The Eisenthal Report

I Won!

I was elected yesterday to the West Brookfield Board of Selectmen.

On a beautiful spring day, 621 of West Brookfield's 2,159 registered voters, about 28 percent of the total, went to the polls - a very impressive turnout for a local election in which there was one race to be decided. I received 400 votes, or 64.4 percent of the total. My opponent, former Quaboag Regional School Committee member Diane S. Vayda, received 219 votes, or 35.3 percent.

This is a victory for West Brookfield. There is now a real opportunity for the Town to build the confidence that its citizens have in the services it provides. I'm looking forward to working with Selectmen Barry Nadon and Tom Long to build that confidence.

During the campaign, I really got to see how beautiful and friendly West Brookfield is. I knocked on almost 600 doors since mid-March - something like half the households in West Brookfield. While this was hard work, it was a real treat to see the town's natural beauty in a way that it can't be seen from a moving car. It was also heartening to see the reaction of those whom I visited in my door-to-door campaign - that reaction was almost uniformly friendly. Perhaps they were relieved that I wasn't a Jehovah's Witness, but I think that many people were pleased that a candidate cared enough to ask them for their vote.

There's one more thing. I had a great group of supporters - I couldn't have done this without them. They have my deep and humble thanks.

Now the hard work begins.

More West Brookfield Politics in the Media

With three days to go to West Brookfield's annual town election, two area newspapers have stories on the race for Board of Selectmen - in which I am one of the contestants.

The Quaboag Current ran profiles of the candidates for the West Brookfield race, as well as races in other communities that will be decided in the coming week. (Page 3)

This morning's Republican (Springfield) ran a story on the race by reporter Chris Hamel, with whom I spoke on Thursday evening. (You may need to scroll down to view the story.)

West Brookfield Selectman Candidates Respond

This week's edition of the Spencer New Leader, a weekly newspaper that serves the Route 9 corridor west of Worcester, has responses that my opponent and I gave to a questionnaire that addresses our qualifications and our positions on issues that affect West Brookfield. The responses are on page 12. Also in the paper was some paid advertising (page 9).

West Brookfield Selectman Candidates Interviewed

The Quaboag Current, a weekly newspaper that covers West Brookfield and other nearby communities, ran interviews with me and my opponent in the edition that came out on Friday. These interviews, which begin near the top of the front page, were fair and well-presented. There was one minor factual issue; the paper said that I send my kids to local schools. We actually send them to a religious day school out-of-district. The Current will be running a correction in next week's edition.

Welcome to Spencer New Leader Readers

Welcome to those of you who came here because of the article in the Spencer New Leader about my campaign website, David for West Brookfield.

The focus of this blog generally is the whole world of politics, public policy, and culture, but recently my focus has been mostly on my race to win a seat on the West Brookfield Board of Selectmen.

As we get closer to Election Day in West Brookfield, May 6, I expect to comment on - and link to - more stories in the local media about the election. I'll also comment on any major events that happen in the campaign.

If you are a West Brookfield resident, please feel free to contact me by e-mail by clicking on the e-mail link in the upper left corner of this page.

The Politics of Tough Choices During Tough Fiscal Times

MassInc, the Massachusetts Institute for a New Commonwealth, is holding a high-profile panel discussion this coming Thursday on the politics of the budget difficulties facing Massachusetts.

The panelists include former Senate president Thomas Birmingham, former Senate Ways and Means chairwoman Patricia McGovern, former secretary of Administration and Finance and MassINC board member Thomas Trimarco and former secretary of Administration and Finance Steve Crosby. It is moderated by Jim Braude from WTTK and NECN.

The discussion will be at the Omni Parker House in Boston from 8:00 AM to 9:30 AM on Thursday, April 10.

Given the budget problems that face the Commonwealth and its cities and towns, including West Brookfield, this sounds like it should be a very interesting and timely discussion.

An Important Personal Anniversary

Today is an important anniversary for me.

Twenty-four years ago today - April 2, 1984 - I was elected to the School Committee in Sharon, Massachusetts. I had turned 22 the previous November - and so was the youngest elected official in the history of the Town of Sharon to that time.

I was elected to a one-year term to fill a vacancy created by the resignation of a member of the School Committee. One year later, I was elected to a three-year term of my own. I served two years of that term. I resigned from the School Committee in the spring of 1987 at the age of 25. I had gotten married the previous summer - and my wife and I decided to move away from Sharon.

