To Marion Voters,
After 12 years of service on the Marion Planning Board, I am stepping down following my final meeting on Monday, May 4.
During my tenure, I made it a priority to show up consistently, prepared, and ready to do the people’s business. I missed only three meetings in those 12 years and approached each one with the seriousness and diligence the role requires.
I also served on the Board’s Codification Committee with a perfect attendance record. I served on the Marion Energy and Management Committee, helping the Town become a Green Community, and I represented Marion on the Southeastern Regional Planning and Economic Development District for five years. That role required regular travel to Taunton in all weather conditions, along with written and oral reports back to the Board, responsibilities I fulfilled without exception.
Among my most significant contributions was drafting the Town’s marijuana bylaw. I attended multiple workshops to ensure the language and structure were legally sound and ultimately wrote the bylaw independently. While criticism surfaced late in the process, those voices had not participated in the preparatory work. I submitted the draft to the Attorney General without their input, and it was approved on the first submission.
I have always believed that public service requires more than holding a position; it requires preparation, follow-through, and a consistent standard of respect for others. Those were the standards I upheld throughout my service.
There were times when the conduct of some colleagues did not reflect those same standards. While that was disappointing, it did not deter me from doing the work or from maintaining the level of professionalism I believe the public deserves.
To the residents of Marion: thank you for your trust and support over these past 12 years. I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to serve you and took seriously the responsibility that came with your votes.
I leave this role knowing I gave it my full effort and upheld the responsibilities of the office with integrity, consistency, and respect. Public service is, at its core, about accountability, and I believe my record reflects that.
With gratitude,
Eileen J. Marum
The views expressed in the “Letters to the Editor” column are not necessarily those of The Wanderer, its staff or advertisers. The Wanderer will gladly accept any and all correspondence relating to timely and pertinent issues in the great Marion, Mattapoisett and Rochester area, provided they include the author’s name, address and phone number for verification. We cannot publish anonymous, unsigned or unconfirmed submissions. The Wanderer reserves the right to edit, condense and otherwise alter submissions for purposes of clarity and/or spacing considerations. The Wanderer may choose to not run letters that thank businesses, and The Wanderer has the right to edit letters to omit business names. The Wanderer also reserves the right to deny publication of any submitted correspondence. All letters must be typed and submitted directly to: news@wanderer.com.