An open letter to residents in Hillsborough was disseminated on Monday in a news release from town officials.

Those officials are Tom Stevens, the mayor of Hillsborough, and all five members of the Hillsborough Board of Commissioners.

In the letter, Stevens and the municipal leadership team react to what they call “a litany of executive orders, appointments, and announcements that portend unsettling changes in how government communicates and engages with the public.”

With these events in mind, they state that their aspiration is for the municipality of Hillsborough “to serve as an example of what good local government — on behalf of the people — looks like in America.”

Three focus points are listed by Stevens and company in support of this aspiration: environment, policing and inclusion.

“We are committed to environmental justice, meaning that environmental risks and benefits, to our best ability, are not disproportionally borne or enjoyed by a particular group,” they cite.

They also claim that local law enforcement officers are obligated to “build relationships with communities of color” and serve “as guardians rather than warriors.”

The letter concludes after an affirmation that the town is “committed to ensuring everyone has the opportunity to be heard,” regardless of their political leanings.

Residents can read the letter online at hillsboroughnc.gov.

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