Vote Patricia Cormier for
Hull Select Board
Change either happens to us or with us.
Let's create our future path together.
The town of Hull, to me, is an incredibly special place. I was drawn to its steadfast New England spirit, natural beauty, vibrant artist community, and rich history. Moving here almost 25 years ago, it was a place where I could see myself and family putting down roots and getting involved within the community. My wife, aunt, and little Yorkie have built our home here. We can’t imagine living anywhere else.
Over our time here, I have served on the Board of Paragon Carousel, helping establish its financial security and shepherding its restoration. For the last decade, I have simultaneously served on the Board of Directors of Wellspring Multi-Service Center helping to establish its strategic direction and expansion, as well as serving on the Town of Hull Advisory Board. Additionally, I was selected to the committees for the vetting of candidates for both the Police Chief and the Town Manager positions.
Professionally I have worked with groundbreaking pioneers in marketing, leadership and transformation. As a consultant I have helped major organizations to navigate the current pace of change and increased levels of uncertainty to improve their ability to deliver success. As a certified executive coach, I help individuals and teams attain their fullest potential by establishing values, setting a vision, developing strategies, and building leadership capabilities.
My extensive experience in dealing with change has taught me, it either happens to you, or it happens with you, but it is a fool’s errand to try and stop it. Let’s make a better future, by intentionally shaping that vision together. I hope to earn your vote and support to help shape what success looks like.
My areas of focus and priorities
Hull is at a pivotal moment. As a past member of the Advisory Board, I am proud of the work done to put the Town of Hull on sound financial footing. Unlike many of our neighboring communities that have experienced multiple Proposition 21/2 overrides, we have not had to resort to one for roughly twenty-five years. Yes, our taxes have gone up due to rising property values. But during this time frame we have survived a major recession reducing our revenues, restored our stabilization fund, continue to work toward a fully funded pension program, repaired several sea walls, installed a new turf field, and established other reserve funds for capital investments. All of this has been accomplished while consistently maintaining an AA bond rating, reflecting stable finances with a solid, long-term outlook.
That said, necessary capital investments are going to continue to challenge our town finances and budgets. Whether it is addressing resident needs with street paving, new facilities for community safety and emergency, or tackling changing demographics for schools or seniors, this will necessitate trade-offs and prioritization. This will also require a collaborative approach to build alignment across all stakeholders through listening, dialogue and community involvement. Ultimately, transparency with our citizens is necessary for reaching the best long-term solutions.
My experience working with and coaching leaders of government institutions, corporations, and non-profits has taught me the importance of not just listening but asking the right questions. It has also showed me how to break down silos and improve collaboration to fully leverage the passion and energy of all constituencies. Creating space for dialogue is how we move forward. Change either happens to us, or with us. Let’s create our future path together.
Capital Investments:
This narrow spit of land called Hull presents unique challenges: from sea walls and public safety /emergency management to streets and schools. All require investment and on-going financial support. How we prioritize these investments will require trade-offs and sometimes less than perfect solutions. Our uniqueness is a large part of why we all live here. Many of these necessary choices will result in creating tension and competing priorities on its citizens. I believe we can face these challenges successfully if we work together. This will require all of us to play a role in helping shape what this can look like through respect, listening, and dialogue.
Master Plan:
When serving on the vetting committee for the Town Manager position, every single candidate stressed the importance of having a Master Plan. This plan helps to shape the vision of the community, assists in decision making, and helps prevent a piecemeal approach to development and prioritization. This document isn’t merely an exercise but should serve as a galvanizing dialog to establish what success looks like for our future and a yardstick by which to measure our progress.
Affordability:
Housing and affordability are not a unique challenge to Hull. It is a national issue. People are living longer and choosing to age in place. The resulting reduction of housing supply and higher costs are forcing families out of the communities in which they grew up. On top of these challenges Hull’s housing stock, current density, and environmental exposure add unique complexities. We are both a summer beach community and a year-round bedroom community. Much of our town is also in a flood plain or wetland areas. These challenges cannot be solved in a vacuum or with one size fits all solution. This will require a robust community planning effort encompassing land-use zoning, housing, environmental preservation, and economic sustainability. We have made progress at a piecemeal pace. We can and should do better.
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