Board of Health candidate profile: Chester Tam

Chester Tam decided to run for the open seat on the Board of Health in the April 1 election as a way to “help people again,” after working at the Massachusetts General Hospital and later Mass General Brigham.

Working at the hospital first as a systems analyst for five years and later as a systems engineer for four years in the radiology department at Mass General Brigham, Tam was trained in biohazard waste management, sanitation and how to make sure everything is kept safe while in a work environment.

In 2021, after he refused to get the Covid vaccine, the hospital let him go, which Tam said motivated him to speak out online about what he felt was a wrongful termination and ultimately drew him to get more involved in local issues.

Tam said these experiences prompted him to run for the Board of Health, calling it his “landing spot.”

He added that he has “a lot” of background in health related topics because of his experiences in the restaurant business, education and in the hospital environment.

Tam said he would like to see the health of kids and the older generation improve, noting that people used to be told they needed to eat healthier and exercise to address health issues, but now it’s “take this pill.”

“I don’t think that’s how you prioritize someone’s health, just by having them take a drug for a condition,” he said. “I think that’s just masking their condition.”

As a way to address kids’ health, Tam said he would consider taking a look at the food available to students in their school’s cafeteria.

Studying physical education with an athletic training concentration at Bridgewater State University in 1997, Tam has taken nutrition classes, sports medicine classes and exercise physiology classes, which he said would help him reevaluate kids’ diets and how active they are.

Tam would also like to ensure that there’s transparency so people have the “overall picture” and can make informed decisions about their own health.

“I think all the information found should be disclosed so that the patient can make that informed decision with their doctors,” he said. “Nothing should be forced on anybody.”

Tam would also like to make sure the town has healthy drinking water and that businesses are up to code.

When Tam was 8 or 9 years old, his parents opened a Chinese restaurant where he worked at through college and learned “every aspect of the business” and the criteria restaurants needed to meet to be up to code.

“When it comes to food prep, sanitation, all those things I’m well-versed in,” he said.

Tam’s first dip into local politics came in 2022 when he held signs in support of former Bristol County Sheriff Tom Hodgson’s reelection.

Hodgson, who was the Massachusetts campaign chairman for President Donald Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign, later asked Tam if he would like to be a part of the campaign, which Tam said yes to.

“I felt as though that was my way of actually really getting involved,” Tam said.

From December 2023 until the election in November, Tam was “heavily involved” with the campaign, specifically performing operation tasks and organizing grassroots movements, he said.

“In a sense I’m taking this step to lead by example,” Tam said. “We need to run for office in order for things to change. If you don’t like how things are, you need to run for office.”

Tam thought about moving out of Dartmouth about three years but decided against it because of his families and friends in the area and the fact that his kids “definitely didn’t want to go.”

“I said, ‘You know what? If I can’t move away and be happier, I might as well try and get involved,” he said.

He added, “That’s what I pretty much want to do — I just want to see things get better.”