President and CEO of National Grand Bank and a Select Board member for over 18 years, Jim Nye is campaigning with an understanding that town officials must deliver the high level of service that residents deserve and have come to expect while ensuring responsible fiscal management.
“We have a very vulnerable part of our community who struggles to pay the bills and it is those people who need to be considered, along with those who are fortunate enough to not be, when making decisions,” Nye said.
In reference to the town’s potential override on the June 20 ballot, Nye said an increase would be considered excessive to the most venerable in town, a population he is very proud to support.
“The Select Board has been on a multi-year path to analyze and address our capital needs and to identify and plan for projects facing the town,” Nye said. “With a $100 million budget, planning does not happen overnight but combining our work with the GFOA and our new ClearGov software, which will give us more detailed budget reporting and review capabilities, we will be doing everything possible to run our town as tight as possible. Ultimately, the taxpayer will decide the level of services vs. tax rate that they are comfortable with.”
When it comes to residents’ outcry for transparency between municipal government and residents, Nye said he plans to accomplish the Select Board’s goals according to open meeting law and be as transparent as possible.
“Our disseminated form of governance has a lot of moving parts and well-intentioned volunteers doing their best for Marblehead,” Nye said. “With the Covid-era implantation of hybrid meetings, compliance questions have arisen, and the vast majority have proven out to be in compliance, but we continue to strive to do our best as a town.”
According to Nye, The Select Board has been on a multi-year path to analyze and address the capital needs and to identify and plan for projects facing the town.
In the coming term, Nye said the Finance Committee will be critical in assessing the data generated from the ClearGov program to properly advise Town Meeting of their recommendations for the 2024 Town Meeting.
“Proper fiscal management balances the needs of the town with the means of the citizens and this new tool, on top of the GFOA planning that has been done, will give us the most detailed review of our finances,’ Nye said.