I’m writing to strongly endorse Joe Laurin for Select Board. I’ve had the pleasure of knowing Joe for the past five years as a friend and more recently as a neighbor. I have not been involved in town government, and this is my first letter to a town newspaper. I feel strongly we must elect Joe to put our town back on the right path.

Joe is very practical and balanced. He will leverage his background as a business leader and management consultant to solve the town’s many challenges. He will tackle the hard issues like Concord becoming increasingly unaffordable with the town budget having grown multiples of inflation and out of control real estate tax increases.

Joe is excellent at listening, welcomes differing perspectives, and brings people together on divergent issues. In a town with many smart and opinionated people, he has the interpersonal skills to make real progress and compromise where necessary. He will deliver results for our town and even get us the quality wireless coverage our town so badly needs.

Joe has a broad understanding of the town’s multi-generational network, including younger families and seniors. His twin sons went to the Concord public schools and Joe cherishes the value of maintaining our excellent public education system.

I feel our wonderful and historic town is at a tipping point. We must elect Joe and the right leaders to the Select Board now and address key issues to ensure our town remains a top place to live and work for the next 250 years.

Aubrey Bout