Meet Marion Select Board candidate Toby Burr

MARION —  Longtime small business owner and Marion resident Carleton Toby Burr is running for Select Board to make the town more affordable and government transparent. 

Burr has lived in Marion for over 40 years and worked for his family’s local business, Burr Brother Boats where he still remains the chairman on the board of directors. 

He graduated from Middlebury College and went on to receive a Master in Business Administration from the University of Virginia. 

The candidate served on the Select Board for three years from 2023 to 2025. He said he chose not to run again to take a break since it was like having a “full time job”. 

He said he then realized he missed working with all the people in town government and talking to residents. 

Burr’s main goals for his term are to keep Marion affordable, bring more business to the town and lessen burdens from state mandates. 

“Basically housing has just gotten too expensive at both ends for both our young people and for our seniors,” Burr said. 

Not only does Burr want to make housing more affordable, but bring down the cost of water and sewage bills. 

“Some people in town have bigger water and sewer bills than they have on their property tax bill,” Burr said. 

To solve these issues, Burr said he wants to bring more businesses to town. These businesses would contribute to the tax base and create jobs. 

Four properties Burr is focused on that could house businesses are Tedeschi’s on Route 6, Marion’s Sport Shop on Front Street, the Marion General Store and Lockheed Martin. 

“The Town Hall’s role in all this is just to make it as easy as possible for people who want to start a small business to move into these buildings and go to work and contribute to the character of the community and contribute to the tax base,” Burr said. 

“It just makes for a much better town all the way around.”

He said he wants to bring balance to the tax rate while addressing affordability and updating the aging infrastructure. 

“It's a balancing act between infrastructure needs and tax rates and the best thing is to just let the people decide,” he said. 

Burr looks to work with the town and state government to fund mandates passed down from the state. He plans to work with the Massachusetts Municipal Association to put constant pressure on the state for assistance. 

The candidate said he wants to be open, transparent and make sure he listens to everyone when he is on the board. 

Burr hopes he can introduce a monthly roundtable discussion between residents and the Select Board. 

“Democracy thrives with ideas,” Burr said. “Problems are solved with new ideas.”

The candidate said he wants residents to know that he is always reachable and will try his best to respond to questions and resolve their issues. 

“I'm personally invested in the town,” Burr said. “Not in a financial way so much as in an emotional way that I want it to be good.”