Vote Tom for an Affordable $hutesbury!

Tom understands how to listen and knows that many are very concerned about the cost of living in $hutesbury. Other people in leadership positions, including some with many years of experience, only know how to talk and direct. The culture here needs more listening. If you wish to be heard, vote for Tom Siefert. He will take you and your concerns for affordability seriously!

Why Tom is a prime candidate for Select Board.
    The biggest reason I have is trust: I trust Tom to do the right thing and keep everything above board. That kind of integrity is needed in town government of every small town. Researching, understanding, and implementing decisions based on the law and on best practices means you put it together right the first time. You avoid costly fines or legal battles and set up a manageable future for the town.

Tom is "wicked smaht” and dedicated to the town's best interests.
    We need that. Tom knows his way inside, outside, and around the establishment.  He will put his energy into the whole of town government, and not just one area.  From conservation, to zoning, to electronic voting, to stormwater management, to fiscal planning - I've seen Tom putting lots of hours and effort into researching what is the right thing to do and what is the best way to do it. I've also seen that Tom is strong enough to carefully reconsider his opinions when challenged. Few people have the ability to reexamine their beliefs, and to go further and lay their beliefs aside and do what is best for the greater good, for the town.

"Daniel Shays, Jr."
    The first book I checked out of our new library was Shays's Rebellion: The American Revolution's Final Battle by Leonard Richards. I learned that the rebellion led by Daniel Shays, our neighbor back in 1786, was a group of concerned patriots standing up to put a stop to having government run for the benefit of the wealthy Bostonian elite and at the expense of the vitality of the small towns in western Massachusetts. Tom is that same kind of person whom I trust to see that decisions are made, and that government is run, for the good of us all.

I know that Tom will represent our community as a Select Board member with integrity, knowledge of the important issues facing Shutesbury, and a care and concern for community members of all socio-economic levels. Tom is kind, thoughtful, attentive to the details of an issue, and is not afraid to speak truth to power. I have a great deal of respect for Tom and look forward to him being a member of the Shutesbury SB.

Tracy McNaughton

82 Shore Dr., Shutesbury

I think that Tom Siefert is a perfect match for the Select Board.  He has the energy, the caring and the background of a variety of skills.  He doesn’t shirk away from hard issues and I see that he has the scope and sight to be a great select board member. 

I am proud to support Tom Siefert for Selectboard.

Tom is deeply invested in the well-being of our town. He shows up, consistently and thoughtfully, attending every meeting he can and taking the time to truly understand the issues before forming an opinion. In a role that requires careful oversight of town policy, budgets, and long-term planning, that kind of commitment matters.

Tom does his homework. He listens. And he works to understand all sides of an issue before weighing in. That fair and balanced perspective is exactly what we need in local government, where decisions affect neighbors, families, and the future of our community.

Tom cares deeply about the people who make up this town. Especially in these challenging economic times, we need leaders who are thoughtful about how decisions impact residents day to day, balancing fiscal responsibility with compassion and a commitment to community well-being.

He also understands how town government works and, just as importantly, how it should work. He recognizes the challenges facing small rural towns like ours, from financial pressures to maintaining essential services to protecting our water and natural resources. Tom is prepared to advocate effectively on our behalf while keeping all of these priorities in balance.

Above all, Tom is a hard worker who cares deeply about this town and the people who live here. He brings the kind of thoughtful, steady leadership that will help guide us through the challenges ahead.

I strongly encourage you to vote for Tom Siefert for Selectboard!

Jill Buchanan

541 West Pelham Road

Tom is an exceptional candidate. We are fortunate that he is running for select board as he has already served the town so well. After some years of participating in many public meetings here, I know Tom to be a thoughtful, thorough public servant who is committed to fairness and the well being of all residents of the town. Tom does his homework and he listens. For a number of years now, he has been on/or worked on four town committees here in Shutesbury and in Wendell. It seems, any time we log on to a meeting, there's Tom. He takes in the various perspectives thoughtfully, and he's always ready with informed comments and, often enough, with maps and images to back up what he has to say. (He also has one of the cutest dogs around - check out his site to see for yourself) We live in complex times. Tom is the one to meet the challenges of the day. Please vote Tom Siefert.

One of the things that Tom does so well is speak up for important issues and ask hard questions so that the information to make difficult decisions is brought to the surface. He’s not afraid to challenge or inquire and this is needed as we all face really tough issues in the next few years as a community. It is heartening to see qualified, involved candidates running for town leadership positions. 

Tom has our 4 household votes. We have had wonderful conversations with Tom about conservation and transparency in town government. Tom is thoughtful, clear and articulate. Tom asked for our votes. No one else did.

