To the editor:
There are a lot of challenges facing our town, but, for those with children, none is more important than our school system. With the departure of our school superintendent and other crucial staff, low teacher morale, and a perceived lack of communication and transparency felt by parents, we need a fresh perspective on the Lynnfield School Committee. Someone who has a vested interest in its success and a demonstrated record of making improvements to our town. That person is Brian Charville.
I first became acquainted with Brian during the pandemic. My wife and I were in a virtual public meeting with school administrators to figure out how to move forward. With three children in the Lynnfield Public Schools system, Brian summed up a lot of fears we had as parents and asked the hard questions about how we were going to get through it and the impact it was going to have on our children. After that meeting, I began to notice Brian more and more at Town Meeting, through his volunteerism and leadership on the Lynnfield Planning Board to better our town.
Here are some reasons I am voting for Brian:
Planner: As chair of the Lynnfield Planning Board, he spearheaded the community visioning initiative (Lynnfield 2040: Shaping Our Future Today), which talked with Lynnfield residents about how they want our town to look, feel, and operate over the next few decades.
Advocate: At Town Meeting, Brian advocates for and speaks on behalf of the Lynnfield Planning Board, which provides for and guides the orderly growth and development of our town, including enforcement measures to shield the community from construction-related problems with the Sagamore Place project.
Facilitator: If you’ve seen a Planning Board meeting, you know how Brian encourages topic-by-topic public participation. He has also increased transparency and accessibility through the board’s website. In other words, he ensures that everyone is able to participate and make their voice heard.
Communicator: What has made Brian so effective on the Planning Board is his ability to work with numerous groups, especially the town administrator and members of the Select Board and Finance Committee, which is must-have experience for being a collaborative School Committee member.
Volunteer: In his personal time, Brian is a Cub Scout leader for the Boy Scouts of America, where he leads all the fourth-grade Cub Scouts in their adventures. He has also advocated for opening up public open space in Lynnfield for hiking and camping.
Educated: Brian holds a Juris Doctor degree from Wake Forest University School of Law and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Duke University. He has graduated from some of the highest-ranked schools in the country and will be putting this knowledge to work for us. He is a product of K–12 public schools, so he knows the opportunities that a great public education can lead to.
In closing, Brian is an approachable person who always greets you with a smile and a handshake. Regardless of whether he agrees with you or not, he will listen to your point of view, demonstrate his understanding of both sides of the issue, and tell you where he stands. After decades of working in politics, his straightforwardness is refreshing and something we need on the School Committee. To put it simply, Lynnfield is lucky to have a person like Brian who wants to serve our town. I appreciate his concrete efforts to date to better our town and will be voting for him on April 9. He has a vision for Lynnfield Public Schools’ overall improvement and the demonstrated ability to bring us together to achieve it.
Andrew Kenneally
