Kerri is running to fill one of TWO open seats on the Northborough Planning Board. She currently serves as the board’s Chair.
Why do you want to serve in this position?
I’m running for re-election to the Planning Board because I love this job and our town. I don’t make money in real estate or development-related business. I do this because I want Northborough to be a place where people want to raise their families, start a business, or age in place and enjoy retirement.
Since 2018, I have taken the time to research issues, study impact, listen to residents of all ages, attend trainings on planning best practices, collaborate with regional planning experts, create bylaws that protect neighborhoods, and seek out funding for solutions.
If you’ve ever watched a Planning board meeting, you may notice my piles of paperwork, a dog-eared zoning bylaws book, and a sticky note system that is likely keeping Post-it in business.
That’s because I spend hours preparing for each application. This job may be a volunteer job, but I take it seriously, I do the research, I come prepared, and make the best decisions that I can make on behalf of the voters who elected me.
You can find my platform and priorities on the Committee to Re-elect Martinek and Ziton Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/ElectMartinekZitonNboroPB or the website: https://reelectmartinekziton.wordpress.com/
What special qualifications and experience will you bring to the office?
I’ve been a member of the Planning Board for the last three years and Chair for the last two. I’ve spent the previous 15 years as a member of various non-profit boards. I’m the delegate to our regional planning agency, Central Massachusetts Regional Planning Commission (CMRPC), and serve on CMRPC’s Executive Committee.
I also serve on a number of other local boards including as President of Friends of the Northborough Senior Center, member of Northborough Helping Hands, and former Vice President of the Northborough Education Foundation. This makes me accessible to residents of all ages.
What some may not realize is that the Planning Board’s role isn’t only to review applications. We are also ultimately responsible for the adoption of the Master Plan. I’ve had the unique opportunity to be a part of the Master Plan process while serving on the board over the last few years. I’ve read every word of the plan, all three community surveys, and am well prepared to support the implementation efforts.
In my profession, I develop strategic plans for small businesses and startups to grow their business. I think that is a critical qualification in this role – because we, as a town, are a business. We need a vision, we need a plan, and we need to be able to tell our story.
Describe ONE other activity or (sub)committee you’ve been involved with within the town. What has it meant to you and how did it shape and impact the town?
As mentioned, I’m the Planning Board delegate to our regional planning agency, Central Massachusetts Regional Planning Commission (CMRPC). This connection has been invaluable in many ways.
First, the connection to the region. Many other towns face similar issues, and we can accelerate progress by either working directly together or learning from each other. This connection also includes access to regional planning experts. In February, we invited CMRPC’s transportation experts to present on traffic trends and solutions to help us to deal our traffic issues and best balance economic development with impact. Previously we were able to get help from CMPRC with the solar bylaw and hazardous waste bylaw voted on in 2020.
Next, is the connection to grant opportunities. I’m able to see what kind of grants are out there, which projects and towns are winning them, and work them into our own planning. During the Master Plan process, I was able to recommend grants for a downtown development plan, economic develop plan, and senior housing plan. Recently we pursued and obtained two grants in coordination with CMRPC to help to kickstart solving our traffic issues.
Finally, the connection to training. Continuous education is important as knowledge can get stale over time. I’ve had the opportunity to continuously learn from professionals on topics such as community planning, housing, transportation, economic development, and bring that back to the board.
Describe THREE key issues/challenges facing the town and how will you address them in this role?
- Balancing growth (where the failure to do so is the root cause of traffic). Overdevelopment was one of the biggest concerns from residents in the Master Plan surveys. Growth doesn’t have to be at the cost of our environmental, health, and safety protections. Over the last few years, the board has increased our level of scrutiny to carefully evaluate true impact on neighborhoods, environment, traffic, and safety. Projects must adhere to bylaws, and the benefits must outweigh the negative impacts. I also bring the continuation of creating bylaws that protect neighborhoods that have been hit hard, such as areas abutting industrial districts where fast growth is creating tremendous consequence.
- Putting the community back in community planning. “Residents have expertise and expertise has value.” I see many instances where residents want to get involved and are not taken seriously as legitimate stakeholders. Seniors make up at least 25% of the population in Northborough. They’ve voiced a #1 concern of not having affordable housing options in town. Yet there was not a dedicated seat for a senior representative on the Master Plan Steering Committee, where the conversation about recommendations for housing were happening. Same for adults with disabilities. Residents are offering to write grants, participate in traffic and safety efforts, and step up as fresh voices on boards and committees. In my role, I continue to advocate for resident involvement and empowerment for people of all ages, races, and abilities. The community needs to be a part of the solution!
- A strategy for our downtown revitalization and economic development. We’ve been circling around this issue for many years. It’s time to develop a downtown revitalization strategy, support it with an Economic Development Committee that consists of businesses and other stakeholders, and let’s start catching up to what other towns are already doing. There are grants for this, we can apply for them. If elected, I will continue to pursue this as I have done since the Master Plan process.
Is there anything else that you would like to share about yourself?
Regardless of which way this election goes, I hope that we can all go back to treating each other with care and respect. I expect to take a few hits as a candidate, it’s all part of the role, but it’s upsetting when I see people just trying to participate in the conversation get bullied, badgered, or even blocked from sharing their opinion. Some online forums have been so toxic and divisive, it’s made me wonder what’s gotten into us. The level of misinformation and hyperbole out there is a bit over the top for a local election. I hope that we can figure out a way to move forward and “disagree without being disagreeable.” We all live in this town, and we can do so much more working together to deliver better outcomes for everyone!