Dear fellow Hanoverians:<\/p>\n
Below please find Vanessa O’Connor’s candidate information sheet. Ms.
\nO’Connor is running for re-election to one of two open seats on the Select
\nBoard.<\/p>\n
CANDIDATE INFORMATION SHEET
\nVanessa A. O\u2019Connor
\nOffice Seeking: \t\tSelect Board
\nAddress: \t\t\t43 Mayflower Circle, Hanover, MA 02339
\nTelephone Number: \t(781) 296-7029
\nLength of Residency:\t7.5 years<\/p>\n
Relevant Experience: I was elected to the Select Board in 2020 and
\nre-elected in 2023. I have served as Vice-Chair (2022-2023) and Chair
\n(during both override years – 2023-2024 and 2024-2025). As a Select Board
\nMember, I have served as liaison to the Fire Works Site Focus Committee and
\nthe Transfer Station Study Committee. I serve as liaison to the Affordable
\nHousing Trust (which I also sit on), Advisory Committee, Board of Health,
\nParks and Recreation Committee, Taxation Aid Committee and Zoning Board of
\nAppeals. Before election to the Select Board, I was the Advisory Committee
\nappointee to the Fire Station Planning Study Committee. I am an active
\ncommunity volunteer, member of The Hanover Club, HYAA soccer and basketball
\ncoach and founder of the Hanover Fiber Club. Professionally, I am a real
\nestate lawyer at The TJX Companies, Inc., where I provide legal counsel and
\nguidance on all aspects of real estate leasing, acquisition, management,
\ndevelopment and disposition. I earned my J.D. from Boston College Law
\nSchool, my B.A. in political science from Tufts University and am a
\ngraduate of Braintree High School. I grew up nearby in Braintree and lived
\nin Dorchester with my family before settling in Hanover in 2018.<\/p>\n
Major Issues: Hanover continues to face several challenges, namely related
\nto the tension between affordability and maintaining services, major
\ninfrastructure and environmental costs, and for the growth and aging of our
\npopulation. The two-year process that led to the FY2026 override
\nunderscored the need for responsible budgeting that still manages to
\nprotect our schools and services \u2013 which will require disciplined
\nlong-term financial planning. At the same time, Hanover is confronting
\nserious environmental and public health challenges like PFAS contamination
\nin our water, which is not a problem our government or residents created,
\nbut will require major investment to fix. Relatedly, challenges with
\nrespect to COVID, healthcare costs, benefits, etc., have forced us to put
\noff or limit investments in our infrastructure (such as those related to
\ntraffic, technology, and public buildings) which we need to address \u2013 how
\nwe invest in our town today shapes how we experience it in the future.
\nFinally, we are also working to get ahead of housing growth needs so that
\nyoung families and seniors alike can afford to join and stay in our
\ncommunity. <\/p>\n
Why I Am Running for The Select Board: As I did in 2020 and 2023, I am
\nrunning for the Select Board because I believe that Hanover should be a
\ncollaborative, sensible, and inclusive community. I advocated passionately
\nfor moderate override that reflected the needs of families with students in
\nHanover\u2019s public schools with the very real financial pressures resident
\nface. While the override ultimately passed last year, our related
\nchallenges did not end there and I vocally committed to avoiding another
\noverride through at least FY2032 (when a number of debt, pension obligation
\nand tax factors provide some relief to our budget). I am running for the
\nSelect Board again to see that commitment through, which will require
\nadhering to the Comprehensive Financial Policy that I (along with Select
\nBoard Member Hughes, the Town Manager, and the Budget Director) led the
\ncharge on this past fall. I want to fulfill the commitment that I made to
\nthe residents of Hanover and will work towards that goal if re-elected. I
\nwant to continue to work diligently to be inclusive and communicate often
\nand transparently with residents as I remain the only Select Board member
\nto push meeting information out to residents using social media and hold
\nweekly office hours. I have consistently been responsive to resident
\nconcerns and needs, often resolving issues myself or connecting residents
\nwith the correct town representative to assist in resolving them and
\nremaining involved until the issue is addressed. In my six-year tenure as a
\nSelect Board member, I have shown myself to be poised, efficient,
\npragmatic, and unafraid to ask questions or acknowledge and learn from my
\nmistakes. Finally, I have worked hard to approach my role with competence
\nand inclusion while speaking out for what is right. I again ask for your
\nvote and look forward to the opportunity to continue representing you! <\/p>\n
For “Around Town on the Web”,
\nCathy H-B<\/p>\n
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Dear fellow Hanoverians: Below please find Vanessa O’Connor’s candidate information sheet. Ms. O’Connor is running for re-election to one of two open seats on the Select Board. CANDIDATE INFORMATION SHEET Vanessa A. O\u2019Connor Office Seeking: Select Board Address: 43 Mayflower … Continue reading