Jarvie Hopes to Bring Change to Selectmen

This spring, Westford has found itself in the first contested Board of Selectmen’s election since 2008, and one of the challengers for the two open seats on the board hopes to define his campaign in one word: Change.

Although Jim Jarvie has experience on the town’s Energy Committee, he sees himself as a newcomer compared to incumbents Andrea Peraner-Sweet and Bob Jefferies, something he believes that the board needs.

“I think folks have just had it with the direction and the vision from my opponents, and right now they’re looking for change,” says Jarvie. “I’ve told folks repeatedly, when you go into the polls, ask yourself if Westford is in a better place than it was three years ago, and if you can say no, it’s time to vote for change.”

In particular, he was galvanized, like much of the town, by the Article 30 debate. Although it was ultimately postponed indefinitely, the Jarvie believes that it was a symptom of larger problems in addressing the town’s problems, such as whether or not the town might need a Prop 2 ½ override next year.

“We’re going to have to make some difficult decisions, and it was disappointing that we spent three or four months on an Article 30 bylaw discussion when we could have been focusing on some of the problems that we face now,” says Jarvie. “The future’s bleak, it’s not a really good situation and I’m not sure my opponents can run on that kind of record.  I think the voters are really fed up and frustrated.”

One of those voters is Al Prescott, one of the staunchest opponents of Article 30.

Although the gun issue is in the past, at least for now, Prescott sees positives in other attributes Jarvie holds.

“You definitely have a deficit coming up in Fiscal Year ’15, but this is a structural issue,” said Prescott. “That seems like something Jim is capable of dealing with, whether in his military experience or through his professional career.”

And while it remains to be seen who will get the two seats on the board and how the new board will work with each other, Jarvie will be able to count on the support of one of the two votes on the ballot of current Selectman Jim Sullivan.

“Jim and I have talked over the past month or so, and I like what he stands for, he has a similar voice to mine and I think it’d be nice to have that on the board,” said Sullivan.

Sullivan believes that if he is elected alongside either Peraner-Sweet or Jefferies, the two would be able to work together despite differences of opinion, something Jarvie agrees with.

“My career in business over the past 18 years has been about building relationships and building bridges,” says Jarvie. “I’d like to work with all the members of the board to build consensus, I want to hear from the residents, hear from the board, figure out how far apart we are and then work together to try and find some common ground.”

More information on Jarvie’s campaign is available at jimjarvie.com