About Me
I am Dina Favreau and I am your 2024 candidate for Select Board.
I am also a mother, grandmother, friend and advocate and so much more. My family has been a part of this community since the 1960’s and I am running for Select Board because I know I can make a difference in improving our community. My personal and professional experiences have given me the skills, knowledge and understanding of the law needed to follow and interpret our governing documents that are vital in serving in this role.
For decades I have worked to serve the people - from serving as a Battered Women's Certified Safe Plan Advocate in the courts, to advocating for Foster Care and Healthcare reform, to advocating for the homeless and unhoused, to Special Education advocacy and yes, to dedicating over a decade of my life to combating the Opioid Crisis. This is something I am very proud to be a part of because when my family was struggling to find resources there was no call to action and very little hope for recovery. That is no longer the case today, because of so many incredible people who stood up, spoke out and shared their harrowing stories.
My dedication to a life of service stems from overcoming impossible odds of a very difficult childhood spent in and out of the foster care system. I realized early on that without the help of others, I would have never become the person I am today. You see, it takes all of us to make an impact and the smallest act of kindness can and does change the trajectory of other people’s lives. So I give back, out of the respect and gratitude I have for those who helped me along the way. Helping others is just a part of who I am, because I believe that my life experiences happened to make a difference.
I have been involved in various roles within the community over the years. As your Town Meeting Representative I have revised and rewritten multiple bylaws and amended the Recording By-Law in the Spring of 2023 to ensure compliance with the Open Meeting Laws of the state in an effort toward greater transparency in local government. I have passed multiple warrant articles over the last 6 years, some of which have passed unanimously.
I am not a seasoned Politician and I never set out to be one. I’m just a regular person who has used some extremely challenging life experiences to help others over the course of my life. It wasn't until recently that I felt compelled to run for the Select Board. The tipping point came for me when I found myself in a position where I had no choice but to take legal action against the current Select Board in order to ensure compliance with the law. This was a significant wake-up call. You see, supporting the rule of law is not simply a catchy slogan to me, it is at the heart of my core principles that I live by. It is something that I will stand up and fight for, even when I am left to stand alone.
If I am elected, I promise to be the voice of transparency and adherence to the rule of law. I will strive to create an environment where compliance and ethical conduct are paramount to decision making. There should never be a scenario where community members are forced to go to court to ensure their leaders are doing what is morally, ethically and legally required. We need people in leadership who will do the right thing, even when no one is looking. I will strive to bring positive change to the Select Board by instilling a sense of responsibility and accountability among its members and fostering open communication with residents, even when it's hard, by creating opportunities for their voices to be heard. It's through engagement and collaboration that we can find pragmatic, cross-party solutions to the challenges facing our community.
Running for the Select Board isn’t just a personal goal to put a checkmark in a box of accomplishments; for me, it is a duty to ensure a fair and just governance. I am committed to working tirelessly to revitalize the board and to regain the public’s trust. Together, we can create a local government that upholds the law, listens to and respects constituents, and serves as a model of integrity. If elected, I pledge to do exactly that, because our community deserves steadfast leadership that prioritizes the best interests of ALL of US.
