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Select Board candidates back a privacy‑safeguarding surveillance policy, support current public‑works plan
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Summary
Select Board contenders Alyssa Nickel and Pam Nurse both said the town should adopt a policy limiting surveillance technology use while protecting public safety, and both endorsed a proposed $25–$29 million public‑works facility design that reuses storage buildings and addresses staff needs.
At a League of Women Voters forum April 8, Select Board candidates Alyssa Nickel and Pam Nurse largely agreed on balancing public safety and privacy in surveillance policy and defended a proposed public‑works facility they said meets operational needs.
When asked whether the town should adopt a policy or bylaw governing technologies such as facial recognition, Nurse said the board should protect residents while finding ways to allow technologies that aid public safety. "It's weighing those trade offs, and I think it is very, very important that we protect the people and protect our citizens," she said, adding the board should explore alternatives that protect privacy.
Nickel agreed and urged a policy that covers data storage and sharing while permitting limited use of certain surveillance tools to assist in locating missing people and solving crimes. "We need to get ahead of the rapid advance of new technologies and the spreading use of technologies by creating a policy that will protect folks' privacy," she said.
On the proposed $25–$29 million public‑works facility, both candidates said the current plan — which reuses existing storage buildings and narrows the footprint after previous cost reductions — is appropriate. Nickel said the design meets critical needs for a safe working environment for staff and retains space for vehicle storage; Nurse praised the process of cost reduction and said the plan addresses necessary functions including vehicle wash bays and environmental protections for nearby wetlands.
Candidates also discussed ways to make town boards more accessible, proposing clearer role descriptions, an updated volunteer handbook, mentoring for new members and outreach surveys. On economic development, they supported implementing an emerging strategic plan, pursuing tax‑incentive financing to attract businesses, and collecting data to understand barriers to growth.
The candidates participated in a lightning round of yes/no questions addressing municipal shuttle hours, sewer expansion, fossil‑fuel‑free retrofits of town hall HVAC and a town right of first refusal on a property at 46 Taylor Road. The forum concluded with one‑minute closings and reminders about the April 28 municipal election and a town meeting following shortly after.
