Meet Marion Select Board incumbent Norman Hills

MARION — Norman Hills is running for another term on the Select Board using his 9 years of experience as a guide. 

Hills received a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from Cornell University, earned two graduate degrees from the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California and continued on to work for the Navy. 

He and his family moved to Marion in 2003 and began working on the Conservation Commission. 

Hills has been involved with municipal government on multiple boards and committees ever since. He has been on the Select Board for 9 years. 

To address rising sewer and water costs, Hills has no perfect answer. He is unsure how the town will fix the issue, but he knows it’s “never going to be cheaper”. 

Hills explained only two-thirds of the town, around 1,700 households, are connected to the town sewer lines. Getting the remaining third will make sewage cheaper overall, but the cost to connect these residents will be high. 

“The bottom line is we're going to have to work our way through it and it's going to cost money because we have to upgrade the plan,” Hills said. 

The candidate is also unsure how to make housing more affordable in the area, especially for the aging population. He wants to make sure families can move to and afford to stay in Marion, while older residents have more options. 

He is uncertain what the solutions will be, but knows that working with residents is the way to solutions.  

“I really don't have the answer and I wish somebody did, but we do need to get affordable housing,” Hills said. 

He said his main goal for his next term is to make decisions for the town that are in the best interest of everyone. 

“I will do my best for the town, no matter what the problem is,” Hills said. 

Looking back on his terms, Hills said he was proud of helping build the new Department of Public Works and the Harbormaster building while also upgrading the Town House. 

Hills said that his long experience in municipal government separates him from the other candidates. 

“I've got the experience. I guess unmatched experience would be the term,” he said. 

The candidate said he has enjoyed working with everyone in town government and said he loves all the people you get to meet. 

Hills said the town is filled with “priceless” people who truly care for the town.

Even though not everyone has agreed with Hills’ decisions in the past, he is committed to decisions that benefit the town’s future and economic well-being. 

“We do not all see eye to eye, but I'm trying to do the best for the town as a whole,” Hills said.