Letter To The Editor: Jomarie Buckley, James Mackey For Select Board

Dear Editor,

We are fortunate to have a bevy of great candidates running for election this year. More candidates increase the marketplace of ideas and the public benefits.

For our Select Board race I am enthusiastically supporting both Jomarie Buckley and James Mackey, and I encourage Tewksbury residents to cast their votes for these two exemplary leaders.

First, while I’ve known Jomarie for over a decade through her charitable works, I’m especially impressed with the impacts she has made in Tewksbury as a Trustee at the State Hospital -- working toward raising the discourse, partnering with the Town to improve state funding, and championing the important work done there. She has also been on the board of our Community Pantry for years. She understands the need in our town and is committed to helping people every single day. She puts the work in, not for recognition or accolades, but to genuinely give back and help our community thrive. As an attorney who works to help vulnerable children, she brings empathy and intelligence to the table.

Second, I met James when he was running for his first term on the Select Board. I was impressed by his focus, demeanor, and professionalism. He has drilled down on important issues and taken the lead on others, contributing significantly to the work the board does. His focus on cybersecurity brought the town incredible savings in grants and best-in-class expertise. He worked collaboratively and constructively to bring the new DPW and School Facilities garage into budget without seeking excluded debt. He listens well to our residents, staff, and businesses and offers a pragmatic, experienced perspective across the board. It has been a privilege to work with him these last three years.

It’s important to know that James and Jomarie are running independently, and have independent ideas and priorities. What unites them is excellence.

Knowing them both as well as I do and having worked with them on a variety of matters over the years, their leadership styles, ethics, values, professionalism, intelligence, accountability, and commitment to the community compliment each other well and will benefit our residents for years to come.

Please join me in voting for them both on April 6.

Thank you,
Jayne Wellman
Member, Tewksbury Select Board

Editor's Note: Opinions expressed in letters submitted to the editor are the author's own and do not reflect the opinions of Patch staff.