 My name is John Page and I'm running for Town Council for District 3. That's precinct 4 and 10. I was born and raised here in the Valley and am currently a senior at UMass in the Commonwealth Honors College, studying operations and information management and political science. My parents showed me what hard work looks like and instilled in me a strong work ethic. I've been working at UMass nearly full-time since I was 16 and have always believed that you can achieve anything if you work hard enough. Rising through the ranks, I currently work as the student manager at the Berkshire Dining Commons for UMass, where I was recently awarded the Gerald F. Scanlon Student Employee of the Year Award by Chancellor Suboswami. There I manage adverse staff of both students and full-time employees. I have passion for civic engagement and politics, having participated in service projects from building homes in Clay County, Kentucky, to teaching computer literacy and leadership to rangers in South Africa. In these times, I'm motivated each day by the hope that every person can work towards the betterment of our global village. That is my personal mission, to use what I have to do what I can. In times of division and cynicism, young people have led the way in advocacy, activism, and voting their conscious. And in a town where 56% of the population is between 18 and 24 years old, I think it's critically important that their voice be heard on Amherst's inaugural town council. Now let's focus on some of my priorities for the first town council. First is replacing the Fort River and Wildwood schools. I proudly stand as a product of Amherst's public institutions and will ensure that future students have the same opportunities I did. It will be the responsibility of the first town council to ensure that our schools have the facilities and resources they need for the next generation to receive the highest quality education from pre-K all the way through high school. Secondly, with surmounting capital expenses, responsible development downtown and in our village centers is necessary to increase the Amherst tax space. A key part of this development will be diversifying the housing stock to meet the needs of all Amherst residents. The first town council must balance these economic development goals while maintaining our community character and our commitment to preservation and the environment. Lastly, I want to focus on unity and collaboration with our institutional partners. It is young people that really lead the way now. And in Amherst, that means working with our college students and our colleges and universities for issues in housing, transportation and parking. Having lived, worked and been a student in Amherst in a variety of capacities, I believe that I'm uniquely equipped to bring these communities together to get things done. In conclusion, I hope that you're as excited as I am for this new chapter in Amherst's story. Democracy only flourishes when there is robust participation from the citizens. So let's get out there and vote in the preliminary election on September 4th and the general election on November 6th. Thank you.