Watertown News (https://www.watertownmanews.com/category/government/elections/page/64/)
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.
The following letter is District A Town Councilor Angeline Kounelis’ response to a Candidate Questionnaire sent to her by Robert Mannix, President of Watertown Fire Fighters Local 1347 (see the Fire Union Letter and Questionnaire below):
Dear Mr. Mannix:
Please be advised, on 03/19/15, Thomas A. McManus, Kevin MacDonald, Stephan Ciara and Watertown Fire Fighters, International Assoc. of Fire Fighters, Local 1347, the Plaintiffs, filed Civil Action No. 15-1551 in the County of Middlesex, Trial Court of Massachusetts, Superior Court Dept. The Defendants are the City of Watertown; Town Manager Michael J. Driscoll, and nine individually named City of Watertown Council, inclusive of myself. On the advise of my legal counsel, because of the aforenoted litigation, I am precluded from replying to the 08/03/15 Candidate’s Questionnaire.
Watertown’s Preliminary Election has been moved to Thursday, Sept. 17 so that it does not conflict with the Jewish high holiday of Rosh Hashanah. Originally, the preliminary election was to be held on Sept. 15, which is also the final day of the Jewish New Year celebration. Town Manager Michael Driscoll said that the town was contacted by the Secretary of the Commonwealth’s office warning town officials of the conflict.
The 2015 Watertown Town Election ballot has been finalized, and one name that has been on the ballot for many years will not be there this time.
Town Council Vice President Steve Corbett decided not to seek reelection this year after serving as a Councilor at large for a decade. “I feel like it is time. It has been quite a while – five terms, 10 years,” Corbett said. Corbett said he looks forward to spending more time with his family and friends. “I have done my time,” Corbett said.