A Planning Board member needs a deep understanding of policy details as well as an empathy for the perspectives of residents whose lives may be affected. I’ve seen Tom Shiple tackle planning issues and know he has the depth and breadth to be effective in this role. - Mike Kennealy, former Massachusetts Secretary of Housing and Economic Development

Tom has shown leadership as a member of the Bicycle Advisory Committee.  I’ve witnessed firsthand Tom’s dedication and remarkable success as an advocate for enhancing bicycle safety and infrastructure in Lexington, both for recreational use and as a viable alternative mode of transportation. - Peggy Enders, President and Chair of Friends of Lexington Bikeway, Town Meeting Member

Tom makes a difference in kids’ lives through LexRAP.  This has been exemplified by his efforts over the past 2 years with Isaac, a teenage boy being raised by a single mom recently arrived in this country. Tom helped arrange for soccer practice for Isaac, tutored him on the ACT college entrance exam, and helped him with the college application process, resulting in Isaac having been accepted to over 10 colleges for next year. - Ethan Kiczek, LexRAP Board Member, Town Meeting Member

I strongly endorse Tom for Planning Board - he's a high integrity, high-impact and committed leader in our community.  I'm certain he'll bring expertise and thought leadership to this role for Lexington. - Sam Zales, Former Chair of the MLK Celebration, Former Board Member of Temple Isaiah

I worked with Tom on the 2023 MBTA zoning amendment to slow down implementation with more thorough analysis of the impact.  I continue to be impressed with his ability to understand and balance the complex challenges of planning and creating opportunities for the future vibrancy of our town.  Tom recognizes that we need to maintain our commercial tax base and wisely scale construction of new housing as well as protecting Lexington's neighborhoods. - Bridger McGaw, Town Meeting Member, Economic Development Advisory Committee

I got to know Tom when we served on the Town Meeting Member Executive Committee together.  Being an integral member at the monthly meetings, I was so impressed.  Not only was Tom's input on issues well reasoned, but he always stepped up to volunteer to research and write up articles for the TMMA Warrant Information Report on which so many Town Meeting Members depended.  Whether at Town Meeting or at various committee meetings, Tom's comments have always been on point and substantive whether the topic was zoning, cycling infrastructure or recreational facilities.  His commitment to the town is unmatched with his involvement in housing issues and he currently serves on the Bicycle Advisory Committee and the Zoning Board of Appeals.  With respect to the state's MBTA housing initiative, Tom was part of the group that wisely offered the amendment to Article 34 to rein in what they foresaw as the potential for rapid growth. Please join me in supporting Tom Shiple for Planning Board. - Andy Friedlich, Town Meeting Member, TMMA Executive Committee

Letters submitted to the lexington observer

In Support of Tom Shiple for Planning Board
January 27, 2025

I am writing to share my enthusiastic endorsement of Tom Shiple for election to the Planning Board. I have known Tom for over four years, during which time I have served alongside him in small task forces and on Town Meeting. I believe Tom brings many qualities and strengths that will benefit us as a Town as we tackle complex issues of planning and zoning in the years to come. 

Tom asks great questions and really listens to the answers. I have observed how Tom engages with challenging issues first with curiosity, rather than judgment. He asks probing questions and takes his time understanding the answers he receives. He considers multiple perspectives and opinions as he forms his own. 

Tom does his homework. He is not afraid to dig into the weeds to understand the details that matter. He is very generous in sharing his summaries of big data sets and long reports, using clear communication skills. His contributions to the Lexington Housing Study Group’s comments on several important zoning articles over the past few years were incredibly helpful to Town Meeting Members as we deliberated. 

Tom cares deeply about the future of Lexington. In all the ways Tom volunteers his time and talent in Lexington, he brings both a strong work ethic and a real commitment to a bright, welcoming future for our ever-evolving community. 

I hope you will join me in voting for Tom Shiple for Planning Board on Monday, March 3, 2025. 

