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Dear Reading Voter
Back in October 2021, sitting Select Board members were looking for individuals with the right talents to make a Select Board type of decision by joining the town manager screening search committee. Out of 30 Reading residents who applied for just two resident spots on this committee, Nancy Tawadros, based on her stellar interview, ended up on the shortlists of two select board members (neither of whom knew her personally at that time.) When I watched her interview, I thought her direct experience, poise, logical thought process, common sense, and intelligence, would have made her a perfect screening committee member. Although Nancy did not get enough votes from all Select Board members to make the final cut, she caught my eye and that of many others I know who watched. Who was this stellar person and when can we get her involved in other aspects of our town government, I wondered?
When I learned in early winter that Nancy Tawadros was considering a run for Select Board, I was elated. I was excited for the chance to meet her and hear more, to see if the polished screening committee candidate was ready to seek to join those on the board who thought so highly of her. She so clearly was. As I have become friends with Nancy these four months I have gotten to see how quickly she comes up to speed on complicated town issues, how she asks the right questions and thinks through issues, how she always tries to make those around her feel heard and valued. I am very confident she will make a great Select Board member.
In the 22 years I have lived in Reading, I have followed a lot of municipal elections, and one thing has been constant with the elections and candidates: how a candidate conducts his or her campaign, is a better predictor of how they will be as an elected official, a better thing to rely on, than any letter to the editor like this.
The candidates who have turned out to be the best elected officials (in my opinion) are those, like Nancy Tawadros, who are willing to embrace details, who take time to share with the voters specific particulars on their goals as a candidate (e.g., in web posts and videos,) who put in the time to meet with voters and members of town boards to get educated on town business, who respond to emails, and who show grace and grit even when criticized or challenged. Candidates who can do all this during a campaign demonstrate the same discipline, determination, and competence when elected. Ethical, hard-working, knowledgeable candidates like Nancy Tawadros inevitably turn into effective, responsible members of town government.
Nancy’s campaign website proves my point even further. LTEs like this often suggest that you to go to a candidate’s website. Absolutely do that for any candidate you are considering. See what is there – and what is not. On Nancy’s website, you will see detailed content that will show you, even if you have not been lucky enough to meet her, what you will get with her as a Select Board member. For example, as of this writing, she has six unique, brief videos (each under 3 minutes,) and each video tells you something more about her or her goals, as well as a detailed statement on her priorities.
Nancy Tawadros, from the first time I learned of her, has demonstrated in her actions, words, and campaign, why she will be an outstanding, productive and responsive Select Board member.
Please join me on April 5 in voting for Nancy Tawadros for Select Board!
Marianne Downing
Heather Drive
