Why do you want to serve on the City Council?
I love being a City Councilor! I have met so many wonderful people and I find helping people extremely rewarding. I also enjoy policy and learning about so many different aspects of how municipalities function. But most importantly, I feel like I represent the people who have elected me and I am working hard to achieve the goals I was elected to work on by the people of Watertown.
Tell voters about your background and qualifications for being a City Councilor.
I have always enjoyed policy and I have been involved in political and issue campaigns since I was 8 years old. I have worked to educate myself on policy issues since high school. But the last 8 years have been like going to grad school for municipalities. I feel I have gained the knowledge and experience to do this job well.
What would you like to see built on the municipal parking lots in Watertown Square that are proposed to be redeveloped as part of the Watertown Square Redevelopment?
I want to create a thriving community in Watertown Square. This means creating a square that has a balance of housing, open space, stores, and parking. I feel all people deserve a nice place to live that is near open space and has shopping and public transit nearby. My hope is that we can create a thriving community as well as successful retail in the Square.
The City has aggressive goals in the Climate and Energy Plan. How can the City help make their homes more energy efficient and the City as a whole more sustainable?
The first thing we can do is educate the public about what they can do to help reduce their emissions. We need to continue explaining the advantages of replacing gas appliances with electric heat pumps. We need to make it easier for residents to use alternatives to single occupancy vehicles as well as encourage all of our residents to participate in Watertown Electricity Choice which allows residents to choose several different options of green energy including all local green electricity sources. The most significant action the City Council can take will be to pass the BERDO (Building Emissions Reduction and Disclosure Ordinance) which will lay out a timeline for large buildings to decrease and eventually eliminate their emissions.
Watertown has an opportunity to completely renovate or rebuild Watertown Middle School and use the temporary school currently at Moxley Field. Would you like to see this happen and if so how would you like to see it financed?
I think everyone would like to replace the Middle School as soon as possible. The question is, can we afford it? After reviewing the finances, I don’t see a viable plan to build a new Middle School within our current budget. However, there is a lot we can do to renovate and improve the current building that will create a wonderful learning environment for our children. I am looking forward to hearing what our options are and exploring how we can create a wonderful environment by renovating our current middle school.
How can the City cut down the number of cars on the road, and make other modes of transportation more viable and attractive?
We need an improved, more accessible public transit system. We are lucky to have the buses we have but it is not enough. In order to ask people to give up their cars, we need easy access high speed rail. Which is why, every time I am introduced to a Department of Transportation employee I ask them to extend the Red Line to Watertown Square! This is a longterm vision, but I hope, eventually we can make this happen!
During your campaign, what was the biggest issue or concern for voters when you spoke to them about the City?
By far the most common concerns have been about road construction. Given the large project just completed on Common Street and the current reconstruction of Mt. Auburn, I understand the frustration residents are experiencing. While there is little I can do to fix it, I am always happy to listen to residents’ concerns and answer any questions I can about the projects.