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Arlington benefits from Dan’s calm leadership and financial acumen

I write in strong support of Dan Dunn for Selectman. Of the three candidates, he brings the best analytical skills and financial acumen, talents he has used to aid our town through the past several years.

Although my political vantage point is as a School Committee member, it is on the Long Range Planning Committee where Dan really shines. He has chaired the group for the past two years. He brings to this job the same talents he displayed while a member of the town Finance Committee: an even-handed approach, a desire to understand the details, and a push to ensure that all in our town see the rewards of our mutual efforts. He actively solicited discussion around the growing school enrollment and was instrumental in working out a responsible solution, while ensuring that Arlington maintains financial health as long as possible.

He has dealt with the complex issues surrounding Minuteman Regional Vocational High School and Arlington High School in the same way. With both he has fostered a thorough discussion of the options. With Minuteman he has explored different ways we can achieve our vocational-technical education goals while decreasing the burden on our taxpayers. With AHS he has been on the forefront learning why and how we as a town will need tackle this rebuilding project.

I urge you to join me in voting for Dan Dunn on April 5th, so that he can continue his calm leadership to benefit Arlington into the future.

Kirsi Allison-Ampe
Governor Rd, Arlington

 

Selectman Dunn Supports Education

Since joining the Board of Selectman three years ago, Dan Dunn has been a strong voice for the Arlington Public Schools. One of Dan’s first major votes was to support an override with a strict three year financial plan for the Town. Dan has helped to manage that plan well and has been a leading force in stretching that plan to 7 years. Dan has accomplished this by taking a thoughtful approach to listen to the issues, discuss alternatives, and develop partnerships to find solutions. Having a stable multi-year financial plan has enabled the schools to budget with confidence, rebuild programs and maintain a high quality of education in our schools.

Ensuring fiscal stability for our schools takes constant work and multi-year thinking. Recently, the schools have been experiencing increasing enrollment that wasn’t accounted for in the three-year financial plan. As chair of the Town’s long-range planning committee, Dan’s leadership and creativity were instrumental in crafting an on-going solution based on enrollment increases that will bring nearly $900,000 to the schools next year alone. The complexities of funding a new high school will be immense. As we embark on this next challenge, we need Dan’s leadership and insight into the overall fiscal future of our town.

Dan knows there are no easy answers. He knows there is much work to be done to ensure the Town’s long term financial health. But Dan rises to each challenge with a calm manner and thoughtful approach. On April 5th, I hope you will join me in voting for our schools, and voting to re-elect Dan Dunn.

Amy Speare
Ridge Street

 

Dan Shows Real Command of the Job

Sitting in the audience on Thursday night at the League of Women Voters debate, I was struck once again by Dan Dunn’s command of his job as Selectman. Dan is knowledgeable and experienced. He is comfortable dealing with the issues that arise on an everyday basis.

He understands that his primary task for the taxpayers is to keep the Town on solid financial footing. He works well with his colleagues, the Finance Committee, and our new Town Manager. He can handle the other Selectmen tasks well too, whether it is initiating fair taxi cab regulations, handling parking issues or dealing with licensing issues. He listens, is even handed, and lets his sense of humor shine through when necessary.

As a former Selectman, I know how important his intelligence and strategic thinking is in stretching the three year plan into a seven year plan. I want him on the Board to help unravel the complications of the Minuteman agreement before we deal with the cost of rebuilding that School. I want him to strategize the High School rebuild in the same thoughtful, fair way.

I hope you will join me in voting for Dan Dunn for Re-Election on April 5th.

Clarissa Rowe
Arlington

Congenial Leadership and Insightful Questions

I write to encourage voters to re-elect Dan Dunn to the Board of Selectmen. Through his Town Meeting, Finance Committee and the Board of Selectmen experience, Dan has proven that he understands how the Town works and its many challenges. He does his homework, and thus is prepared to ask thoughtful and insightful questions, always with the best interests of the Town in mind.

For the past three years, and recently as Chair, Dan has continued the congenial leadership and welcoming manner in which speakers are treated when they appear before the Board. He is open to ideas from across the community, and guides these meetings through significant discussions of issues that might move the town to explore taking on new programs for the Town’s benefit. One such example is the recent Selectmen’s discussion and vote to recommend favorable action at the 2014 Annual Town Meeting on accepting the Community Preservation Act for Arlington.

My most recent interactions with Dan center on his encouragement of the arts, and especially public art in Arlington. His probing questions concerning the establishment of a Public Art Fund for the purchase, installation, maintenance and removal of Arlington’s public art enabled a positive 2013 Town Meeting vote that ultimately led to the recent State Legislature’s approval for this fund — one step further in assuring an attractive and engaged town.

Please join me in voting for Dan Dunn on Saturday, April 5.

Jane L. Howard
Woodland Street

Published in the Arlington Advocate March 20, 2014

A Thoughtful and Collaborative Leader Who Listens

I first encountered Dan Dunn through his Town Meeting blog, which beautifully illustrates why Dan is such an asset to Arlington and why I am enthusiastically voting for him for Selectman. In the blog, Dan provides a succinct, objective, and thorough account of what happens at Town Meeting, while also clearly explaining his own thoughtful positions. The blog mirrors Dan’s approach to everything he does: he listens carefully, pays close attention to the issues, and develops his own opinions, then works hard to come up with effective, well-grounded solutions to problems and challenges.

What does this mean practically? It means that Dan has played an essential role in creating a workable budget for Arlington that is helping us achieve our goals without draining our coffers. He helped craft a flexible and responsive funding plan to meet education needs. He has brought his considerable professional expertise to the task of moving Arlington forward technologically. He collaborates respectfully and effectively with colleagues, on the Board of Selectmen, School Committee, the Finance Committee, and other town bodies.

