Dear Family, Friends, and Neighbors,

 I am running for Selectman! My entrance into this extremely exciting, frustrating, rewarding, and worthwhile journey began 7 years ago when I was appointed to the town Planning Board where I became Chair. After leaving the Planning Board, I was appointed Chair of the Capital Improvement Committee, a position I still hold. A year ago, I was elected to the town Warrant and Finance Committee. Now, I am asking for your vote!

Having served on appointed and elected committees and boards, including my experience as a volunteer on Acton’s Volunteer Ambulance Association and as a Trustee of the Acton Public Library, I have acquired a wide range of experience and knowledge that can benefit the position of Selectman.

Before moving to Acton 23 years ago, I was an Overseer at the Massachusetts Horticulture Society where I functioned as Philanthropic Chairman. I was awarded the Horticultural Society Gold Medal for fund raising. I was on the Board of the Garden Club Federation of Massachusetts serving as Vice President, in charge of tax reports for a million-dollar nonprofit organization, as well as the personnel director for the New England Regional Garden Clubs Federation. Through all my experiences, I have learned the art of being a good listener, a team player and doing the right thing for the greater good of community!

Things I would like to work on when elected:

• Increase community participation in Town government
• Moving the date of the Annual Town Meeting to April, combine it with our School Budget Vote
• Focus on pending infrastructure improvements
  • The West Shore Bridge
  • Water quality at the Municipal Building
  • The Municipal and Rec field parking lots
• The Assessment of the Municipal Building
• Rowe Bridge repairs with Milton, NH
• The H Road was never built for today’s traffic. We need an engineered plan to decide what needs to be done, adding a lane at the transfer station, striping the roads, and turning lanes where necessary.
• Help town departments and committees fill vacancies and establish policies and procedures making interactions with citizens, committees, and Select Board as easy as possible
• Mandatory use of purchase orders
• Establish the use of civil engineers on any town project over $25,000.00.

Thank you for your consideration, your vote will ensure I will do my best for Acton. Please feel free to forward this email to your friends, neighbors, and family!

Looking forward to seeing you at the polls – vote June 14^th!

Joyce Bakshi, Candidate for Select Board                                   joycebakshi1947@gmail.com

POINTS TO PONDER IN ACTON!
Is it time for a Town Manager in Acton?
Is it time for Acton to invest in town owned equipment?
Is it time for a Public Works Department/Director?
Should the town spend more money to pave roads?
Why doesn’t the town follow the 5-year paving plan projected by the Road Commissioners?
Why has it taken over 10 years to complete the Town Hall repairs?
Why won’t the BOS release monies to stripe the sides of the roads for the safety of our elderly?
Is it time for a 5-member Board of Selectman?
Why has the Town of Acton employed the SAME Auditors for 20 YEARS?
Why can’t the BOS work with the volunteers who put hours into the Boards and Committees that help run Acton? See resignation rate: Road Committee, Planning Board, Mary Grant Committee, Rec Committee etc.
Why is bridge repair not a priority?
Why is rudeness by town officials tolerated?
Why does the BOS find it necessary to hold so many “Executive Sessions”? in the last 2 years there have been Executive Sessions at 62% of the last 98 Board Meetings!
What is the reason for the increase in the spending on town lawyer(s)?
Why is there no trust with Committee and Board Chairs regarding approved budget spending?
Why is Acton becoming an unpleasant/hostile workplace?
Why does the Town state they cannot get quotes for spending projects unless the town meeting VOTES an approximate dollar amount first?
Why doesn’t the town use the software purchased 2 years ago to evaluate the which roads are in the most need of repair, using traffic count, school bus routes, condition of asphalt, shoulders, etc.?
Why wasn’t the public allowed to speak at the PUBLIC HEARING of the ZBA? Maine State Law states at a public hearing: residents, mon-residents, taxpayers, and non-taxpayers can speak!
Why are there no longer Selectman hours for citizens to meet with them and voice concerns?
Why is there a 3-minute time limit on citizens to voice concerns at Board of Selectman meetings?
Why did the Board of Selectman cut annual donations to the local Acton Lake Association? Considering approximately 85% of Acton tax monies come from the LAKE HOMEOWNERS don’t you think lake people/out of towners are entitled to some monetary help with keeping Acton’s lakes in pristine condition?