Sincerely,
Sarah Higginbotham
Town Meeting Member, Precinct 5, and TMMA Vice-Chair

Tom Shiple is a thoughtful leader
February 3, 2025

Tom Shiple could make important changes as a member of the Lexington Planning Board.  I have known him for several years and have had multiple interactions with him around issues coming before Town Meeting.  In every instance, I have found Tom to be an exceptionally good listener, a very capable individual when it comes to researching and analyzing town policies and practices, and very forthright in his communications and actions regarding the town.  As the town faces increasingly difficult growth challenges in the months and years ahead (e.g., the MBTA Communities Act), I think it is critical to elect someone based not just on their current position(s), but on their ability to thoughtfully assess situations and to help the town navigate toward a fair and reasonable outcome that is respectful of residents/taxpayers who have made significant investments in their homes and in the community at large. For those reasons, I endorse Tom Shiple for Planning Board and hope you will join me in voting for him on Monday, March 3rd.

Todd Burger
35-year Lexington resident and Town Meeting Member, Precinct 9

Support Tom Shiple:  Balanced Growth for a Vibrant Lexington
February 12, 2025

I am writing to urge our community to support Tom Shiple for Planning Board in our upcoming Town Elections on Monday, March 3rd.

My husband and I have known Tom for well over a decade, since our days as parents at Bridge School. We have volunteered together, in our schools, in local soccer, and in the community. Over time, we have come to deeply respect and appreciate Tom’s commitment to Lexington and the vitality and well-being of our community.

Tom is a community volunteer extraordinaire.  Through his extensive volunteer work, he has acquired a deep knowledge of the workings of our town government, particularly with regard to our municipal services, the intricacies of zoning rules, and especially our town’s growing need for moderately priced housing. Along side this experience, he balances a longstanding commitment to environmental issues, from decreasing our carbon footprint to preserving our green space.

Tom is a meticulous researcher. The extent and depth to which he will study a topic is especially noteworthy. In 2023, he was part of the working group of Town Meeting Members that studied and then submitted an amendment to Article 34 that supported, but slowed the development of multi-family housing. Though the amendment failed, he has continued to research and deepen his understanding of housing development, the needs, benefits and costs. He is a voice of thoughtful, informed moderation.

Above all, Tom is pragmatic – an essential quality when confronted with complex decisions where perfect answers are in short supply.  Tom has the skills and the balance that we need on the Planning Board, as we navigate the challenges of the upcoming years, and the complex questions of how Lexington will grow, and what kind of community we want to be. I strongly urge all to vote for Tom Shiple for Planning Board on Monday, March 3rd. 

Ann Boese, Ph.D.
45 Spring Street, Lexington

Qualities Tom Shiple Would Bring to the Planning Board
February 24, 2025

I’m looking for a new Planning Board member who is decisive but who also examines many points of view, all the facts, and many opinions before choosing his policy position.

He showed me these qualities in 2023 as Town Meeting deliberated on ways to address the state’s MBTA requirement.   He wanted more housing in general and more affordable housing but was not sure of the best way to achieve the goal. 

He was also thinking in a very practical way: what was the solution that would pass Town Meeting and be acceptable to voters.  He joined the team led by Dawn McKenna, which offered a substitute motion to Town Meeting the week before Article 34 was considered in its original form.   Dawn’s amendment did not pass, but to give that group credit, their intent to slow down the rollout was well-placed.

Tom went on to vote in favor of Article 34, which passed by a large margin.   Since then, like many of us, he is taken aback by the astonishingly rapid submission of development proposals, which have come so early and in such numbers that we have already, almost met the MBTA’s goal of 1,231 new homes in our town.  I will be happy if we meet that goal, and other MBTA communities can play their part for the rest of a solution.

What I remember fondly about Tom’s participation in that process was that he never claimed to have all the answers.  He was advocating but also learning.   He was not taking an ideological approach to the housing challenge.  Those qualities make him the right candidate for the Planning Board.

Tom Díaz, Town Meeting Member (Pct 8), Assistant Town Moderator

Tom Shiple has character and temperament to lead
February 24, 2025

For me, what’s important in this race for Planning Board is character and temperament.

Tom is careful, thoughtful and methodical. He’s willing to listen to all views and consider other perspectives seriously. He does his homework and there’s a lot of it in the planning and zoning field. He can analyze large quantities of information and hone in on what’s important.

In this position, you want someone who can collaborate to find solutions and at the end of the day come forward with balanced, well-thought out outcomes for the town.

And lastly you want someone with vision. Tom truly cares about the future of Lexington. I trust his ideas and his judgement and I can’t imagine a better candidate for Planning Board.

Nancy Tentindo, Former Deputy Director for Planning, City of Boston
12 Fairbanks Road