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.
My wife Marieke and I have been living in Lexington since 2010; we raised two children in our public schools. I did my graduate study in quantitative economics and have 20+ years’ experience in consulting management for the private sector, as well as state and local government.
Why are you running for Town Meeting?
I have been serving Lexington seniors both on the Council on Aging and as a community volunteer. My primary goal is to ensure that Lexington adopts policies and services aimed at healthy aging for older residents, making Lexington a town that seniors desire and in which they can afford to age in place. I am running for Town Meeting to advocate for seniors’ interests on key issues, and I want to ensure the Council on Aging stays up to date on policy discussions and debates relevant to senior services in the town.
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?
Volunteering at Lexington’s Interfaith Food Pantry weekly since 2017, ensuring food security for neighbors in need.
Serving on Council on Aging since 2018 and currently co-chair. Successfully campaigned for the senior parking permit program and contributed to Lexington being designated as an age-friendly community by AARP.
Member of the Housing Partnership Board and COA liaison since 2021, advocating for affordable housing in Lexington.
Participated in the Residential Exemption Policy Study Committee in 2019, conducting a study on reducing the residential property tax burden to help residents stay in their homes.
What is the most important issue in this election to you personally, and what ideas do you have about how to address this issue?
Lexington needs affordable housing options for seniors wishing to downsize and age within the community, public employees who serve us daily, and younger generations eager to make Lexington their home. After the town passed Article 34 of the MBTA rezoning, we received applications from builders for over 1,000 multi-family units at an unexpectedly rapid pace, far exceeding the initial estimate. The town needs to assess and plan for adequate services, facilities, and infrastructure to support this housing growth. It is essential to ensure that Lexington seniors on fixed incomes and households already struggling with housing costs can remain in their homes. For these reasons, I support the citizen’s Article 2 for MBTA zoning.
We all take pride in and benefit from our excellent school system. Our high school students deserve a new school building that provides a safe, healthy, and productive learning environment. We must establish a rigorous and comprehensive budget review and control process to ensure we minimize property tax increases, preserving affordability for our community.