Hello, my name is Tony D’Arezzo and I’m running for Select Board.
I first moved to Reading in 1993 and married my wife Beth a year later in St. Agnes Church. We raised our two children, Flynn and Matthew, here and they both attended Killam, Parker, and RMHS.
My first experience into how town government works, began with the development of the town dump, currently Jordan’s and Home Depot. From this and the many other projects that have taken place in the Walkers Brook Drive area since that time, I have attended months of public hearings with Conservation Commission, CPDC and ZBA, voicing concerns and identifying the impacts of the projects on residents in that area. These experiences showed me first hand, how difficult it is for residents to navigate town departments, developers, and community interests.
I have been a Town Meeting member since 2017, and a member of the CPDC for 7 years, first as an associate member then in my final year as a full member. I considered my role to be a voice for the community. Having gone through the process myself, several times, I understand the anxiety and fear that neighbors experience when a proposal comes before the board.
I and the other members of the board worked with developers and the public, to ensure that concerns were addressed and impacts were mitigated. We reviewed each project on its own merits, weighing input from the applicant, town staff, experts and residents to craft decisions that balanced the rights of developers against the impacts to the neighbors and the needs of the town. When updating town by-laws and regulations, we looked at ways that the town could grow while still retaining the charm and character that are the cornerstones of Reading.
For several decades, I have worked in organizations centered on lean management and continuous improvement. This experience required navigating a wide range of personalities, some more challenging than others. By maintaining an open mind, listening to subject matter experts, and basing decisions on facts rather than feelings, I successfully led diverse teams to achieve our goals and contribute to the company’s overall success.
We have several challenges on the near horizon, including a new town manager, a potential override, CPA and the Pleasant Street Center disposition to name a few. The town needs a board that focuses only on the issues. A board that is committed to making decisions based on facts and conditions as opposed to predefined notions.
If provided the honor of serving on the Select Board, I vow to respect everyone who appears before the board, keep an open mind to the opinions of others, and make decisions based on the facts at hand. And therefore ask for your vote on April 7th.
Sincerely
Tony D’Arezzo
130 John St
