To the editor:
My name is Michael Tauer, and I respectfully announce my candidacy for election to the Wellesley Select Board on March 4, 2025.
I have lived and worked in Wellesley since my family moved here in 2017. We love living here and knew, as soon as we arrived, that we had found our home. Our initial attraction to Wellesley’s charm and beauty has developed into respect and deep appreciation for its commitment to education, sustainability, diversity, and prudent financial management. We have also come to greatly appreciate the partnership between the volunteers who serve in Town government and the talented and dedicated Town employees who help make Wellesley thrive. This appreciation for those who work on behalf of Wellesley led me to seek appointment to the Permanent Building Committee (PBC) in 2019. I am now in my second term on the PBC and am honored to have served as its chair since 2022.
My service on the PBC has given me the opportunity to work with many members of Town government and the Town’s professional staff. Much of my time on the PBC has been dedicated to the successful completion of the Hunnewell and Hardy schools, which has required an understanding of the scope of the excellent work done by the School Committee and by the outstanding educators and staff who run our schools. We also approach the completion of renovations to our Town Hall. This project required a careful balancing of the needs and interests of several Town departments and our community as well as the need to update and modernize the building to support an evolving use of office and meeting space with enhanced technology and a healthier work environment, all in a manner that incorporates historical details that honor the value and meaning our Town has derived from this building for over a century. Working on these projects and others has provided deep insight into Town finances, the Town’s approach to budgeting for large capital projects, and the Town’s long-term plans for constantly maintaining and enhancing its physical spaces sustainably and with great attention to programmatic need.
Our Town functions best when it achieves balance through a thoughtful and conscientious effort to consider and incorporate different points of view. My time on the PBC has reinforced the importance of making sure that taxpayer dollars are spent efficiently and effectively. Achieving both requires that we get the best possible return on our investment by balancing thoughtful spending with the equally important requirement that we serve and meet the needs of our residents. The PBC has made some challenging decisions, and I am proud that we have consistently done so after a thorough and courteous examination of the facts before us, the views of experts, and the needs of our community. We have reached consensus whenever possible, have made compromises where appropriate, and have made hard calls when necessary. I will bring the same approach to my service on the Select Board.
I am an attorney in private practice with a focus on civil litigation. Separate from my law practice, I partnered with others to open several businesses—primarily restaurants and bars in Memphis, where we used to live. I acquired skills and experience in managing new ventures and operating budgets and in hiring and supervising employees. I have also served on the boards of various non-profit organizations, thereby gaining enhanced appreciation for the critical role of good governance as a means of ensuring broad participation and a meaningful opportunity for everyone to be heard. These practical, hands-on experiences in the legal, business, and non-profit worlds and my experience on the PBC have prepared me to serve on the Select Board.
The active participation of so many residents in our Town’s governance is one of Wellesley’s greatest strengths. This participation will be invaluable in coming years as we face complicated and impactful issues including housing, transportation, sustainability, maintaining excellent schools, and focusing on prudent and sustainable fiscal management. I look forward to engaging with many of you in the coming weeks as I work to earn your support and vote.
Please email me at ElectMichaelTauer@pobox.com with any questions for me or suggestions for our Town’s future. In the coming days, you will be able to learn more about me and my vision for Wellesley at ElectMichaelTauer.com.
Thank you for your consideration.
Michael Tauer
