Letter: Cliff is 'Practical, Unflappable, Smart and Dedicated'

Editor's Note: For a full collection of support letters for this candidate, click on his hyperlinked name at the bottom of this letter under "Related Topics."

To the editor:

We are writing to support Gordon Cliff as town selectman. As neighbors and friends, we have known Gordon and his family since they moved in next door to us. As professionals in medicine and business, we appreciate his level-headedness and sharp acumen. We would be pleased for him to represent us in the Town.

The Cliffs are a warm, embracing family who are great representatives of the kinds of people Wayland attracts and relies on to keep it  vibrant, healthy and strong. They – like we, and many others – want competitive schools for their children that offer more than just the traditional 3 R’s, but that grow with the times as the world grows – Chinese classes, laptops, robust field trips, classroom technologies and, most importantly, first-class teachers. They want a town that retains the “small town” values of care, concern, volunteerism and civility towards neighbors, colleagues, even political opponents or those with differing views. They want a town that protects its open spaces and semi-rural nature: where one might still see a red fox or hear coyotes at night. They want these things and know that Waylandites are willing to make the choices they need, to keep these distinctive attributes alive and flourishing.

Especially with Rachel being a founding doctor of Beth Israel’s new Medical Center in the Town Center,  we are thrilled to note that Gordon is fully supportive for continuing to build out the Town Center so that it provides professional and retail services to the town. We need this new part of Wayland for both lifestyle and financial reasons, and we know Gordon will work to make sure it continues to get the support it needs.

We know Gordon to be an understated, modest man, but his educational, business, and town experiences (only here five years and he’s appointed to the Audit Committee; both he and his wife Beth active campaigners for the high school after only two years in town) give us confidence he will do right by us.

This is a critical time in the town’s future: This selectman choice will likely be the “swing” vote on many decisions facing our town in the near future. Please let’s make sure Gordon – practical, unflappable, smart and dedicated – is elected. Vote for him on April 2.

Rachel and Russ Haims
6 Highfields

Check out coverage of Wayland's 2013 Town Election, including all the Letters to the Editor, on our topic page, Wayland Town Election 2013.