Kevin Matthews - The Choice for Change

People often ask me how I got involved in town politics. When my oldest son was in Kindergarten, my husband and I were reading the Sudbury Town Crier and wondering how we should vote on the tax override. We had no clue. We didn’t even know what an override was. No clue how to get information about it; no clue who any of the people writing Op-Ed articles were; no clue how schools were even funded in general.

So I started on a journey. And that journey took me to my first Town Meeting, starting a nonprofit to collaborate with the Sudbury Public Schools, joining the Finance Committee, working on projects with amazing town staff (Director of DPW, Director of Sustainability, Director of Goodnow, Director.)

The most rewarding part of this journey has been the people I’ve met. Fellow volunteers, thoughtful parents, and especially long-time residents who hold all the lore of Sudbury (we really need to start an oral history project).

One of these special people is Kevin Matthews. I met him one day seven or eight years ago at Town Center, and that easy conversation has grown over the years into true respect for him as a dedicated husband and father, town committee member, and community leader.

In the last few years, I’ve seen our town slip. Less transparency, less accountability, and a rise in the politics of making excuses rather than solving problems. It’s time for a change. And I couldn’t be more relieved that Kevin is stepping up to offer to be a part of that change. He is immersed in the community, not an out-of-touch politician. He spends his time talking to neighbors about their concerns, not posing for photo ops. He’ll be the first to admit he doesn’t have all the answers, but also the first to reach out and look for connections and solutions.

I’ll be proudly casting my vote for my fellow volunteer and friend Kevin Matthews for Select Board on Monday, March 31. I hope you will join me. To learn more, visit, www.matthewsforsudbury.org.

Thank you,

Jean Nam