Dear fellow Hanoverians:
Below please find the Candidate Information Sheet from our first candidate
who responded to the Hanover Woman’s Club request for this information.
Douglas Thomson is running unopposed for a one year term as our Town
Moderator.
Name: Douglas Thomson
Office Seeking: Town Moderator
Address: 992 Main St.
Phone: 781-878-3438, moderator@hanover-ma.gov
Length of Residency: Last 34 years and 56 of my 61 years
Relevant Experience List:
I am a life-long, third generation Hanover resident and regular, active
participant in all Town Meetings, even before I was moderator. I was a
founding member of the Hanover Open Space Committee and served as Chairman
for 7 of my 9 years with the committee. I have been your Town Moderator for
the past 21 years. Professionally, I am the Vice President of Granite State
Manufacturing, a New Hampshire company that builds military and medical
equipment. I also manage Washington political relations for the company. I
have a BS in Aerospace Engineering from Syracuse University and am a
graduate of Hanover High School. I have been married for 34 years and my
wife Kathi and I have two adult children.
Major Issues Confronting the Town which involve this office:
The most important issue for the Town Moderator is promoting widespread
participation in town government. The biggest challenge for the town as a
whole is financial. Our revenues are not sufficient to address many of the
needs and interests of the citizens at a level which is desired by those
citizens, be they schools, public safety, water quality, recreational
facilities or other concerns. As Moderator, it is very important for me to
carefully seek out skilled individuals to serve on the Advisory Committee
as well as the multiple other committees I appoint. I also work to actively
encourage all citizens to attend and contribute to the debates at town
meetings.
Why am I running for this office?
Quite simply, I am running because I am confident that I can continue to
effectively serve as the lead advocate for participation in Hanover local
government. In my 21 years as Town Moderator, we have seen modest growth in
Town Meeting attendance and have never faced the lack of quorum issues that
challenge other towns. I’m particularly proud that we were able to hold
both our 2020 and 2021 Town Meetings, in challenging configurations, with
crowds of 250+ townspeople each time. Last year, with the focus on a
potential Override, again operated out of two rooms to properly handle high
attendance.
I’m proud of Hanover’s active participation but I will never be
satisfied until we are constantly challenged to find a big enough space to
hold the meeting. Please work with me to encourage your friends and
neighbors to attend the one meeting a year where one vote can make all the
difference.
The Moderator has many appointments. Beyond the major standing committees,
these appointments sometimes include temporary study committees, which are
ideal for getting broader participation, often from those interested in
beginning to help out. I will continue working hard to get more residents
involved in committee work. I will also take the time at Town Meetings to
explain the proceedings to be sure that everyone understands the debate and
feels welcome to participate. Broader participation of citizens in their
government ensures fairer democracy.
For “Around Town on the Web”,
Cathy H-B
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