By Melanie Petrucci, Senior Community Reporter
Shrewsbury – Shrewsbury Town Moderator Christopher G. Mehne has decided that he will not seek reelection in 2021. Mehne is now in his fourth three-year term, having been elected in 2009.
The Moderator presides over town meetings and is responsible for appointment to the Finance Committee, Personnel Board and Shrewsbury’s representative to the Lake Quinsigamond Commission.
In a letter to town officials, he wrote: “Serving as Moderator during the past 12 years has been a most enjoyable and rewarding experience for me.”
“I am proud of all of my appointments to these boards and grateful to each of the members involved for their service to our town,” he remarked.
Mehne has served on the executive committee of the Massachusetts Moderators Association for the past five years and was president during the 2018-19 year.
Because of the pandemic, he most recently guided the Town’s Annual Town Meeting through a difficult year including unprecedented rescheduling and format changes to comply with state public health guidelines.
Having made the decision a few months ago, he said that it was the right time for him, and four terms was plenty.
“I think six months is a good amount of time for people to think about it and for hopefully some good people to think about running for the job,” he said.
Meanwhile, the 68-year-old is at the stage in his career where he is putting together a transition plan to retire. He is a partner with the law firm Bowditch & Dewey in Worcester.
“This year is the year that I really need to start planning seriously for that aspect of my job,” he noted.
And he would like to have more time with his family which is very much a priority for Mehne. He and his wife Jayne will soon be marking their 45th wedding anniversary. They have two adult children, four grandsons and another on the way.
“It has been a real honor to serve in this role and there haven some wonderful experiences and terrific people that I have been able to work with,” Mehne commented.
Mehne plans to stay involved with the town. Particularly he will continue to serve on the Shrewsbury Public Library Foundation which is “very near and dear” to him.
