Watertown News (https://www.watertownmanews.com/category/government/elections/page/64/)
The candidates on the ballot for the Preliminary Election will be at the District B Candidates Forum hosted by Watertown News. The event will be at the Watertown Free Public Library on Wednesday, Sept. 2 from 7-8:30 p.m. Also look for it on Watertown Cable. The event is open to the public, and people can submit their questions to the candidates. The four candidates will be on the ballot for the Sept.
This year’s town election is full of interesting races, and the perhaps the most interesting one is District B where four candidates are running for Town Council. With such a crowded field, the town must hold a Preliminary Election to narrow the field to two. The election will be held on Thursday, Sept. 17. Watertown News sent each candidate a questionnaire to find out more about why they are running and who they are.
Patricia van Dinter is running for District B Town Councilor. The Preliminary Election is on Thursday, Sept. 17. Why did you decide to run for District B Town Councilor, is there an issue that drew you in? I decided to run for District B Town Councilor because of all the sudden development being done on this side of town.
Kevin MacDonald is running for District B Town Councilor. The preliminary election is on Thursday, Sept. 17. Why did you decide to run for District B Town Councilor, is there an issue that drew you in? To be honest, I did not have any intention of running for Town Council.
Lisa Feltner is a candidate for District B Town Councilor. The preliminary election is on Thursday, Sept. 17. Why did you decide to run for District B Town Councilor; is there an issue that drew you in? Concerned Citizens Group has provided a wonderful opportunity to learn about the concerns and hopes of District B residents, particularly in precincts 4 and 5 from which CCG draws its members. Even before the surge of new developments, I have focused on issues such as traffic, storm water management, curbs and sidewalks, trees, planting strips, and neighborhood preservation, block parties, garden competitions, and educational forums. My passion for community building has evolved into creating partnerships across the district.
Cecilia Lenk is running for reelection in the race for District B Town Councilor. The Preliminary Election is on Thursday, Sept. 17.
Why did you decide to run for District B Town Councilor, is there an issue that drew you in? I first decided to run for Town Councilor, because I thought that I could bring my work and life experience to give back to the community that my family and I love so much. Since first being elected to the Town Council, I’m proud of the work that I’ve done on a host of issues that matter deeply to me – increasing the budget for the Watertown public schools, making our community greener and more sustainable, and making government more efficient, effective, and transparent through the better use of technology and data.
Watertown’s two branch libraries have been vacant since closing in 2006. During the past decade, two separate re-use committees have struggled to find appropriate utilization for the decaying buildings. Any re-use of either branch library will require heavy reconstruction, and costs for proposed uses by outside groups have been estimated to exceed the return on investment. Some have indicated that selling one or both of these buildings is the only solution, while others point to the former Parker School as a reason to maintain ownership. Along with the former Police Station building, I believe that Watertown has the potential for an innovative approach to managing and revitalizing these vacant sites, which takes into account other challenges our local economy is already confronted with. For example, re-use should address job creation, the rise in out-of-district educational costs, and attempt to make health care costs more affordable.
Dear Mr. Mannix and Members of IAFF Local 1347:
Thank you for reaching out to the candidates in the upcoming town elections regarding their position on the outstanding Watertown Firefighters contract. I must respectfully decline to complete the enclosed questionnaire on this issue prepared by the Professional Firefighters of Massachusetts (PFFM) and the International Association of Firefighters (IAFF) given the lawsuit filed by IAFF Local 1347 on March 19, 2015 against the Town of Watertown in which I was named as a defendant. My record as a District B Councilor and life-long Democrat clearly indicates my support for the Town’s 12 unions and the collective bargaining process. During my tenure as District B Councilor, I have consistently supported policies and budgets that will provide salaries and benefits to all the Town’s union employees commensurate with those in our peer communities. I take extremely serious the Council’s role as the fiscal authority for Watertown; and in that role, I was one of 8 Councilors who voted against the non-binding arbitration decision on Dec.