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This is one of the best parts of my job. I support residents in resolving issues, such as:

* Resolving questions about a municipal tax bill

* Updating Library policies to better suit families’ needs

* Adding benches to the local pool to improve accessibility for all

* Following up to ensure that the MBTA fixed streetlights and that National Grid replaced a sidewalk panel

I encourage Ward 5 to get involved in Melrose events such as Home for the Holidays, Farmers Markets, and Porchfest.

I am also interested in hosting more Ward 5 specific events. I co-sponsored a hike called “Melrose Meanderers” with the Friends of the Fells and everyone had a great time.

Have an idea for an event? Reach out and let’s work together.

I want to add points of interest in Ward 5 to encourage walking and to add a bit of joy to those taking a walking or biking commute.

I’m excited to have partnered with 2 local artists to sponsor Melrose Creature Quest 2025. This will bring 2 sculptures into Ward 5 for people to search for and enjoy.

I want to support and promote our local businesses. Wart 5 has storefronts on the south side of West Wyoming, scattered along south Main, clustered near Oak Grove, and embedded in Radio Factory and The Washingtons. Please message me if you’d like to work together to bring more attention to these businesses.

In my time on the Council, I have reviewed the budget in detail, and met with department heads and city staff to clarify my questions.

I work to put the data into context and communicate highlights clearly, including in my newsletter. I am available to answer more in-depth questions, and am always open to feedback and input from constituents.

I firmly believe that to provide services at the level that Melrose expects, Melrose needs to pass an override.

While no one likes to raise taxes, we are at the point where we are deferring maintenance, reacting to problems instead of preventing them proactively, and unable to hire people to write grants that bring millions of dollars into the city. We are burdening families with high activity fees and underfunding our schools relative to peer communities. We need an override to prevent further cuts and service reductions.

In November 2023, Melrose voters passed a debt exclusion, authorizing a spend of an estimated $130 million dollars on rebuilding Melrose’s 3 fire stations and 1 police station! The city council continues to have a role inthe process as this project moves through design, borrowing, and ultimately execution. This is an important project to manage and communicate about with Melrosians. I am proud to have pushed for more transparency in the early stages of this project. The city has followed through with much more information available on this webpage.

While I support an override, I understand that some residents will find any additional payments quite challenging. It is important to me to mitigate that whenever possible. With that in mind, and alongside the new Trash and Recycling contract and fee increases in 2025, I proposed ordinance updates to improve our Trash and Recycling Discount program. The end result was that we:

* Extended the 50% fee discount to all residents of Melrose, not only senior citizens. It now applies to anyone who owns and occupies a single-family home or condominium with an income of $65,870 or less for a single person or $75,280 or less for married couples.

* Increased the 100% fee discount income thresholds by $20k+ in stages over the course of a year. Those with an income of $55,000 or less for a single person, $65,000 or less for married couples, who own and occupy a single-family home or condominium, are now eligible for a 100% discount.

While much of the Council’s work relates to oversight and input on ordinances and spending, we also have the ability to make resolutions to communicate our support or stance on an issue that is meaningful to the community. I am proud to have supported:

* A Resolution In Support of an Enduring Ceasefire in Gaza

* A Resolution recognizing and supporting the goals and ideals of National Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month which I authored and sponsored

* City of Melrose Resolution for Condemning Inhumane and Damaging Actions by U.S Immigration and Customs Enforcement against Immigrants, which I co-sponsored

I will listen so that I can be a better advocate for marginalized voices and work towards our shared goal of a community where all feel safe and welcomed.

I want to support groups who have been historically discriminated against in gaining equal opportunities for homeownership. This is a priority that many city residents share; in Melrose’s Housing Production Plan, a majority of participants chose increased racial and ethnic integration as a top priority.

I want to increase diversity among our educators and among public employees at city hall.

When streets are going well, we don’t notice them! No potholes, no roadwork needed, and smooth sidewalks. This is one important goal.

When streets are going really well, we notice how pleasant they are. We notice the beautiful trees and flowers, and we notice the fact that they’re slow enough that we feel safe walking or biking on or across them with kids. This is what we aspire to.

I want to address speeding, road quality (potholes), traffic congestion, walkability, bike-ability, stroller-ability, and general accessability. And also add a little extra in beautification and points of interest on local walks.

I want to help our community access programs that help them with homeownership and home improvement.

Our Ward has many hopeful first-time homebuyers, new homeowners making improvements to address energy efficiency, lead paint, and accessibility, and longtime residents facing rising property taxes and accessibility issues as their mobility needs change. There are programs that can help with all of these and I want to ensure access to and benefit from the programs.

I also recognize the importance of supporting our many renters in maintaining stable housing, safe from unexpected or unaffordable increases in rent. We need to support our neighbors in all forms of housing, and provide a variety of options for a variety of life stages.

It is hard to be a parent of young children. Daycare waitlists are long, information is scattered, and childcare is expensive. When kids get sick in childcare, there’s a scramble to make a backup plan. Even school-aged children often need care after school and when parents would like to have a well-deserved night out. I want to support local families and childcare professionals in connecting with each other and connecting with support to fund and improve their programs.

Our community’s children and teachers deserve Melrose’s support, and our community deserves to know that their tax dollars are being spent wisely. Our schools need to be welcoming to all, engaging, and a safe place to learn. We should proactively plan for a growing student population and secure funding to update our buildings and staff them with highly qualified, diverse teachers.

Much of our housing in Melrose and Ward 5 is historic, and with that comes the risk of lead paint. I want to connect residents to clear information about the hazard and to programs that can assist with detecting and addressing Lead Paint in residences.

Indoor air quality is a topic that many became aware of due to Covid-19. Sadly, we’re now affected by wildfire smoke here in Massachusetts. There are things we can do to better monitor air quality inside and outside, and to filter out various hazards in the air. I want to address this in Melrose, in our community spaces and schools, and also also with interested homeowners.

Ward 5 is divided by the Commuter Rail, and I want to increase access to parks and businesses across the tracks.

One thing we that would address this is building a pedestrian bridge across the commuter rail tracks from Stone Place to Banks Place. This is an ambitious target, because of the funding and coordination with MBTA required, but would be a game changer for local business and residents.