Not only that, he’s a warm, likeable, funny, and a fantastic ambassador for Arlington. I am proud to support Dan Dunn, and I hope you will join me in voting for him on April 5.

Rebecca Steinitz
Arlington

Published in the Arlington Advocate March 27, 2014

A Good Listener, Financial Steward & “Complete Streets” Champion

Next Saturday, April 5, I will be happy to place my vote to Re-Elect Dan Dunn for Arlington’s Board of Selectmen. I was introduced to Dan during his initial run for a seat on Board three years ago, and have been very impressed with his work ever since.

First and foremost, Dan is a good listener. He is not a pure ideologue and weighs all sides of an issue before making decisions on important policies and projects. I have attended numerous Selectmen’s meetings and other events in which Dan has spoken in official capacity and find him extremely thoughtful and articulate.

Dan has been a good financial steward of the Town’s resources. Though fiscally prudent, he understands that constraints in state funding and our low commercial tax base mean that the community must sometimes dig a little deeper to keep Arlington’s schools strong. He was an active supporter of the 2011 Override vote and a three-year budget plan that has helped to maintain our excellent public schools.

Last but not least, Dan looks at one of our sometimes-forgotten assets—our public streets—through a lens that recognizes the importance of a “Complete Streets” approach. His multi-year support for the Mass Ave Corridor reconstruction project shows his commitment to making neighborhoods and business districts safer places to walk, bike and take transit. Based on this and all of the above, voting to re-elect Dan Dunn is key to maintaining our high quality of life in Arlington.

Phil Goff
Grafton St, Arlington

Published in the Arlington Advocate 3/17/14

Why is My Support for Dan Dunn so Unconditional?

Knowing and respecting all three candidates for Selectmen this year, I had to ask myself the question, “Why is my support for Dan Dunn so unconditional, and why did I know I would support him for reelection before knowing who else would be running?” The answer lies in the strong set of high-value skills that Dan brings to the Board of Selectmen.

First, is his impressive grasp of the Town’s finances. His years on the Town’s Finance Committee and Town Meeting were spent gaining a clear understanding of the priorities of Arlington. His dedication now seems to be taking on the challenge of continually tailoring the budget to better reflect those priorities.

Second, is his commitment to transparency. His blog quickly became the go-to place for non-biased coverage of Town Meeting proceedings. And now he’s committed to bringing the same open government to the Board of Selectmen and the Long Range Planning Committee.

Third, is his dedication to innovation. Dan’s practical attitude toward innovation is invaluable in finding ways to get more from the same investment. These are things Dan brings from the private sector, where he acquired his knowledge of technology and organizational problem solving.

Finally, is his fairness. Dan has the ability to cut through politics and evaluate ideas without bias. He treats everyone with respect and does not govern by quid pro quo. Sometimes, I think that people may write endorsement letters because they expect something in return from the candidate. I find myself writing this endorsement of Dan Dunn precisely because I don’t.

Elisabeth Carr-Jones
Lehigh Street, Arlington

 Published in the Arlington Advocate 3/13/14

Creativity & Diligence in Solving Problems

Dan Dunn has brought energy and insight to his first term on the Board of Selectmen. Local government is about solving problems, and Dan has dug into the nuts and bolts with creativity and diligence. A previous Finance Committee member, he is part of the team that is stretching our three-year override plan to last five years, maybe more. Re-elect Dan!

Adam Auster
Cottage Street, Arlington

Published in the Arlington Advocate 3/6/14

 

A Strong Voice for Arlington’s Schools

Cindy StarksAs a school committee member, my focus in Arlington is on the schools. As such, my support for Selectman goes to Dan Dunn.

First, Dan understands that a strong Arlington requires strong schools. Dan knows that the strength of the property values in town is directly proportional to maintaining our schools and is committed to making sure that our schools stay strong.

Second, Dan understands that strong schools require funding to ensure that we are meeting the needs of all students and that we give each child the best education we can. Dan has helped us to secure additional funding to meet those needs and has worked to ensure he understands what is necessary.

Third, Dan knows that an integral part of the schools is our parents and that it is those parents who played a vital role in passing our last override, further strengthening our town and schools.

And last, Dan is committed to moving Arlington forward and ensuring that all of our elected officials and employees work together to create a strong Arlington. Dan has embraced a strong relationship with the schools and by working together has shown that we can build a stronger town that serves the needs of all of its citizens.

I hope you will join me in re-electing Dan Dunn to our Board of Selectmen so that we can continue to have a strong voice for our schools and our town.

Cindy Starks
Arlington School Committee

Published in the Arlington Advocate, 3/6/14

 

We Need Dan’s Leadership in Facing the Challenges Ahead

While the state of our town is good – we have enjoyed a period of fiscal stability, our schools continue to be rebuilt and supported by able leaders, and the management team is professional and effective – there are also many challenges on the horizon.

It is for this reason that I am supporting Dan Dunn for reelection to the Board of Selectmen, and I urge you to join me in voting for Dan on April 5th. I have been able following Dan’s involvement in the town for some time, and his participation on the Finance Committee, Town Meeting, and the Board of Selectmen has helped put in place the thoughtful policies and pragmatic decisions that we are benefitting from at this time.

He is a very good listener who takes input from many perspectives before developing his position on issues. As we start to tackle the challenges facing Arlington, I want Dan Dunn to be on the Board helping to guide the way.

Sincerely,

Allen Reedy
Town Meeting Member, Precinct 16

Published in the Arlington Advocate 3/6/14