The Reading Post accepts Letters to the Editor. All letters must be signed. The Reading Post reserves the right to edit or not publish any letters received. Letters do not represent the views or opinions of the Post. editor@thereadingpost.com
In my previous letter, “In support of Mark Dockser”, I discussed taking multiple opportunities to listen, engage, and learn about all three candidates running for the Select Board by attending their “Meet and Greet”, the “Meet The Candidates” night, and looking at their website. I would like to take this opportunity to share with you why I believe Jackie McCarthy will make a positive addition to the Select Board.
If you are looking for a fresh perspective from a Select Board Member, you are in luck. Jackie is running for the open seat left by Anne Landry (Thank you for your service Anne!), and while she does not have experience serving on the Select Board, she is well versed in how the local government functions from her time on the Town Meeting and Finance Committee, and from her professional experience as an attorney. She won’t get bogged down by the process, by “can we do it”, or by “how do we do it”. She is ready to hit the ground running and begin collaborating with the rest of the Select Board, our new Town Manager Fidel Maltez, and the people of Reading. Her experience will enhance the decision-making process of the Select Board.
Jackie organized with her neighborhood to prevent a permanent, independent cellular tower construction in Reading. She encouraged the Select Board to use its negotiating authority to encourage the cell carriers to build a temporary cellular tower, which was put up last week. The carriers’ construction of a temporary cellular tower avoided associated monetary costs to the town and unnecessary land usage and preserved the Reading aesthetic. This experience added to Jackie’s sensitivity and understanding in regard to different projects, their impact, and the development of our neighborhoods. She later went on to run successfully for the Town Meeting to represent Precinct 7. Jackie reached out to the residents with a flyer sharing her positions, motivation, and ways for folks to contact her directly. This form of communal engagement from Town Meeting candidates is, unfortunately, a rarity. Jackie then proceeded to volunteer additional time by joining the Finance Committee, obtaining better insight into how our town’s funding is spent.
Our wonderful town is not a business or a company, but a collective of people from diverse backgrounds, different views, and unique perspectives. Jackie is ready to actively listen to residents, keep the government moving, and make a positive impact on Reading. She already has a track record, spanning years, of doing just that. And if you haven’t had a chance to talk with her, I would highly recommend that you do. You will find, as I have, that she is the right choice for the Select Board and the right choice for Reading. Visit jackieforreading.com or facebook.com/jackieforreading to learn more about Jackie.
Join me on April 5, at the Hawkes Field House at RMHS, to cast your vote for Jackie McCarthy.
Genady Pilyavsky
Harriman Avenue
