To the Editor:

I am writing today to strongly recommend Rich Ellis for re-election to the school board.

I know a lot of people don’t frequent school board and town council meetings, or they drop in on an occasional hot button issue. I am one of those people who attends a lot of school board meetings.

Supporting the quality and future of our public schools is one of the things I feel I can do to help make sure Brunswick continues to be an excellent place to live and raise a family.

Over the past two years, I have been a close observer of the school board and its members. I strongly support Rich because he is, without question, the school board member with the keenest ability for analyzing and crunching numbers. I imagine he keeps an Excel spreadsheet of household chores on his computer.

His natural ability to evaluate data — whether it is the performance of students on standardized tests or budget projections for current or new facilities — is unmatched on the board. I think at this time, when two schools are facing remodel or total replacement, having a numbers-savvy school board member is like having a free accountant or financial planner.

In addition to his aforementioned abilities, he is one of the most communicative board members. He frequently posts information online about upcoming meetings, links to agendas, links to state data and more. As someone who does support community engagement in municipal government, I am grateful for the information he shares.

My recollection is that his opponent was removed from a leadership position after he communicated inappropriately with a member of the state Legislature during his prior service to the school board.

Rich and I don’t agree on every issue, but I have the utmost respect for his ethics and his tireless contributions to the Brunswick School Board. His record as a school board member is stellar, and he deserves your vote.

Sarah Singer
Brunswick