Candidate Self-Profile – Jim Hunt for Councilor at Large – Gardner MA
Jim Hunt is a candidate for the upcoming Gardner election on November 7th. He furnished us with the following self-profile. We will run submissions from any candidate. Simply email to News@GardnerMagazine.com.
Jim Hunt Submission
“My name is Jim Hunt and I am seeking your vote for an At Large position on our City Council in the upcoming election on November 7th.
I grew up here in Gardner, attended the public schools and graduated from Gardner High School in 1998. Though I’ve moved away a couple of times I always seem to end up back in Gardner! I now work here, own a home here and have a family. One of our children will be graduating this year and the youngest will be starting in the school system next year. In my current professional position I write grants and manage annual fundraising campaigns for one of our local Non-Profits.
Through my time here in Gardner I’ve always considered myself to be a community advocate. I was the co-organizer of the G-Vegas Striders for several years, I’ve organized the Annual Turkey Trot in the past and I’ve hosted several fundraisers over the years. More recently I’ve started a grassroots movement called Gardner Walks, an initiative to get people in Gardner out and active. I’ve been part of GCAT in the past and still volunteer for their events when asked.
Back in 2006/07 I sat on the Finance Committee in Winchendon while working and living there in Town. Being on that committee drove my passion for serving the community I lived in. I consider myself to be a numbers person. I like to look at and analyze data. I’ve always believed that numbers can tell a story.
If elected to the Council I will work with my fellow Councillors and other elected officials to position Gardner as an attractive location for responsible development and housing. There is unfortunately a lot of red tape when it comes to managing a municipality, we all wish it could be simpler but the reality is it’s not. The key to sifting through all of those legislative weeds is clear and consistent communication. This, I believe, is something I would excel in. I do believe Gardner is on a good trajectory of progress, but there is more work to do and I feel confident my abilities as a leader and decision maker are the attributes we need to get the job done.
As a decision maker I believe it’s important to view situations from ten thousand feet, this allows you to see all sides of the issue and make a more informed decision. I also like to remove emotion from decision making as it can sometimes cloud judgement.
I currently see a community divided through an election process, it’s sad to watch. My hopes are that whatever the outcomes of the upcoming election are, the community can come back together to achieve all the potential our City has.
Lastly, I want to encourage everyone to get out and Vote. During my nomination stage I was amazed at how many people I spoke to that were not registered because they felt their vote didn’t do anything. I understand how it can feel like that at times on the National level but locally, everyone’s vote counts and is important.”