PATCH LETTER: Danvers Select Board Member Endorses Candidate

The following is a Letter to the Editor submitted to Patch:

DANVERS, MA — When my father was elected to his first term as the Danvers town moderator in 1966, there was talk of a Democrat (my father) running against a Republican (Bill Ardiff) and my father was subsequently reelected for 22 years in that role.

After the first election, I never once heard mention of Democrat versus Republican, conservative versus liberal, Catholic versus Protestant, or any other indication of political party, political interest, religion, or any other form of "special designation."

And from that first election through my 49 years of attention, to, and participation in our town government, the character of town politics has always remained clean and stable — nothing partisan, no party designation, no talk of divisive nonsense, but commitment to the value of conscientiously elected town, officers, usually with great care, and sometimes with considerable passion.

I have known Gardner Trask for all of those years and have worked with him in government matters, quite concentrated, in the 11 of my 12 years as a member of the Select Board. I have found him committed, unconditionally, to our Danvers core values of inclusion, integrity, accountability, positivity, and collaboration among people working together for the common goal of the public interest, the best interest for all of the citizens of Danvers.

With quiet enthusiasm and hope, I will vote for Gardner's reelection and ask people to consider his length of service to the town, the fact that he knows the business of the town and has great institutional memory, and has, by my observation, always voted in the best interest of all of us.

Nothing about politics has infected his service and I thank Gardner for his past service and willingness to continue. He has my vote.

David Mills

10 Sylvan Street

Across from the town hall.

Semi retired.