Patrick Finn respectfully requests your vote for the Hull Redevelopment Authority. I am a civil servant and senior construction engineer specializing in roads and bridges, public works infrastructure construction projects, as well as an elected union board member.

As a graduate of Hull High (1981) and RWU (1992), with degrees in Architecture and Construction Management and qualifications which include Building Code Official and Construction Supervisor licenses, I have put my education and experience to work for the citizens of Hull (for free).

I have faithfully served my beloved community of Hull-Nantasket Beach since 1999 on the board of appeals, the school building committee, the zoning bylaw committee, and the board of assessors. As a Hull Village resident, I have advocated and volunteered for the cause of maintenance, restoration, and historic preservation of Fort Revere-Fort Independence and helped organize Bastille Day events.

If elected to the HRA, I intend to work hard to produce results that will benefit our community, with all due respect to former HRA Chairman Charles E. Gould’s letter to the editor from the Feb. 16 edition of The Hull Times, which said: “Some attendees want no development in the area…They seem to care less about the sacrifices, work, and effort that went into the program and the promises given to the original property owners that the area would be redeveloped.”

In regard to ideas for the potential uses of 13 acres of HRA property, an “all of the above” approach, with at least 80% for passive recreational public open space and event space and resident and beach parking, is my initial intent, while the HRA is still in the early stages of the draft conceptual Urban Renewal Plan process. I agree with the affordable housing set asides for Hull residents and employees that have been approved for inclusion into any potential residential development.

I also agree with the goal of the HRA to create “a sense of place in our community through development that provides tax revenues, open space recreation, job growth, improved business environment, event venues, and parking for Nantasket Beach within an effective and efficient traffic pattern for Hull citizens and visitors.”

Recognizing that the 60-year history of the HRA has been contentious and ultimately unproductive, I urge my fellow citizen activists to please try not to overreact to the current public forums and information presented by the HRA’s consultants. The draft conceptual Urban Renewal Plan is simply intended to get select board approval to forward to the Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development for final approval, with the intention of obtaining the MassWorks roadway grants necessary to fund the Town of Hull’s two-way roads plan (previously approved by the select board, as traffic commissioners, and town meeting voters).

Only after the completion of the construction of the redesigned roadways will the proposed parcels actually exist that can be potentially developed. FYI: This is not a proposed development in the permitting process. This is a planning process.

During this planning process, I intend to consider all ideas presented, and I intend to present many ideas for changes. In particular, changes should be considered to the HRA Option 2 draft Urban Renewal Plans and Hull’s two-way roads plans to be in alignment with the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation’s Nantasket Beach Master Plan, which would allow for the proposed widened boardwalk along the seawall with benches and shade structures, as well as the raised two-way bicycle lanes.