Meet Middleboro Select Board candidate Thomas White

MIDDLEBORO — First term Select Board Member Thomas White is eyeing reelection to focus on growing economic development, a solution he sees will maintain school and town services into the future.

White previously served on the housing authority for 11 years before his current term on the Select Board and now continues to serve the authority as a commissioner. He said his background as a union steward and Army veteran has helped him navigate conflicts big or small.

“I think I've become a good judge of human character through all my ups and downs and issues I've dealt with,” White said.

While working as a mechanic and electrician, White was a longstanding union member. He was also a union steward for 14 years while he worked at Ocean Spray as a mechanic. He said that experience is well used as a Select Board member.

“The steward, just like a Select Board member, is there for the welfare of the people,” White said.

White served in the Army for three years after graduating high school, where he served in the Military Police on a nuclear site in Germany from 1975 to 1978. 

In the Army, he said others would often come to him for advice ranging from how to deal with homesickness or navigating conflicts with commanders. He said he often found himself in the “older brother” role of helping others navigate problems in their lives.

White said he likes to be visible and present in the community, and makes time for resident passersby who have questions. 

“I'm the person people can come to and express their story, and then I'll go try and find the answer,” White said.

On the Select Board, White spearheaded the remembrance tree project that places Christmas trees across the Town Hall lawn over the month of December. The project serves as a way for residents to remember community members who have passed. 

White’s electrical company, TW Electric, also installed all of the lighting infrastructure as a gift to the town and organized a donation of all the materials from Wareham-based Concord Electric Supply company.

Another point of pride during White’s tenure was taking the temperature of the Rexa and Indus manufacturing companies while negotiating Tax Increment Financing agreements —  incentives to bring businesses to an area through incremental tax increases over a number of years — with Middleboro. 

White said his role was “dissecting” all of the information, touring the companies’ facilities and speaking to employees to gauge what kind of personality the companies had, and if they would bring positive job opportunities to town.

After fielding positive reviews from employees, the project had his backing. 

“Growth is inevitable. Smart growth is not inevitable,” he said. 

Companies like Rexa and Indus and the economic growth, receipts spent in town and tax revenues they bring are his answer to funding services at schools and the police and fire departments.

“The more good companies that come in, that’s revenue we don't have to ask the homeowner or the taxpayer for,” he said.

White said an important part of the growth solution is communication. He said outlining the costs and benefits with residents is essential to his process of welcoming change to town.

“We have to be able to let the townspeople know exactly what's going on all the time, so they don't have unnecessary fears,” White said.

A major priority on White’s mind is the search for Middleboro’s next town manager. He said former James McGrail was an “incredible” Town Manager. He said he wants the next town manager to have financial know-how and be a people-person.

“A town is people. So you can't just be a businessman,” White said.