance Committee guidelines.
Going forward, we need to look at the effectiveness of our governing structure and its relevance to the times in which we live, but without sacrificing the sense of community that comes from people meeting together to govern themselves. We also need to temper our expectations with regard to expenditures, how we pay for what we want and how we distribute the burden.
Much of the value of our community derives from our dedication to conservation, open space and our unique place in history. In striving to meet contemporary expectations, we should not put aside the sources of our success. With all the advantages we have, as I said when I first ran for the Board, if we cannot make the government of this small spot on the earth work, what hope is there for the rest of the world?
Henry J. Dane
Chair, Concord Select Board