 Hello, I'm John Leone, candidate for Arlington Select Board. A little background is always helpful. I was born and raised in Arlington, one of six children. We all attended Arlington Public Schools. I attended UMassie Amherst School of Business and New England School of Law, and then passed the bar examination in New York and Massachusetts. Both my parents were civically involved in the Arlington community, from the PTA to the planning board, as well as other volunteer commitments in town. From this upbringing, I was instilled with the necessity of civic commitment and its benefit for our town. I've served in Arlington Town Meeting for 29 years, the last 14 of which were as Town Meeting Moderator. During my tenure, I introduced several innovations that increased the efficiency of town meeting, decreased the number of meetings, and increased the participation of both town meeting members and our residents, which helped to bring in many new members. That role also gave me an excellent window into the operating dynamics of our town over several generations of committees, boards, the town manager's office and the Select Board. Over that time, Arlington has steadily advanced, a bond rating rose from AA to AAA. This was achieved by a combination of careful financial management, prudent overrides and sound leadership. The reason I've chosen to run for Select Board is no reflection on the incumbents or members of the current board. Any citizen who opts to serve in government has my thanks and admiration. My decision comes from a sense that some priorities have drifted in areas that aren't particularly headline worthy. I hope my candidate brings attention to these issues. What I've learned over the years is that often, the small stuff matters. It can be difficult to see from the outside, but some decisions, though small, can and do have lasting impact. COVID upended the operating rhythm of Arlington. We persevered and adapted to hold online meetings throughout the pandemic. An effort I'm proud of. As moderator, I was directly responsible for the virtual town meeting system from design and implementation to employee and town meeting member coordination and oversight to ensure the town's got its business done. We succeeded. As normalcy returns, I believe it is time to reassess and set our priorities of where we want to be in five to ten years. Town government is subject to daily whims of the moment. My concerns are the longer term decisions facing the board and our town. We successfully navigated changes over time, but success is not guaranteed. We need to work to preserve both momentum and sustainability. The Select Board is responsible for directing short-term and long-term town policies. They can and should listen to input from our committee's departments and citizens. But in the end, it is the Select Board who ultimately sets those priorities now and in the future. I've offered a short list of issues I believe require greater focus. You can see them detailed on my website, leoniselectboard.com. More importantly, I feel that the experience of over 29 years of actively participating in town government offers our town and Select Board a unique perspective as we navigate the inevitable challenges and changes in our town life. My goal is to maintain the best of what we've accomplished while ensuring that long-term thinking, planning, and policy decision-making remain squarely on the table of the Select Board. I have been and will continue to be with your vote for me for Select Board, a listener, a friend, and a voice for all residents of Arlington. I truly believe that together we can do better to make Arlington the best it can be. I ask for your support now and your vote on April 1st. Thank you. I'm John Leone.