I've lived in Winchester since 1985, and have seen a lot of improvements. If elected to Town Meeting I will support greater transparency in how our tax dollars are spent, and clear accountability of everyone on the town's payroll. 

Nine years ago I started a ukulele band in Winchester called Shukulele, and we have been playing fun music through the pandemic (see Random Acts of Music on the PorchFest site). We also play at the Winchester Farmers Market. See video below.

Best way to contact me? Email:  askshukong@gmail.com .

LWV Questions:

Please list your Community Activities:

Town Meeting Member Precinct 2, Vote01890, Winchester Cultural Council, WCC liaison to Winchester Cultural District, PorchFest Committee and Random Acts of Music, Community Advisor to Winchester Community Music School, Legacy Winchester, Letters Trellis, Town Common, Winchester Artists Network, Winchester News Group, Wilson Forum at the Jenks Center, Shukulele, Privacy Workshop, 

Questions to address in your candidate statement

What Winchester issues do you think are most important?

Better communication within town government and with voters, through the formation of a Winchester Town Meeting Members Association.

Tax growth should be examined from both growth due to need/ inflation and expense sides.  

Transparency of what is spent on what, and are we getting appropriate value?

Parking improvements are needed for both residents and businesses.

Of those important issues, which one do you feel most passionate about, and what is your position on that issue?

The Town Meeting Members Association is most important.

What does Winchester do well and what might be improved?

There are many excellent civic and service organizations, and the Chamber of Commerce has a great new visitwinchester.com website.  Civility could be improved, and of course parking. 

The Town Meeting Communications Study Committee has recommended that a written communications plan be prepared and a town communications manager be appointed by FY2025 (https://www.winchester.us/DocumentCenter/View/9219/Communications-Study-Commiteee_Final-Report_Recommendations). Do you support both recommendations, even if they would involve adding a new full-time position (salary and benefits) to the town budget? If not, what alternative ideas do you suggest?  

I’m not convinced that a paid full time position is the best initial solution: TownCommon.org and a group seeking to reinstate a working local newspaper, and using tools we already have, should be tried first. For example, there is supposed to be a school event and information channel via ParentSquare for people without students in the schools, but there has been no useful information published through that path.