Town Meeting  (PleaseNote About This Statement): This Statement Is Based On My Statement To The Winchester League Of Women Voters

Questions to address in your candidate statement

What Winchester issues do you think are most important?

Responsible Development and Financial Responsibility: Winchester must be committed to modest, clear, tasteful, and reasonable development objectives; to help pay for our distinct educational construction costs, and potential enrollment increases. Carefully designed, environmentally responsible, increased density, can improve the town, and our financial position. An endowment-like Fund For Winchester, should be developed, welcoming private contributions, as investments in our future. 

The Master Plan: must be fully implemented; and regional shuttle transportation services, accessible to all, should be explored; and could be environment improving. 

School Policies: must move towards full, regular enrollment of Pre-School classes for all applicants; ending lottery processes. 

The Rule of Law: following the spirit of law, and transparency of government operations, must be a vital foundation of all levels of government in The United States; Federal, Commonwealth of Mass, and Town of Winchester. Strengthened communication, focused on by the Communications Committee of Town Meeting, must be encouraged; particularly with the weakening of traditional newspaper media, and scattering of social media platform information.

General Policies: Public Safety, including both Police, and Fire Department services, must be further strengthened, including suitable traffic enforcement, and pedestrian safety issues.

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

Responsible Development and Financial Responsibility, must be specific operational standards, the Town of Winchester is committed to carrying out, in its decisions, in its culture, and in its self, public education conversations. Thus, my emphasis on The Rule of Law, and strengthened communication mechanisms, across the town. 

What does Winchester do well and what might be improved?

Winchester Public Schools, are very good, but have often lacked the earliest rungs on the educational ladder. I was effectively the swing vote, on the Finance Committee, supporting a full, and complete, Kindergarten program. 

Likewise, I support a full, and complete, Pre-School program, for all families, wishing to have one. This means full regular enrollment of Pre-School classes for all applicants; ending the lottery process. 

Various Other Town Functions, are often handled well; but not in sufficient depth. A full systemic personnel review, should be conducted; giving particular attention to adding depth, in Planning; and an Economic Development Director, to help recruit more, and appropriate business community members.

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?  

Yes, generally, I appreciate the detailed, and hard work of the Communications Study Committee, and their recommendations should be carried out with care.