Kristen is running to fill one of TWO open seats on the Board of Selectmen.
Why do you want to serve in this position?
I became involved in local town issues last summer because of the warehouse situation on Bartlett Street. That experience brought to my attention that the Board of Selectmen, in my opinion, could use a strong new voice. One that considers the many smart people who live in this town and write emails to town hall, one that communicates and engages with residents. The current board, with the exception of Julianne Hirsch, frequently misses opportunities to ask questions and have engaging discussions about town issues. People who call in feel intimidated to share their perspective. If elected, I would be interested in what people have to offer, share, and request.
What special qualifications and experience will you bring to the office?
First, I am trained as a speech language pathologist, and have worked with very anxious groups of people in IEP meetings to come to a solution that works for everyone. If you’ve ever been to an IEP meeting, you may agree that if that isn’t a good skill for one of five people collaborating to run a town government, I don’t know what is. I also bring creative problem solving skills. I’m a writer and a collaborator in the production of children’s books. Working with large groups of people on creative projects requires a certain attention to detail and knack for reading people as well as a certain creative perspective that no one on the board seems to have right now.
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?
I was the organizer behind the Save Bartlett initiative last fall. With my husband and many of our neighbors, we worked together to call attention to the Gutierrez Company’s proposed 150,000 square foot distribution center, which they want to squeeze onto the “0 Bartlett Street” parcel. They need special permits from the Planning Board which take into account groundwater, environmental protection, traffic and safety, and negative impacts to neighbors. We got several good minds together and plotted out how to make our case. We researched, we designed and put up lawn signs, we circulated a petition that got nearly 2,000 signatures, and we launched a website. We pointed out that the Stirrup Brook trail and Burroughs Loop trails as well as the brook itself are literally spitting distance from where the proposed building and parking lot would be. We wanted the people of Northborough, many of whom love those trails, to realize they would be affected. We wanted parents and students and teachers at Algonquin Regional High School to know their street would be inundated with dangerous truck traffic (now that Amazon has moved in this part is still, unfortunately, an issue. But we’re working on it!). The best part of the process was the support from residents. They really listened! They agreed that more giant developments on Bartlett is not what is best for our town right now. It started a groundswell of support with residents from all corners of town paying a lot more attention to the Board of Selectmen, the Planning Board, and the Zoning Board of Appeals. I am one of those people who has embraced my role as a participant in municipal government. Whether I am elected or not, I will remain involved.
Describe THREE key issues/challenges facing the town and how will you address them in this role?
- One of the key issues is getting the Board of Selectmen to appoint new members to some of the powerful committees in town. We have people on the finance committee, the ZBA, and other committees that have been in these roles for over 20 years. When new people apply—as long as they are qualified—they should get a turn to serve. People with mediocre qualifications who filled in when pickings were slim can move on to other endeavors, and strong, new, qualified candidates should have a voice in what happens in town.
- A new fire station is going to be built. It will cost a lot of money. People don’t want their taxes raised. We do not want families over-stressed in this trying time. We do not want our seniors financially squeezed out of town! Since we are a Green Community, there are grants from the state we are eligible for to fund an environmentally friendly heating and cooling system. Our fire station should not contribute to climate change—so would this help in offsetting carbon emissions of the building while also helping pay for the building, so residents don’t bear the burden? I think it’s a step in the right direction. Undoubtedly there are many steps to go.
- Northborough, like much of the world, is at a tipping point. What is the most important part of any town? The people. What do the people need to live? A healthy planet. Clean water. Forests. Cutting down healthy mature forests and building new, not-environmentally friendly warehouses is the wrong direction to go, on any street in town. If overdevelopment lowers property values, and Northborough becomes a “warehouse town,” everything will go downhill. Everyone loses … for so many reasons. Warehouses and their parking lots contribute to global warming with the hot asphalt parking lots and giant concrete buildings. And to build them, developers are cutting down our hundred-year-old trees! Mature trees and open space directly offset the warming of the planet. So not only do we need to keep the greenspace we have, but we need the developments we have to be greener. Require solar canopies on the parking lots, and solar panels on the building roofs. I realize some of this is the Planning Board’s role–unfortunately previous planning boards in Northborough did not have the foresight to require appropriate climate measures. If I am elected, I would push for the Board of Selectmen and the Planning Board to work closely together on these large, all-encompassing issues such as making our town an environmental leader. If there is a sense of urgency in my voice here, it is because this is an urgent matter.
Is there anything else that you would like to share about yourself?
You may have noticed from my answers I like to collaborate. It is how the world has to work, going forward. People full of optimism and positive energy can and will make sure Northborough remains a good place to work hard, raise a family, and retire. Everyone’s voice should be heard—go to town meeting on May 1, and don’t forget to vote on May 11. And no matter who wins, speak up and let the elected officials know what you think!