ROYALSTON – Despite spending two decades in Virginia, Ryan Hood says he is Royalston through and through.

Hood, a Royalston native, is poised to become the newest member of the town’s Selectboard. The only person to submit nomination papers to run for the board in the April 3 Town Election, the 1987 Athol High School graduate will fill the seat being vacated by longtime member Chris Long, who opted not to seek re-election.

While the date for the annual election is set for April 3, there will be two sessions of early in-person voting. They will be held Wednesday, March 22 and Wednesday, March 29 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Town Clerk’s office at Whitney Hall, 5 School St.

Hood told the Athol Daily News that he moved to Virginia at 21, where he began an 18-year career in law enforcement. He started off in the small town of Bowling Green, which he described as being similar to Royalston. He moved up the ranks to county sheriff, with his last job at the Colonial Beach Department.

The soon-to-be town official decided to move back to his hometown in 2007, having become disenchanted with some of the changes taking place in law enforcement at that time. Upon returning to Royalston, Hood began a job in human services, working in group homes. He also worked private security from time to time.

“At the same time,” he continued, “I developed my business as a freelance musician, and that’s what I do to this day.”

His motivation for seeking office, he explained, was simple.

“I love this town,” said Hood. “I’ve always loved this town.”

Hood praised Long for her service to the community, adding that he wants to make sure someone is going to represent the people who have been here for a long period of time.

“Obviously, I want to represent everybody,” Hood said. “I want to keep everybody’s interests at heart when I do this job.”

Hood said that people who live here do so for a reason—largely due to the town’s way of life, which he wants to protect.

“In the same breath, I also want to improve our lives in the areas where we can without affecting that way of life, if you will,” he said.

Hood agrees that certain aspects of the Royalston government could stand a bit of modernization while preserving those routines or policies that help to protect the town’s lifestyle, such as how the zoning bylaws prevent urban sprawl. Hood said that he isn’t looking to change anything—just be a part of the leadership.

“I want something here for my kids, and my kid’s kids,” he said. “I want something here for them, when they can sit down 30 or 40 years after I’m gone and say, ‘You know what? My father or my grandfather helped to keep this town quaint, and keep it a quiet community.’”

Hood said there is no single issue or challenge that served as his motivation to run.

“I have no agenda whatsoever,” he stressed. “There is nothing specific that compelled me to run, other than the fact that my father (Bill Hood) was community-oriented. He served on many boards here in Royalston over the years. He and my mother, Sharon Hood, both served on town committees. My mother served on the committee that built that new school we have on Winchendon Road. My father served on the Conservation Commission and the Board of Health, and a couple of times he ran for selectman. But they were always involved. So, I would say the spirit of service came from my parents.”

Hood said he wants to address issues as they arise, and as part of a team – referring to the other two members of the Selectboard.

“They are both very good people,” he said. “And I want to be part of a team that leads this town over the next three years. The most important thing to me is, what do our residents want, what do they need, what’s important to them?”

Hood said this question has elicited a number of responses, both strong and optimistic.

“This is going to be a very positive experience; one where I can look back from the end of my term and say, ‘I’ve done what I can. I did the best I can,’” said Hood. “I just want to sink my teeth into being a real representative of the people.”

Greg Vine can be reached at gvineadn@gmail.com.

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