We support Joe Markey for School Committee.

His experience in town volunteer service has given him a sophisticated understanding of the workings of public processes — legal, political, legislative, financial, permitting, taxing, borrowing. This is singular hard-won knowledge, rare and very valuable in a School Committee member.

Joe was a five-year Planning Board member, two years as chair, during the majority of the Legacy Farms project permitting. This was a multi-layered legal and political process requiring great sensitivity and judgement.

More recently his work as co-chair of the Marathon School Building Committee demonstrated his ability to bring complex issues — site selection, design, budgeting, enrollments — all to the public in a manner resulting in strong consensus all along the road leading to this successful project.

And never one to shy from controversy if he feels he can help a situation, he and Bernadette jumped out in front of the effort to defend the Downtown Corridor Project before the Special Town Meeting last December. Thanks in part to the Markeys’ advocacy, the Town Meeting vote was overwhelmingly in favor of the project.

Hopkinton schools are facing imminent capacity challenges requiring multiple building rehab, addition and new construction projects. We need an experienced leader able to study and understand the implications of competing approaches to complex issues, who can then communicate variables wisely and clearly in public leading us to sound decision-making.

Joe Markey is that individual.

— Fin and Trish Perry, Hopkinton

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