Selectboard Candidacy

[nhibbard]

I wanted to take a minute to thank all those that signed my petition to be considered for a position on the Seclectboard at the upcoming election in March. My family and I moved to Fairfax in May of last year because we wanted more room for our family in a community where we had friends and could afford to live. In the short time that I have been here, we have been extremely happy with our decision. The Selectboard has been very open to discussions on issues, Town employees have been friendly and helpful, and everyone we've met has been kind and courteous.

I have decided to seek election because I believe the skills and views I have can help the Fairfax move forward on fiscal, social and technological issues. Below I have outlined some of my views:

The reason I started to attend meetings was to point out the glaring need for Fairfax to have a website that contained factual information about the Town that was both up to date and historical. I have been working on this project with the Selectboard and community members for the last few months. While Henry's website does contain much of that information, Fairfax should have an OFFICIAL town website that is controlled by the Town and maintained directly by it's staff. A website for Fairfax would enable the community to formally reach out and inform anyone about what is going on, why this is such a great community and the resources available. This information could include historic tax rates for those looking to buy homes, links to departments in the town with policy documents and forms, a place to post town specific meeting dates/agendas/minutes and highlight projects in Town such as the new office building.

I believe my experience providing financial and IT support at work puts me in a position to help evaluate the cost and usefulness of new technology initiatives as well as to communicate their practical uses to taxpayers. I'm especially interested in the current issues of remote water meter readings and smart meters in Fairfax. I also have interest in helping Town employees better understand and efficiently use the technology they have.

I'm a believer in open government and the ability for people to fully understand issues. Currently, this isn't available. This is not to fault anyone because I know the current processes are historic for many towns. I'd like to see a progressive move to record meetings and making them fully available to the public who may not be able to find the time to attend meetings but still want to know what is going on. I would reach out to public access channels see about recording the meetings much like Burlington, Essex and other towns. The intent is to provide better clarity on the decision and discussion process. I'd like to see clear postings outside the offices of when meetings are held or where I can find that information. This could simply be a piece of paper pointed toward the outside of the Town offices and not sitting in behind the locked doors. This could be a message on the phone system of the date of the next meeting.

Fiscal responsibility is another issue that I believe needs to be worked on. I feel strongly that every meeting should have a clear financial component. In the months that I have attended meetings, I have seen very few financial reports provided. This is not to say they may not have been provided, but I have not seen a clear presentation during the meetings of each department and their expenditures. This should be a monthly presentation to keep events clear in the minds of the presenter and the viewer. Without this information, the public and their representatives cannot make clear decisions on the financial position of the Town.

Thank you for taking the time to read this and I would appreciate your support at the upcoming election. If you have any questions about my positions or experience, feel free to contact me through the forum or my personal email at nicholas.hibbard@gmail.com.

[mmatthews]

I know I'm slightly biased (since I'm engaged to him) but I feel like I should throw in my two cents.  I think Nick would be great in this position for many reasons.  First, he has a sound education graduating from Champlain College with a BA in accounting.  After college he went to work for the Burlington Housing Authority where he has quietly worked up the ranks.  He is currently responsible for his duties as a staff accountant and also handles all of the computers, software, website, printers, faxes, and phones and their maintenance.  He has an interest in town management and even watches the public access channel when they show other municipal meetings for fun ( I know, boring right?).  Since we have moved here from Essex in May he has religiously gone to almost every town meeting in Fairfax.

 If he were elected he would bring to the table many things. Since he has been going to the town meetings, the other selectman have gotten to know him and he has even started working with Dave Shea on special projects like the town website.  Also, due to his presence at town meetings he already has a very sound grasp on the current issues and lots of ideas on ways to combat these issues.  He would bring his strong knowledge of accounting which, according to last years town audit, is sorely needed.  He would also bring his sound grasp of technology and how that can help propel Fairfax into the 21st century.  Lastly, with his knowledge of how other towns deal with issues, he is not afraid to think outside the box and make some of those ideas work for us.

In closing this is not some sort of popularity contest, and Nick is not some out of towner that doesn't have a clue about the issues.  He is someone who is genuinely interested in this Town and its future and has already set up a solid track record of this with his attendance and willingness to get involved.  We own a home here, our child goes to school here (and the other one will too in a couple years- she's three) so we have a vested interest in this Town and its future.

Thanks for reading