To the Editor:

Marion is fortunate to have two fine men running for the vacant seat on our Board of Selectmen. They both care deeply about our town and they are both terrific guys, desirable attributes in a Selectman. Only one of them, however, is a proven leader.

Norm Hills has served on a multitude of Marion’s boards and committees over the years, and in each case he has stepped up to lead as the chair (Conservation Commission, Capital Improvement Planning Committee), vice-chair (Planning Board), co-chair (Master Plan Committee), and/or clerk (Planning Board, Energy Management Committee, Community Preservation Committee). Beyond formal board and committee work, Norm works tirelessly and quietly for our town. Did you know that he single-handedly sorted and rescued dozens of mildewing boxes of municipal documents from the damp basement of the Town House before they deteriorated? Did you know that he meticulously reviewed our town bylaws and found numerous errors? Did you know that he attends training sessions in Worcester twice a year to keep himself up-to-date on municipal governance and planning? Norm doesn’t just say he cares about Marion, he demonstrates it every day.

A leader must make decisions based on facts and laws. The correct decisions are not always popular, but pretending a problem doesn’t exist or ignoring the facts are not approaches that we need or can afford. Norm’s co-chairmanship of Marion’s new Master Plan has put him at the epicenter of understanding our residents’ desires and concerns for the future, and as Selectman, he will lead the charge toward implementing that community vision.

Our town is facing daunting challenges in coming years, but with a dedicated and proven leader like Norm Hills serving as our Selectman, we will rise to those challenges. Please join me in voting for Norm on Election Day: Friday, May 13th at the VFW Hall.

Jennifer Francis