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Date: 5/4/2022
HAMPDEN – Of all the elected offices in Hampden, none has faced more controversy in the past year than the Planning Board, due to failed petitions for self-storage facilities. Voters will choose three of the board’s five board members in the May 16 town election. While Heather Beattie and Christina Brodeur are running unchallenged for the seats they have occupied since two vacancies opened in summer 2021, incumbent John Matthews is running against Patrick Coyne for a five-year term.
Reminder Publishing asked Matthews the following questions. Coyne declined to comment for this story. The answers are in the candidate’s own words.
Reminder Publishing: The question of growth versus preserving town character was the topic of controversy in 2021 due to the self-storage petitions. What is your feeling on this? How much business growth is in the best interest of Hampden?
John Matthews: Preserving Hampden’s character is important and will need to be balanced with decisions made regarding what type of business growth will best meet Hampden’s needs for the future. My parents moved our family to Hampden in 1966 and over these past 56 years I have observed numerous changes and know I will continue to see changes in future years as well.
Since water and sewer are major concerns as to how the town will be developed it makes balancing business growth a challenge. The other side of business growth is the tax dollars they can contribute to the town, although not the full context of the Planning Board, it is a reality. Updating of the Master Plan, with input from Hampden residents, could be a potential guide for the direction of business development as well as overall development in Hampden.
RP: Should public opinion have a place in Planning Board decisions, or should the decisions be objective?
Matthews: Yes, public opinion (public input) is an important part of Planning Board decision making and yet, the decisions made by the Planning Board must be made objectively and following all legal and zoning bylaws. Bylaws originate from a multitude of places, are developed, and vetted entirely in and by the public domain and then voted on at Town Meeting.
RP: What qualifies you for election (or re-election) to the Planning Board? What experience can you bring to help the board make tough decisions?
Matthews: Experience. Knowledge is not always gained from a book but from experience as well. There are no “cookie cutter” answers. Each item brought before the Planning Board has its own conditions that need to be evaluated. I have been a member of the Community Preservation Committee, Stormwater, and the Ridge and Hillside Committees. These experiences as well as my length of time I have lived in Hampden, give me an ability to see items that are brought to the Planning Board from a broad perspective. My father told me when I was thinking of being on the Planning Board, “you will need to put your personal feelings aside and do what is best for the town of Hampden.” I am proud to say that this is what I do and will continue to do.