I am a registered independent, and when voting, I don’t focus on the political party. (In Hopkinton, voters who do not want to enroll in a political party can register as “Unenrolled,” the official term for independent voters.) I choose to focus on a person’s character and personal beliefs and ask myself, “Will he/she uphold his/her integrity in the position I am potentially voting them into?”

This year, I will vote for Matt Kizner and Jeff Doyle for the Select Board. They fit all of my criteria.

I’ve gotten to know Matt over the last few years during the endless nights at Town meetings. Our paths have crossed many times at various other town events and meetings. Besides Matt’s quirky sense of humor, what draws me to him is his genuine dedication to doing the right thing, especially regarding money.

If you have been paying attention to town happenings, you know that we are in a budget crisis, and it’s only going to get worse before it gets better. With Matt’s background as chair of the Capital Improvement Committee and his diligence in maintaining fiscal responsibility, we need him on the Select Board to help our town continue the momentum in the right direction.

Regarding Jeff Doyle, I have been reading the other submitted letters, listening to feedback from the meet-and-greet event, and have several friends who have known him for years. Our paths have crossed several times over the past few weeks, and I’ve been able to speak with him at length.

What I have learned…he’s a townie! I’m not suggesting that being a “townie” means someone is fit to be on the Select Board, but from what I am learning about Jeff, he is truly in this for the town — his town. He and his family have lived in Hopkinton for over one hundred years. We need someone like Jeff who has the residents of Hopkinton‘s best interest at heart and will hear the people and work for the people of this town.

We need more accountability and transparency in our town government, and we have the power to make this happen.

VOTE FOR 2 FOR SELECT BOARD — don’t leave a blank! 

Let’s trust Matt and Jeff and vote them in. They will do the job with integrity and keep the citizens’ needs at the forefront of their decisions. 

Sabine St Pierre
Hopkinton

Editor’s Note: The views expressed in this letter are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of HopNews. Letters may be edited for clarity, grammar, and length.