Letter To Editor: Wilk For Mansfield Select Board

The following is a letter submitted to Patch from Mansfield Select Board member Steve Schoonveld:

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

I am asking you to cast your vote for Walter Wilk on June 30th and return true collaboration to the Mansfield Select Board.

Mansfield is facing unprecedented challenges both financially and in our quality of life.

Unfortunately, we do not have the right skill set, mindset or more importantly, collaboration on our current board to meet those challenges head on. We need a Select Board willing to be held accountable for its positions, not one that is collegial on its face and stuck in an ever-looping leadership rotation of 2 or 3. I will admit my own impatience, but know that adding Walt will help create a truly collaborative, accountable board.

Let me give you two strong examples:

The Plymouth Street Fields is usually the place in town with the most activity each and every weekend. Twelve years ago, this facility was a mess where even a little rain caused practices and games to be canceled. The town had little funding for basic infrastructure needs such as roads, let alone soccer fields. As a parent and soccer coach, Walt and others saw the need to step in. They developed a strategy to achieve their goals and set about getting it done by raising over a million dollars to fund the re-development of the fields.

They worked together to follow through and a few years later brought us the turf field we now enjoy. Now the DPW maintains a beautiful field funded by the soccer fees of many leagues, teams and tournaments that play there each year. Walt collaborated with his colleagues in Mansfield Youth Soccer, Town Management, the DPW and others to establish a goal, overcome obstacles and make this happen. We are all grateful for their work.

Walt believes in true collaboration, hearing different viewpoints, talking through an issue and then, upon reaching a decision, carrying through to completion. For example, while we worked together on the Finance Committee, we co-developed the need and plan for the new DPW/Public Safety buildings with the Police & Fire Chiefs, Municipal Building Committee, Town Manager, Finance Director and DPW staff.

Walt understood that success could only come if we worked together to not only develop the goals, but the strategies and tools to accomplish them. This collaboration created the success that allowed for a project that was on time, on budget and that ultimately decreased our taxes from where they were projected. Furthermore, we have a much safer environment for our essential employees.

More than ever, Mansfield needs a collaborative board. A board that works together with every member providing diversity of thought. We need a board that helps fellow committees and enables staff and the Town Manager to succeed with a clear vision, strategy, implementation and review plan. We cannot continue with an under-performing and reactive board that doesn't address our declining business presence and our increasing residential tax burden.

With Walter Wilk the Select Board will be focused on YOU. It will be a team willing to roll up our sleeves for you and collaborate instead of pontificate, to reach decisions and implement together, rather than just give lip service. This is a key election and one we already know will have many more voters than in recent years.

Please vote for stronger collaboration and not more of the same. Please vote for Walter Wilk on June 30.