Vote on Tuesday,  March 5!

Please scroll down to read letters from Heather Sawitsky, Regina LaRocque, Penny Lawrence, Sue Morris, and Kathleen Nilles

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Letter to the Editor from Heather Sawitsky

 

I am writing in support of Lise Olney, candidate for Selectman.

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In the next 3 years, the town will confront a number of issues that elude simple solution.  These issues, if not handled well, will continue to polarize our community. They are issues that will impact the character of our town for many years into the future: HHU, the future use of the North 40, parking and traffic, on-going mansionization, and a responsible plan for the development of affordable housing.  If the town is to come together on these issues, the Selectmen must be the leaders who navigate us to consensus.

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Developing successful solutions will require careful listening, inclusion of other town boards and interest groups, a willingness to collaborate and compromise, analytic assessment of the options, and most importantly, the ability to lead people to solutions that a broad cross section of the town will support.

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Lise Olney has these qualities.  She has a deep understanding of how Town Government operates as she has forged relationships across boards and interest groups in her five years as a Town Meeting member and as an elected member of the Natural Resources Commission.  She has done a remarkable job in calling attention to issues, communicating clearly why the issues matter, and achieving results that the town embraced.

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If Lise is elected as a Selectman, she will apply her skills to the important work of that lies before the town now.  She is the right person for this position. Please join me and vote for Lise on March 5.

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Heather Sawitsky

Town Meeting Member Precinct H

Former Town Moderator

Former Chair, Advisory Committee

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Letter to the Editor from Dr. Regina LaRocque

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I am writing to share my strong support for Lise Olney, who is running for the Board of Selectmen. For the last three years, I have worked closely with Lise in Town Meeting and on the board of the Natural Resources Commission. Lise is smart, hard-working, and articulate. She is always well-informed about the issues facing our town, and she knows how to develop consensus and take effective action. As just one example, Lise has led Wellesley’s efforts to address the hundreds of natural gas leaks in town. She educated town residents by spearheading a ‘leak tagging’ campaign and oversaw the comprehensive analysis of Wellesley’s gas leaks performed by the Natural Resources Commission; she has since worked closely with the Department of Public Works and our state legislators to develop strategies to address this issue. Last year, she was named one of the Wellesley “Townsman 10” in acknowledgment of her work as a committed leader in our town.

 

On the Board of Selectmen, Lise will use her proven skills in bringing people together to make smart decisions on the key issues facing Wellesley -- the status of our schools, affordable housing, development, transportation, and the future of the North 40. We will all benefit from having Lise on the Board of Selectmen, and I hope you will join me in voting for her on March 5.

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Regina LaRocque, MD

Madison Road

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Letter to the Editor from Penny Lawrence

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I am writing in enthusiastic support of Lise Olney, candidate for the Wellesley Board of Selectmen in our March 5 town election.  

 

I have known Lise since 2012 in a number of capacities and I have admired and valued her hard work, intelligence, decency, and honesty.  We met when we were both volunteering for an upcoming election, talking with Wellesley neighbors about getting out to vote. I was struck by Lise’s ability to connect with every person with whom we spoke, cordially, intelligently, warmly and honestly. Lise has a talent for listening and understanding others, and for opening up a respectful and productive conversation on issues which may involve disparate positions and differing views. 

 

Lise also brings to the role of Selectmen her proven experience in town government from her five years serving on the Wellesley Natural Resources Commission and Town Meeting.  In my six years with Wellesley’s Council on Aging, both as a participant in its programs and as a member of the board, I have seen the important role of the Board of Selectmen in supporting the mission and activities of the council, offering valuable information on how town government works and providing advice when the council has a question or issue it needs to address.   Lise’s strong knowledge and experience in town government, as well as her gift for bringing people together and getting things done are the qualities we need in our town leaders and I know they will make her a strong, contributing member to the Board of Selectmen.

 

Penny Lawrence

Leighton Road

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Letter to the Editor from Sue Morris

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I feel grateful to live in Wellesley for many reasons, one of which is the commitment to sustainability and another being the amazing people/volunteers who work so hard on Wellesley’s behalf.  Lise Olney, candidate for Board of Selectmen, is a prime example of this.

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As a 5-year member of the Natural Resources Commission, Lise has been a strong advocate for our many beautiful green spaces around town and provided leadership on important issues such as pesticide use, gas leaks in Wellesley, and the plastic bag ban.

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I have worked with Lise for 8 years on various committees in town including Sustainable Wellesley/Wellesley Green Schools, Wellesley Green Collaborative, Power to Choose and 3R Working Group. She is one of the most committed and capable people I have ever worked with. She is thoughtful and methodical in her approach to issues. She is tireless in her efforts to better the town and the environment. She is also diplomatic and considerate of different view points. I think these are the qualities that we need in our town government and town leaders and I believe they will make Lise a strong contributing member of the Board of Selectmen. I encourage you to vote for Lise as we will all benefit with Lise Olney as one of our Selectmen.

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Sue Morris

Framar Road

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Letter to the Editor from Kathleen Nilles

 

I am writing today to endorse Lise Olney for the position on The Board of Selectmen, which "serves as the chief executive board of the Town, and as such, oversees all matters affecting the interest and welfare of the community. The Board exercises the authority vested in the Town not specifically assigned by law to any other board or office”. Lise would bring to the position vast experience in both local  government (Natural Resources Committee and Town Meeting member in District E) and state wide political participation. Her dedication to her family and her community is unrivaled. She is intelligent, passionate and tireless. Lise is committed to engaging the whole community on issues that affect the town such as affordable housing, sustainability, schools and finances. I guarantee that with Lise on the board, we could all trust that our town is in excellent and caring hands.  Look for more information in the weeks ahead and mark your calendars to vote for Lise on March 5, 2019.

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Kathleen Nilles

Whiting Road

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