Precinct: 4
Tell us a little about yourself. You can include your personal background, family, outside interests that are important to who you are as a person and a candidate.
* Lexington resident since 1994.
* Town Meeting Member, Precinct 4, 2001-2014, 2018-present.
* We have two children who both attended and graduated LPS K-12.
How has your past experience — whether in your professional life, elected office, or as a community leader — prepared you for a role in Town Meeting?
* Capital Expenditures Committee (CEC) Chair (2008-2014, 2017-present).
* I’ve been one of the loudest voices promoting a rebuild/renovation of LHS. I’m the CEC liaison to the LHS School Building Committee, which is overseeing the LHS project.
* I’m a strong advocate of the Town Manager’s LHS financing plan which will use the Capital Stabilization Fund to reduce taxpayer impact.
* I’ve voted for all conservation land acquisitions that Town Meeting has considered during my tenure.
* I am a strong voice in favor of codifying conservation status for the triangular plot across Worthen Rd from the LHS field house between Baskin Rd and the Lincoln Field Fitness Path (a/k/a “41 Worthen”) entrance and have helped my constituents “bang their shoe” on the table in support of this issue.
* Strong advocate for recreation, including continued use of artificial turf at Lincoln Field and any possible increase in field inventory.
* I have supported and voted for all operating overrides and debt exclusions since 1994.
* I put in the hours and do the preparation necessary for Town Meeting. Since 2018, I have 100% TM attendance with no abstention votes.
What is the most important issue in this election to you personally, and what ideas do you have about how to address this issue?
* Getting Lexington High School rebuilt or renovated.
* Continued increases in affordable housing stock on the SHI.
* Continued conservation land acquisitions whenever possible.
* Increase in usable recreation field inventory.
Generally opposing views are made known on Town Meeting floor and hence any collaboration is in the form of debate. There are numerous occasions where I went to the “mic” to represent my views and I have prevailed, often as Chair of the CEC. The purchase of 39 Highland Ave as Conservation Land (which was not universally supported by all of this year’s P4 TM Candidates) is one example.