Opinion: Candidate Believes Andover Is At A Crossroads

The following letter to the editor was submitted by George Thorlin, who is running for select board in the March 26 local election. The views expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Andover News. You can learn more about our policy on opinion and commentary on our Mission and Policies page.

In 1916, the poet Robert Frost ended his poem The Road Not Taken by writing:

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I –

I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference.

Andover today is at a major crossroads. The decisions we make today will determine how we, the residents of Andover, and our town fare in the coming years.  Will we retain the best of Andover, our community, our schools, and our historic heritage?

For much of Andover’s history the town was fondly referred to as “the Hill, the Mill and the Till”.  The Hill referring to Phillips Academy, the Mill referencing the many factories along the Shawsheen River, and the Till referring to the 95+ farms that were once located in West Andover.  Each made its own contribution to the town’s success in academics, business, and agriculture.  Today, the TILL has been replaced by new neighborhoods that have fueled the tremendous growth of the town.  Since 1960, the population of Andover has more than doubled, from approximately seventeen to thirty-seven thousand.

Andover today is a town of many neighborhoods, each with their own character and priorities such as playgrounds, recreational areas, natural habitats, and safe walking spaces.  When elected to the Andover Select Board I will fight for these neighborhood priorities, while also focusing on four fundamental town-wide issues: 

1. Give all Andover residents a voice by modernizing the current town meeting form of governance.
2. Support, improve and invest in Andover Schools.
3. Protect residential zoning and existing home values by respecting the wishes of local Andover citizens.
4. Improve town-wide traffic safety and speed limit enforcement.

I encourage all Andover residents to join me in helping build the future of Andover.  Do not hesitate to call/text me with your ideas on how we can continue to improve our town.

My name is George Thorlin, and I am a candidate for Andover Select Board.  My family has lived in Andover for 38 years.  I am a husband, father, grandfather, veteran, and founder of Andover Safe Streets.  

www.Thorlin4AndoverSelectBoard.org

George Thorlin
Andover
(978) 699-0900

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