My three years on the Sharon School Committee was the beginning of a career that has focused on city and town government. In 1986, I went to work for the Massachusetts Division of Local Services, where I provided technical assistance on financial matters to Massachusetts cities and towns. Three years later, I started with Shawmut Bank, where I began working as a financial advisor to cities and towns on borrowing issues. I have been in that line of work ever since.

With the experience and knowledge that I've gained over the past 24 years, I am ready - if I am elected to the West Brookfield Board of Selectmen on May 6 - to start working immediately for the people of West Brookfield. I would come into office with ideas and a vision for West Brookfield's town government. I believe that I would combine fresh ideas, strength of principle, and an ability to forge good working relationships in a way that would make me an effective Selectman from day one.

This year's town election is an important one for West Brookfield. For the first time in five years, West Brookfield will be electing a new Selectman. This is happening at a time when we face possibly the worst recession since World War II. Indeed, West Brookfield is beginning to face the financial pressures that other Massachusetts communities have been facing. With my local government finance background, I believe that I am the strongest candidate for Selectman in this environment.

And so I ask the people of West Brookfield for their votes on May 6.

Eisenthal Campaign in the Media #1

This week, two local newspapers included stories that mentioned local campaign-related activities.

The Spencer New Leader included an article (page 2) on the shape of the May 6th election. It confirmed that the only contest in West Brookfield will be the race for Selectman. The election for Regional School Commitee will not even fill all of the seats in this election.

The Quaboag Current ran a story (pages 1 and 8) on the proposed reconfiguration of one of the major intersections in West Brookfield. This intersection is along the perimeter of the West Brookfield Common, which is one of the very attractive features of this community. As one might expect, this proposal has gotten a lot of scrutiny - and raised a lot of emotion. The Board of Selectmen held a public hearing on the topic this week - I attended that hearing. The Current's story included a question that I asked regarding funding for the project.

Eisenthal Campaign Launches Website

This week, my campaign for a seat on the West Brookfield Board of Selectmen launched a campaign website.

David for West Brookfield (http://www.david4westbrookfield.com) is not as fancy as the sites for some candidates for higher office, but it tries to convey some of the same kinds of information - my reasons for running, my positions on the issues, and my background.

We're also planning more pictures on the site - there's one already of a meeting of our campaign committee - and other visual media. We'll also link to information on new developments in the campaign - these will actually be posted here at The Eisenthal Report in a new category called My Campaign. This category now includes several posts that I have already posted over the past several months on the campaign.

The election is coming up on May 6 - less than six weeks away. We have our work cut out for us - but with many hands, we can be successful.

Eisenthal for Selectman Campaign Update - Nomination Papers are in!

This morning, I delivered my nomination papers for Selectman in West Brookfield, Massachusetts to the Town Clerk's office.

I expect no problems gaining a place on the May 6 ballot. However, I also expect now that there will be a contest for the seat. A former member of the Quaboag Regional District School Committee has taken out papers - and I fully expect this person to be a candidate.

I plan to run a positive campaign that emphasizes my strong combination of experience, knowledge, and commitment to public service. This race should not be about individual political agendas - it should be about who can best work with Selectman Barry Nadon, Jr. and Selectman Tom Long to do the best possible job for the people of West Brookfield.

Even with its strong financial reserves, West Brookfield is facing tough budgetary pressures this year. With my background in municipal finance, I have ideas and solutions to protect the Town's financial position while maintaining Town - and School District - operations. One such idea is the adoption of a reserve policy - setting targets for upper and lower limits for free cash and the stabilization fund. Such a policy could be critical to maintaining the financial health of West Brookfield.

West Brookfield has recently had issues in a number of town departments, including the police department, that have shaken the confidence that townspeople have in their town services. With my background in local government, I have ideas and solutions to help restore confidence in town services. One such idea is that department heads be held accountable for the operations of their departments through goal setting and performance evaluations. As I envision it, this process would not be punitive - rather, it would be constructive in helping the department heads - and their departments - perform better for the people of West Brookfield.

With my professional and volunteer experience in local government - going back 24 years - I know what it takes to combine fresh ideas, strength of principle, and good working relationships in a way to be an effective Selectman.

As a Selectman, I will always seek to be approachable and available - I will always return a resident's phone call. I will never forget that the Selectmen are elected by the people to do the people's business. I will not always agree with everyone on every issue, but I will always seek to be responsive and respectful.

Winning this election will only happen if many hands participate. I appreciate the friendship and support already shown me - from within and beyond West Brookfield. We will need money and volunteer support - from within and beyond West Brookfield - in order for this campaign to be successful. Please contact me at the e-mail address in the upper left corner if you are able to help.