To the editor:
Integrity is a term apparently lost in the scheme of today’s politics.
We invest our trust and confidence in those that we have elected and if past leadership is any indication MaryEllen Fletcher deserves our vote. MaryEllen has been tasked with chairing the Swampscott Select Board for the last year and for those who have been following the actions of the Select Board and more particularly Ms. Fletcher, you will have seen a leader who has invested her time and energy into what I would consider the best interests of the Swampscott community. That is no small charge; it is incumbent upon our Select Board members to discard their personal interests for those of the greater good. That is not an easy task and quite frankly a daunting task for those who are volunteering their time, effort, and personal integrity and placing it before the community at large. From an observer’s perspective, Ms. Fletcher has done that and more; she has been willing to vote her conscience, and advance positions that she feels are in the best interest of her constituents despite the fact that her vote may be in the minority. That type of inner strength and commitment to her role as a Select Board Chair and as a Select Board member is laudable.
I am on occasion disappointed at some of the decisions made by the Board, but in the case of MaryEllen I know that every decision that she makes is well considered and frankly after much consideration, a vote that she feels betters the community. I, like many constituents oftentimes feel alienated and ignored; I truly believe in this case Ms. Fletcher makes every effort to ensure that all our voices are heard and that her decisions are a direct reflection of a reasoned, intelligent, and caring leader. We are lucky to have Ms. Fletcher advocating for our interests, and to discard our skepticism when we encounter integrity. It is with pleasure that I express my full and total commitment and endorsement on behalf of Ms. Fletcher, and I hope that those prior to casting their vote have an opportunity to watch the next Select Board meeting in order to feel the same comfort level that I do in voting for MaryEllen Fletcher for Select Board.
Respectfully Submitted,
Kenneth B. Shutzer, Esq.
Swampscott
