 Hello, my name is David Rebson. I am running for Town Council in District 4. I have been a resident in Amherst for over 30 years and have six children who have successfully gone through the Amherst Public School system. My wife of 45 years is Nancy Rebson. She is a clinical social worker with extensive work in the field of adoption which has garnered her a congressional award for her work. I am running for Town Council because I believe in recent leadership with a focus on the following four issues. Number one is spending. Spending in Amherst needs to be tackled prudently. Prioritizing capital campaign project is front and center for me as a future Town Council. I have a bachelor's degree in economics which should help me deal with the financial aspects of these projects. Why is spending on schools and public safety projects are top of my agenda? Given the resources that the town has, unneeded spending on other town projects would take a backseat to what truly is important. I would like to see the town use underutilized space into sites for education and culture. Also, I want to negotiate financial commitments from the university and the colleges. I think the town of Amherst needs to get its fair share. Number two is schools. Amherst has always had a reputation for good quality public schools. It is really crucial that school infrastructure is addressed in a way that the entire community can support. Many proposals have been put forth. A decision cannot be reached until there are more details and more community input. I served on the school equity task force so I know some of the issues that are going on within our schools. There is a large and diverse student population in our town. It's essential to assure diversity in all school positions. Next is zoning. Zoning issues are crucial to me. Careful and controlled zoning must occur. I believe in limiting downtown multi-use apartment buildings while allowing creative footsteps for commercial space. I believe this can be achieved. There is also a strong need to maintain neighborhoods by eliminating ifill and spot zoning. Finally, public input. Town council is our new form of government. I want to ensure that the town council allows for inclusive public comments at all town council and committee meetings. The voices of our residents are the key component to ensure that all issues have voices. I want to promote frequent and timely council communication to the public as well. I am also an advocate for all town residents, including minorities, immigrants, refugees, and the LGBTQ community. In addition to the experiences I've already mentioned, I've worked for the Hampshire Sheriff's Department. I have worked at Franklin County Tech High School. I am currently the sales manager for Pierce Brothers Coffee Roasters. You can tell that I've had a wide range of experience and many aspects of the community living. I've also traveled to many countries around the world, including China. Please share your ideas, concerns, or questions with me at drefsonatgmail.com. That's D-R-E-F-S-I-N at gmail.com. I am the prudent choice and an independent thinker. Please vote for me in the District 4 primary on September 4th. Thank you very much.