My name is Heath Partington and I am running for the open Windham Board of Selectmen seat you will vote for on March 12th. I have lived in Windham for 17 years, working as a software engineer for a New Hampshire based networking company, and have been elected to 3 terms (9 years) on the Windham Zoning Board of Adjustment (Chairman in 2013 and 2017). Windham is the only home my two children have known, and my wife and I intend to live here for the foreseeable future.
Success as a software engineer requires complex problem solving, process efficiency and continuous improvement, communication skills, the ability to lead or work within a team and strict attention to detail. One of my strongest skills is the ability to pinpoint potential problems early in the development cycle so they are prevented, saving considerable time and allowing the team to hit deadlines and milestones.
As a citizen of the Town of Windham and during my time on the Board of Adjustment I reference this list of characteristics that I seek in the leaders that win my vote :
Transparency * Accountability * Preparedness * Fairness * Respectful Discourse
I will continue to require these things of the leaders I vote for and I expect you to require them from me should I earn your vote again this March.
During my 9 year tenure on the Zoning Board of Adjustment, with the help of my fellow Board members, I am proud that the scheduling and pubic rebuttal processes has become more fair; the Rules of Procedure have made processes like application, agenda, notices of decision and town staff expectations more consistent; our decision-making process is more transparent to the public and the Board has engaged in respectful discourse allowing us to be productive and more efficient.
One current member of the Board of Selectmen will not be seeking re-election, this is the seat that I ask for your vote on March 12th. The four remaining members of the Board are experienced, having all served multiple terms. Should I win your vote, I intend to bring a fresh perspective and new questions and ideas to the Board using a combination of the aforementioned characteristics and the skills that I use every day both at work and on the Board of Adjustment. I believe that it becomes difficult to see new solutions to old problems, promote healthy change and improve the overall impact without an injection of fresh perspective every so often. I am the right person for this seat and look forward to detailing my specific perspectives, questions and ideas in future letters and posts.
In the meantime, please do not hesitate to contact me. Although the election process can be uncomfortable and awkward, I have find it refreshing and reinvigorating to meet new people and re-kindle relationships with people who share the same focus: Windham and its future. With the goal of earning your vote on March 12th, I will be posting times and places on my pages referenced below where we can meet in person to discuss your perspectives, questions and ideas.
Thank you for your time.