He said he'd never run for Marion Selectman, but citing pressing issues facing the town, Steve Gonsalves has changed his tune.

"I said I’d never do it, but never say never," said Gonsalves, who said he identifies not as a politician but as a public servant.

Among many issues, the challenge of paying for federally required upgrades to Marion’s sewage treatment plant and lagoons spurred him to pursue the open seat on the board, he said.

"To me, it's everything. If we don't get a handle on this, we're going to be in a lot of trouble," said Gonsalves, a longtime member of the Planning Board and business owner of Eden Florist and Garden Shop.

"It doesn't matter how we got here, we are here,” he said, noting that 15 years ago the building of the plant did not account for potential growth in town. As the situation stands now, no one can get hooked up to the sewer at a time it’s crucial to get more taxpayers into the system, he said.

Rising tax, water and sewer water rates exacerbate difficulties people already face affording to live in town, he said. "It’s getting tougher and tougher to survive in Marion. It’s unacceptable, and it's wrong.”

Regarding the wastewater treatment plant, Gonsalves said regionalization with Wareham is a possibility, but as Selectman he would push for a peer review so the town can get a second opinion from other engineers on how to handle the issue.

As Selectman, Gonsalves said he would make the town more open to business development—especially at a time when tax revenues are needed more than ever.

Marion residents have good intentions promoting low growth and sustainability, but Gonsalves said restrictive town bylaws and general anti-growth sentiment has discouraged business development.

“I’m a reasonable, rational man. I’m a businessman and I want to see development in town. Of course, I don’t want to see it destroy the town, or for Route 6 to look like Westport or Dartmouth, but if we keep closing the door on businesses, how can people come in and raise a family?”

Gonsalves noted the particularly cumbersome and expensive process for Dan Crete of Saltworks when he had to go through the Planning Board to expand his business location. “God, what we put that man through; it was horrible.”

He also said that while he did not want a 12,000 to 15,000 square foot CVS in town, as was proposed last year, the town could have worked with the business to build a smaller, architecturally-appropriate store that fit in with the town’s character.

“It’s time to say we are open for business,” he said.

As Selectman, Gonsalves also wants to push for better communication between elected boards and town officials. “There should be communication between all heads of boards at least once a month. It’s not us against them, it’s us for Marion.”

He added, “Let's put aside agendas and start putting together practical and sensible actions.”

Gonsalves is going up against Norm Hills in the May 13 election. Read about Hills here.