Re-elect Michelle Conlin for Select Board 

Dear Shrewsbury Neighbors,

My name is Michelle Conlin, and I am running for re-election to Shrewsbury's Select Board in the Tuesday, May 6th Annual Town Election.

You don't get to choose your home town, but you do get to choose your children's home town. We chose Shrewsbury for our family, and I am passionate about ensuring that Shrewsbury is a place where all can live, raise their families, and retire happily. I promise to continue to be a leader residents can rely on to provide honest and open communication, transparent decision making, and to value the needs and perspectives of all in our community.

As I near the end of my first term on the Board, I am proud of the work I have accomplished, together with my colleagues, town staff, and residents. 

• We made our local government more accessible by instituting open office hours, public comment during board meetings, and improving the way the town communicates with residents and town meeting members. 

• Together with community members, we developed the Shrewsbury 2030 Strategic Plan- the town's vision and goals for the future- ensuring that Shrewsbury is a vibrant, inclusive, collaborative community where all can thrive.

• We created more opportunities for residents to shape the direction of our town by establishing a town Trails Committee, a Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging Committee, and a Sustainability Committee. 

• Most importantly, three years of  careful financial planning and management have enabled us to  extend the life of the 2021 override revenues well beyond the commitment made to taxpayers, while still maintaining robust services.

I have a passion for land use and social services. I’m proud to have spearheaded a successful effort to protect the remainder of Prospect Park in perpetuity after the expansion of Mountain View Cemetery. I serve on the Dementia Friendly Action Team, improving services and establishing Shrewsbury as a Dementia Friendly Community, and I strengthened social safety net programs for the town's most vulnerable residents, including the food pantries at the Senior Center and Saint Anne’s, utility bill assistance, and tax relief programs. 

I’m proud to have served on the team to create the municipal Climate Action and Resiliency Plan to make our town government more sustainable and to better protect our natural resources. My work as a member of the Library’s Strategic Plan Advisory Committee contributed to a long-term plan and vision for our library to meet the needs of residents of all ages. As someone who values passive recreation, I helped to establish and continue to support the efforts of the new Shrewsbury Trails Committee, and championed strategic land acquisition for conservation and recreation opportunities which will benefit Shrewsbury residents for years to come.

If re-elected, my priorities are:

• Government that is transparent, open, and accessible. Clear communication is key for residents to be able to have trust in government, and for government to be able to address resident concerns.

• Compassionate services. I will fight for tax relief for seniors, veterans, and those living with disabilities. Our town must support those who chose to live in Shrewsbury in their retirement. We will continue to modernize our town’s social services to meet contemporary needs for all in our community.

• Growing our town’s economic base. We must identify opportunities for responsible, sustainable development, and help small businesses to thrive in Shrewsbury.

• Improving our infrastructure. It is critical that we invest in our water resources, roads, parks, trails, and open space, and reduce our town’s carbon footprint. These are essential to supporting resident needs, protecting our natural resources, and preparing Shrewsbury for the future.

• Supporting strong public schools. Working on behalf of Shrewsbury schools is what first facilitated my involvement in our town; our schools are critical to preparing our children for the future, and to maintaining the high quality of life that we enjoy.

I will continue to provide the leadership necessary for Shrewsbury to maintain and improve municipal and educational services during turbulent times, with careful long-term planning to manage the cost to the taxpayer. I am committed to collaborating with our residents, town committees, and town staff to maintain and improve our municipal services so all residents have access to all that Shrewsbury has to offer.

I am asking for your support in this election so that I may continue to work for the future of our community.

I’d love to hear from you! Please reach out to me directly by phone or email for more information about my campaign. I hope to earn one of your two votes on Tuesday, May 6th!

With gratitude,

Michelle Conlin