WINCHESTER – Michelle Prior, a Winchester resident for 18 years, is running for the Select Board on March 18. He is committed to seeing Winchester continue to be a community where excellent schools educate children and prepare them for life after high school. Prior also wants to see older residents stay in their homes, remain neighbors, and support new residents moving to cities.
He noted that Winchester needs to maintain the mix of housing units in the city, and at the same time watch the growing rate of residential property taxes.
Prior received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Saint Anselm College and a Master of Business Administration degree from Clark University. His educational experience, multi-cultural experience from serving as a Peace Corps Volunteer in the Philippines, professional experience gained over 30 years of consulting with state and local governments, particularly health and human services agencies, and active listening, moderating and facilitating skills. prepare him to become an optimal member of the Selection Board.
In addition to her work experience, she has volunteered in a variety of capacities and built effective working relationships with many Winchester city employees, councilors, volunteers, and Town Council members.
What makes him a good candidate for the Select Board is his professional experience working with government agencies to manage organizational change, implement policies and respond to state and federal mandates, grow their leadership capacities, and improve the business processes that underpin their day-to-day operations. Work.
In addition to her professional experience, she gained first-hand knowledge of how the city operates and built effective working relationships with staff and volunteers throughout the city through dozens of years of continuous volunteer service in the city.
He has been a member of the Town Council since 2011 representing county 4, most recently being re-elected to the City Meeting in 2022. There, he asked questions of the article’s supporters and city leaders, seeking clarity on the article and motions. Additionally, he occasionally conducts research and makes presentations to the City Meeting which are fact-based, moderated, and intended to provide additional food for thought to the meeting. He further stated that he would take the same approach to matters that came before the Selection Board.
What sets him apart from his opponents is that he believes he is the most qualified candidate based on his current knowledge of how the city operates and his active role in the Town Council. He also served on other municipal committees at the request of, or after being appointed by, the Electoral Board. He said he knew the right people to invite into a room to discuss problems and opportunities.
He was aware that he and his opponent had served on the Finance Committee; however, he served as co-chair and chair of FinCom, roles that involve a greater time commitment and greater responsibility than members of the standing committee.
If he is elected, the city can expect him to continue to be an independent thinker who cares about the city and respects the opinions of others. He is not afraid to dive into details to increase his understanding of a topic to make a more informed decision. He will work collaboratively with fellow Select Board members, with city and school leadership, and with other boards and committees. He will seek to serve the needs of all Winchester residents.
His top priority is supporting good governance in the city and quality education and municipal services for residents. He will fight for reasonable growth in the annual budget and voters should expect him to be fiscally realistic and practical. He mentioned that Winchester had seen the departure of several longtime city employees such as the fire chief, the DPW director, and the town planner over the past six months, and the appointment of a new city manager.
He is committed to working with city managers and other board members to assist with orientation, professional development, and mentoring new leaders as needed.
The issue that motivated Prior to running was that he wanted to see the city maintain the mix of housing units available to residents of all ages and income levels. He wants it to stay affordable for renters, owners, newcomers to town, and longtime residents.
He further commented that “we have to watch the growth rate of residential property taxes.”
He stated that Winchester could invest in infrastructure, fund capital projects, expand services and programs, and retain employees through careful planning and carefully managed financial processes.
As far as the Winchester community, Prior stated that it is an amazing community full of people from various backgrounds and with diverse interests and talents. He discovers through his volunteer work in the city, and in knowing his neighbors over the years, that a person’s profession does not define their entire existence or their worldview. He stated that Winchester had a CFO who consulted about backyard gardening, a retired finance professional who moonlighted as an amateur electrician, a former poetry-quoting town moderator, adults who volunteered to direct or build sets for our spring musical, and dozens of a person who coaches children at all levels of youth sports.
He commented that everyone benefited from the time and talent the neighbors brought to the city as volunteers and mentors.
The Winchester community can learn more about Michelle Prior on her website ElectMichellePrior.com
