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To the editor:
It is my pleasure to submit this letter in strong support of Jenn Schaeffner for Select Board.
Jenn Shaeffner is exactly what Marblehead needs during our current financial hardships. She has a proven track record of fiscal responsibility during her time on the School Committee through careful budgeting and holding administrators accountable for expenses. One thing I noticed during the “Tiered Override” debates was that in the early stages there were discussions about building savings in order to handle any future sudden financial hardships. Those talks of “savings” later morphed into finding ways to spend every single penny that could possibly come in even at the highest tiers by the Select Board majority, but not the Select Board whole. We need someone who understands the fiscal reality now to help dig us out of this hole rather than keep digging deeper and setting us up for general overrides every couple years. Jenn is the person who can shift the majority in the right direction.
Jenn supported the idea of a menu override, which the town meeting majority voted on at our 2025 town meeting but the Select Board majority did not include on the current ballot. Having an override menu rather than a bulk override gives residents more direct say in services they want and services they could do without. I believe the only reason for a bulk override is to leverage items people want in order to pass items that a democratic majority of the town would not support. Jenn respected the town vote and would join Select Board members like Jim Zisson and Moses Grader to create a majority for the menu option in the future.
Jenn is also experienced with working on teams, including other boards, to achieve shared goals. She’s worked with me personally on addressing the underage drinking situation in town. She took time to meet with District Attorney Paul Tucker to discuss social hosting laws and led an effort to make parents aware of these laws as well as the dangers and tragedies social hosting has led to in our town. Jenn came to my meetings as a vocal supporter for my transparency initiative for Health Department expenses. An initiative not supported by prior members but embraced by current ones.
I’ve only been involved in town politics for a few years, and there is a short list of people that I reach out to for advice and better understanding of town governance and local laws. Jenn has always been at the top of the list and extremely receptive while providing sound advice along the way.
Jenn Shaeffner is exactly what the town needs during these difficult financial times, and I have full faith that her knowledge, experience, work ethic and fortitude can pull us out of the hole we’ve found ourselves in to put Marblehead back on the right track.
Please join me in voting for Jennifer Shaeffner for Select Board.
Tom McMahon
Shorewood Road
