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 and I moved to Lexington in 1990 and raised three children in the Harrington School neighborhood. A lawyer by profession, I worked for 20 years at a major Boston law firm before setting up my own office here in Town in the early 2000’s. With more time to spend in the community, I have devoted a considerable amount of time to town affairs, serving in Town Meeting since 2002 and on various appointed town committees, most significantly the Appropriation Committee, which I chaired in 2017–2018 and of which I continue to be a member. I have been an advocate of conservation, helping to preserve the former Busa Farm (now LexFarm) and serving for nearly a decade as a member of the steering committee of the Friends of Arlington’s Great Meadows. As an aspiring French speaker, I have also been privileged to participate in the sister city relationship between Lexington and Antony, France as a host and a guest.
Why are you running for Town Meeting?
I am running for Town Meeting because service as a voting member of the town’s legislative body is integral to service on the Appropriation Committee, which advises Town Meeting on all financial matters. My principal goal as a Town Meeting and Appropriation Committee member is to continue and further the town’s reputation as a well-managed and financially solid community that optimizes the quality of its schools and town services within responsible fiscal constraints.
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?
Much of the work of Town Meeting involves legal matters: the interpretation of, and compliance with, federal and state law and regulations; the drafting and amendment of Town bylaws; and persuasive advocacy on matters of debate. I believe that my legal training and experience qualify me to make a particularly meaningful contribution in these areas both as an Appropriation Committee member and Town Meeting member.
Last year, I joined a small group of Town Meeting members deeply concerned about unexpectedly rapid development following Town Meeting’s approval of aggressive zoning amendments which had been proposed by the Planning Board to comply with the MBTA Communities Act. Through a citizens’ petition signed by more than 200 residents, we initiated a Special Town Meeting and warrant article seeking to roll back the zoning to more reasonable levels. The issue was vigorously contested in Planning Board meetings and public hearings that continued for weeks. After lengthy negotiations with the Planning Board, we were ultimately able to reach a compromise resolution that was overwhelmingly approved at the Special Town Meeting.