ORDER-2022-85 : Appointment of Thomas J. Champoux, 87 Crescent Avenue, to the Historical Commission for a term to expire on the last day of February 2025.

Transcript (~4 min @ 24:38)

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▶ 24:34 Speaker 5: energy and enthusiasm to the historic commission oh no problem to see what you come up with it's

▶ 24:41 Jack Eccles: exciting it's exciting guys thank you so much the final item on tonight's agenda order 2022-85 appointment of thomas j shampoo 87 crescent ave to the historical commission for a term to expire on the last day of february 2025. mr shampoo is with us mary brader uh last but certainly not

▶ 24:58 Paul Brodeur: least is Tom shampoo Tom did not go up here but he is a what would now be called UMass Dartmouth grad and gosh came to Melrose probably about 20 certainly 20 plus years ago raised two kids along with his life Linda they are both proud graduates of Melrose high school that's not what brings Tom here today or makes him a good choice. Tom has over 20 years of experience in nonprofit marketing and communications with a particular focus in the library and museum sector. He had a previous position at the New England Historic Genealogical Society and certainly values and understands the role of genealogy and family history in the importance of it to it to individuals lives but also to the community as a whole as a whole you probably also know him as one of the co-hosts of let's talk Melrose Melrose so maybe haven't seen the face but you certainly heard the voice over the time over the time he has been involved with that Tom also volunteers for friends of the fellows doing hiking guides and leadership in that area and I think that That is particularly important because an important part of the history of Melrose and the history of this area is the natural history and how that impacts all the other things that we do, that we need to think about, that were thought about in the past and what drives some of our challenges really going forward. He is a trained communications professional that would certainly help with the mission of making sure a greater and greater slice of the Melrose population knows what's going on with the historic commission, continue to, you know, grow the involvement of the general public. I'm very excited to offer Tom's candidacy. Thank you, Paul.

▶ 27:03 Speaker 6: Thank you very much. Thank you, everybody. I will add that there are many things that appeal to me about this opportunity. I'm excited to be, as Paul mentioned, I have two kids who are now in college, and so I'm I'm looking for a way to give back more often than I was able to before. My background is in nonprofit communications, and I spent a lot of years, as Paul mentioned, immersed in history and the stories of individuals, and I really feel most strongly connected to this idea of telling stories, our own stories. Mine happens to include an Italian grandmother on my mother's side, came over at six years old from Sicily with $25 in her pocket because she had to have money, and she went to Lawrence worked in a mill raised her family my dad's side an irish immigrant who came over at 13 years old by himself found his way to lynn worked in the shoe factory for a bunch of years was actually in the spanish-american war served this country came back served his new country came back raised a family and then at some point this italian side and this irish side met and here i am today And the thing that I really value about my experience and my work in history and in genealogy is that these stories are both completely unique to ourselves and also shared with everybody else. My story is unique to me, but it's also very similar to everybody else's stories. And so I really find pleasure and joy in helping people connect to the stories of how we got to where we are and who we are. The fabric that we create together because of those stories and so I really really value that and I think that the work on the Historical Commission would allow some of that to go forward. Thank you. Mr. Shampoo any counselors at this time

▶ 28:57 Christopher Cinella: Presence no, I would just make a motion to recommend

▶ 29:03 Jack Eccles: Motioned by president snow seconded by vice chair Karim Chidi all in favor aye opposed seeing none that was the last order on tonight's agenda is there