Bob Mushen

Political platform statement

Why I am running for this office: I am running for Town Council in Little Compton because I appreciate the opportunity to live here and to serve in a capacity which can help preserve its uniqueness for all of our townspeople. I am committed to a philosophy of listening carefully, then acting responsibly. For the past sixteen years, my door in Town Hall has been open, and hardly a day passes that someone doesn’t stop with a question or a suggestion - although the pandemic has altered that a bit! About four years ago, we embarked on a strategy to upgrade the responsiveness and capabilities of our Town offices. In each case, we used referenda to seek voter approval to modify our Home Rule Charter, received broad voter support, and then timed the implementation to minimize personal disruption. In 2017, we moved from an elected Board of Assessors to a single hired Tax Assessor. Then, in 2018, we completed the conversion from a Town Business Manager to a full-time Town Administrator, with oversight over all appointed positions. This year, we are just beginning stage 3 of the strategy, with the hiring of a Town Finance Director, who will replace the retiring Town Treasurer. I look forward to continuing to serve the Town with this team, while preserving an executable budget and careful, responsive decision-making.