Rutan running for re-election for Northborough selectmen

Northborough – Leslie Rutan is running for re-election to the Northborough Board of Selectmen in the Town Election which will be held Monday, May 9. Rutan is the only candidate running for this position.

Please tell the readers a little bit about your background.

My husband Mark, who serves on the Zoning Board of Appeals, and I have lived in Northborough since 1991, and have three children, all of whom graduated from Algonquin Regional High School. Pat went on to attend Yale University, Emily attended Pennsylvania State University and is now a student at Tufts University School of Medicine, and Ben attends Dartmouth College. After graduating from Mount Holyoke College, I have worked for Liberty Mutual Insurance Group and also continue to do editing and proofing work. I have served as Peaslee PTO co-chair and school council member, Melican PTO treasurer, and am currently on the school councils at Melican and ARHS. I was an elected member (2000 and 2003) and past chair of the Northborough School Committee, and was then elected to the Board of Selectmen in 2004, where I have served as chair, as well as liaison to several committees, including that of the Lincoln Street School Building Committee, where I am current chair.

What is the main reason you want to run for the Board of Selectman?

I very much enjoy serving our community! First and foremost, it is an opportunity to be the mouthpiece for residents’ issues and concerns while working toward resolution. In addition, board members are involved in the determination of the annual budget and six-year capital improvement plan, as well as the issuance of licenses, determination of legislative priorities, and the hiring and appointment of the police and fire chiefs, police officers, and firefighter/paramedic personnel.

What is the committee or project that you will be most interested in working on and why?

So many things are happening in the town of Northborough, but I am most excited about the Addition/Renovation project at the Lincoln Street Elementary School. It has been a wonderful collaboration between our town and school administrations, architects Lamoureux-Pagano, owner’s project manager Collier International, and Brait Builders. I am grateful to residents for their support, and to the Massachusetts School Building Authority which is funding approximately 40 percent of this debt-excluded project. Groundbreaking took place in June of 2015, and work is expected to be completed by the fall of 2016.

I look forward to working with residents and town personnel for the next three years, and appreciate your support! I also encourage residents to contact me with any concerns, and for any information regarding our many boards, committees, and commissions which need interested residents to volunteer their time! Thank you very much!