Bonnie Wright is a long-time New Hampshire resident, dedicated to her family and the greater Salem community. She has been an educator, small business owner and manager, and paralegal secretary. If you read her Covid Updates beginning in April 2020, you are familiar with her dedication and attention to detail.
Bonnie was very appreciative of the confidence, as shown by Salem Voters, in her ability to serve the Town on the important Charter Commission, and in her fellow Commissioners for appointing her as their Secretary. Likewise, she was very appreciative of the Town’s confidence in her when they elected her as one of the first Town Councilors.
Family
- Husband, Wayne, is a Vietnam Vet and was a life-long union member until his 2018 retirement.
- Two children, one stepchild, four grandchildren, including one in the Salem School District.
- Bonnie is committed to leaving the planet a better place for her children and grandchildren, starting with making Salem a healthier, more prosperous community.
Background/Education
- Vermont College/Norwich University, Lyndon State College, and Lakes Region Community College
- Fine & performing arts, education and business courses
- Graduate with highest honors
- National Honor Society
Experience/Occupation
- As a former teacher, legal secretary, small business owner and manager, Bonnie often worked more than one job at a time.
- Past President, Salem NH Farmers Market (also former Secretary & Volunteer Coordinator)
- Board of Directors, Salem Family Resources (since April 2022). Currently Secretary.
- She works behind the scenes for several other local Non-profit organizations.
- Founder of NH Right to Know GMO
- Admin of the open Facebook group, The Real Salem, NH town page.
- Author of COVID-19 updates. 440 daily updates from April 2020 to June 2021, then weekly to February 2022, for a total of 477 reports.
Elected and appointed offices
Salem Town Council
- Elected as a Town Councilor for a 2-year term in 2023, serving as on of the nine first Town Councilors for Salem
- Year 1 (May 2023-March 2024):
- Elected by other Councilors to serve as their first Secretary
- Served as Council Rep to the newly formed Communications Committee
- Served as Council Rep to the newly formed Economic Development Committee.
- Appointed by the EDC to represent it on the Master Plan Steering Committee
- Year 2 (March 2024-March 2025):
- Serving on the Economic Development Committee
- Continued on the Master Plan Steering Committee as the EDC’s representative
- Served as Vice Chair of the Energy Committee; and helped bring community power to be voted on by Salem residents to save them money on their electric bills. (Warrant Article in 2025)
- Represented the Town Council at the Ethics Committee, to correct issues with the Ethics section of the Town Charter, and resolve conflicts between the Charter and the Town’s Municipal Code. (Warrant Article in 2025)
- Serving on the Economic Development Committee
Salem Charter Commission
- Elected in April 2022 as one of 9 commissioners.
- Out of a field of 35 candidates, Bonnie came in third, with over 38% of the votes, and only fourteen votes behind the top vote earner.
- The nine people elected to serve on the Commission studied Salem’s form of town government to recommend if Salem should keep its current government, or adopt a different form of town or city government. The Commission recommended that the Town adopt a Town Charter, and the Warrant Article was passed in March 2023.
Salem Zoning Board of Adjustment:
- Committed to fair and sustainable development for Salem
- 2013: Appointed as an Alternate to the Salem Zoning Board of Adjustment
- 2016: Elected by Salem voters to serve a 3-year term on that Board
- 2017, 2018, 2019: Elected by other ZBA members as their Vice Chair.
- 2019: Re-elected by the Town
- 2020, 2021, 2022: Elected by other ZBA members as their Chair (1 year term)
- 2022: Re-elected by the Town
- 2023: Re-elected as Chair of the board
Salem Democratic Town Committee
- Elected as Secretary in 2017. Re-elected for 2019-2021. Still serving as Secretary.
Rockingham County Democrats
- Elected as an At-Large Member, Executive Committee 2017. Re-elected in 2019 and 2021.
Activism
Bonnie has worked passionately at the state and national level to promote food safety for her town, state, and community. She has been committed to researching and understanding the impacts of genetically engineered foods and their associated chemicals, and advocating for the safety of our water and food supply. She was the founder of NH Right to Know GMO, and co-founder of Non-Toxic New Hampshire. She has helped introduce several bills, including a GMO labeling bill and the bipartisan bill, HB399 in 2018, to reduce the use of pesticides where children play. In 2019, she had a hand in the introduction of a bill to protect our pollinators.
Personal
- Resident of Northern New England since aged 18
- Summered in NH for over 50 years
- NH Resident since 1983
- Purchased home in Salem in 2008
- Reducing carbon footprint with solar panels on our home
- Avid amateur genealogist and watercolor artist