April 10, 2008

I want to express my gratitude for the support of so many people in a very competitive race for the Board of Selectmen. This was a hard fought contest. I doubt there has been a competition for local office in Needham with three more active campaigns. After participating in this race, it is truly an honor to be returned to office.

My hardiest congratulations go to Denise Garlick for running a great race and, of course, for winning a seat on the Board. I know that she will make an excellent colleague, and I am excited that I will have a chance to work with her.

Congratulations also to Matt Borrelli. As a newcomer to Needham politics, he worked tirelessly. I was quite impressed with his determination, optimism and his dedicated supporters. I hope Matt will continue to be active, working in other ways to serve the community.

I am extremely grateful to my campaign coordination team. They had incredible energy and devoted countless hours keeping the campaign moving ahead. Many others contributed funds, endorsed me or volunteered to do the many tasks that are necessary in any campaign. It is gratifying to know that these volunteers were diverse in their opinions, and yet willing to work for my re-election even if they differed on particular town issues.

Our musical event was more fun than anyone should have in a campaign. The credit goes to our planning team and the fabulous performances of The Maple Street Project, Pam Steinfeld with Bill Murphy, and Chris Gerstner with Claude Galinsky, nearly all Needham based artists.

Most importantly, I would like to thank the voters of Needham for your strong support. I am lucky to live in a community where people truly appreciate the work of volunteers in local government. The kind words I received from so many people throughout this campaign will stay with me for a long time.

I take the job of Selectman quite seriously, and there is much to do. Once again, thank you all and now it's back to work.