To the Editor:

I am not writing to push a vote for any person in particular, but to reiterate what I would consider to be common sense.  After the very telling “Candidates Night” at Tewksbury Country Club, I am seriously concerned about the lack integrity and character in SOME of the candidates.

I have to say that some of the candidates seem to be just plain too immature for the seat that they are campaigning for.  This is not high school, folks.  Stop “bashing” your opponents.  It is time to grow up!  Fine, you made a “mistake” in your past, you got caught – either tell me how you’ve learned from it or get over it.  Anything after the word “but” is bull.  Don’t stand in a crowded room and tell me that everything is someone else’s fault or give nasty looks at your opposition as you admit to certain issues that are less than glowing about the office you are running for.  Stop with the excuses.  Don’t sit there and roll your eyes as your opponent is addressing the crowd and don’t mock your opposition for running against you.

Fine, I agree that there are things “wrong” with our Town – I need not mention the numerous issues that need to be addressed, I believe that all of our candidates have covered pretty much every issue.  Stop telling your OPINION of why something is broke (I am sure we all have one already) and instead tell me how YOU intend to fix it.  You don’t have to be innovative on every level, folks.  If something has worked for this Town, do it again.  If something has not worked, move on.   I have to say, things have been progressing in this Town, there is still a lot of work to be done, but we appear to be moving in a forward direction, the blame game is a step backwards. 

What I saw on Tuesday evening was more telling than any letters or “comment” sections.  In the Town Clerk race, one of the candidates gave glaring looks at one of her opposition during her speech, seated to her left as she spoke, and one of the other candidates did nothing but “bash” both of her two opponents.  The BOH race, one of the candidates rolled his eyes consistently as his opponent spoke instead of acknowledging there are more objectives to the BOH than one issue.  The Housing race, although one of the candidates appeared to be more suited for the job, he mocked his opponent for running against him at the end of his speech.  And one of the candidates for the BOS race spent more time focusing on ‘explaining away’ his past errors than on the issues that face this Town.  What is most troubling with the actions of those above show me that they are so self-absorbed that they show no respect towards the fact there may be opponents whose ideas should be looked into if they happen to be voted into the seat they are seeking.  The irony of those referred to above is each one of them stressed the importance of “working together” and “working as a team for the betterment of the Town”.  It would be funny if these seats did not require such efforts.

Although Tuesday evening was not a “Debate”, it was very telling all the same.  I had time, both before and after each candidate addressed the crowd to speak directly with them.  Due to what was said (both to me and to the residents) and HOW it was said has clearly defined my decisions for this Saturday (some of which I was on the fence about). 

I honestly don’t care why something is broke; just show me how to fix it.  Thank you to Tewksbury Patch and Tewksbury Country Club for making (at least this resident’s) voting decision clear.

OK, folks – before beginning the “bashing” of my letter, please watch the re-broadcast of this “Candidates Night” (granted you won’t see EVERYTHING that I allude to here) and form an educated opinion.  I’m just hoping this opportunity to see the candidates TRUE CHARACTER does not go unnoticed before Saturday.  Our Town's immediate and quite possibly long-term future depend on these people.  It matters to me.

Jennifer Nagle

Tewksbury