I heartily endorse Tom Siefert for Shutesbury Select Board! He is intelligent and kind, a true "people person." He listens to others thoughtfully and nonjudgmentally and is considerate of others' points of view. He believes in public service and has prepared for this role by attending nearly every Select Board meeting over the past few years so he can hit the ground running. 

We need change on the Shutesbury Select Board, not a continuation of the Finance Committee-Select Board revolving door. Fresh ideas are needed, and Tom is the candidate to deliver them.

Tom is accessible and knows how to listen.  

He also has a vast scope of knowledge and an affinity for learning.

He is the new face of Shutesbury!

And you can quote me on that.

Tom is A+thoughtful, Ace in integrity, summa cum laude intelligent and exceeds in his proven commitment to the welfare of the people of Shutesbury.

I completely and enthusiastically endorse and support Tom for the Shutesbury Selectboard.

For several years he has offered thoughtful, constructive, independent and civil input and contributions to several boards and commissions in town - the Conservation Commission, the Selectboard, the Planning Board, and others.

He brings a wide range of life expertise and understanding to town government.

He can and will represent and speak for ordinary residents and tax payers.

He is a reform candidate if there ever was one, especially at a time when reform and fresh, independent thinking is so needed on the Selectboard.

I endorse Tom as a Shutesbury resident and home owner for over 35 years.

And I support his courage and commitment to help introduce reform in town government.

Tom Siefert is the person Shutesbury needs. He's very professional, he's already a welcome and sane voice on the Planning Board, he knows the law inside and out, he's not out for himself, he communicates, and he wants the best for everyone living in Shutesbury. He's perfect for the Select Board. We have needed him for ages and we deserve him. If you like this town and want real contact and input with the way things work here, vote for Tom!

I’ve known Tom Siefert for several years through my work on the Conservation Commission, Indivisible West Quabbin, and in the broader Shutesbury community. I know him to be a thoughtful, grounded, and genuinely compassionate person, deeply committed to building a stronger, more connected town.

Tom brings a rare combination of intellectual rigor and practical judgment. He is detail-oriented, careful in his thinking, and firmly rooted in progressive values. He cares deeply about protecting our environment, fostering a welcoming and inclusive local government, and upholding the core democratic principles of transparency, accountability, and free expression.

He has also put in the work: consistently attending Select Board and other town meetings for years, to develop a deep, firsthand understanding of the issues facing Shutesbury. That preparation matters.

At a time when our town is confronting complex challenges—from climate change to an aging population to rising municipal costs—we need leadership that is both forward-looking and independent. Tom is not an insider tied to past practices; he brings a fresh perspective and the ability to help guide Shutesbury into its next chapter.

Shutesbury benefits from diversity of thought and experience in its leadership. Tom Siefert brings exactly that, and I strongly support his candidacy.

Hey there, Shutesbury,

I'm Don Wakoluk, prior Town Tree Warden, resident of more than 25 years. I've known Tom for a few years now and strongly support his run for Select Board. Tom represents new thinking, inclusive values that I embrace and he lacks the tainted bias of the current members. While I realize it can be hard for some residents to cope with our country's political challenges, I do feel we can create a better future through local vision. While the current Select Board has filled our boards with appointees that stand for collecting tax revenues by ever increasing a reliance on real estate and development never intended for a forested ecosystem, I have seen Tom defend our rural life. Tom lives on an unimproved dirt road beside the lake and you all know what that means as the seasons change. Despite this, Tom takes time to engage with neighbors, volunteer for boards and is active in our small town. We need people like Tom on our Select Board that are not in the pocket of developers. We need someone new like Tom that can bring insight, cooperation and encourage engagement in our young people while recognizing the work that needs doing for our older residents. I hope you'll join me in supporting Tom to bring back community and give ourselves more than "5 minutes for public comment" on our board agendas.

I would like to strongly recommend Tom Siefert to be our next Select Board member.  As a member of the Planning Board, I have worked closely with Tom for over two years both in his role as an Associate Member of the Planning Board and on the many times when he has been elevated to a full voting member.  Tom deeply cares about the environment and his role was critical in helping us to prevent the 5 large solar arrays with lithium batteries that were planned for our town. He also supplied an important vote in protecting our town against Data Centers.  He is hard working, knowledgeable and completely dedicated to doing what is best to protect our single large aquifer, our wetlands and the animals and plants in our 90% forested town. He is also very kind, he listens carefully and he is always respectful of others.  I believe that he would be a fantastic choice to be our new Select Board member.