My four-year term as a Keene City Councilor has gone by in a whirlwind and now I find myself up for re-election. I am hoping the good people of Ward 2 will see fit to send me back to a seat on the Council.
When you register with the City Clerk to run for local office, they give you a chance to provide a short summary to explain to the voters what you are all about. I used the opportunity to say a little about what I've done this past term and what I would like to do in the the next four years.
Here is an excerpt from what I wrote for that, with a few links I've added for reference:
I am proud of the work I have become known for as a Councilor. I’ve advocated for better sidewalks and bicycle infrastructure, for housing affordability, for environmental protection, and for efficient, effective, accessible, and inclusive city services.
As a Councilor, I introduced a new city ordinance that loosens the restrictions on building Accessory Dwelling Units (aka mother-in-law suites) in residential areas. The ordinance was passed unanimously by the Council and should help to provide some new housing options to people affected by our city’s ongoing housing shortage. I also fought to ensure that safe bicycle lanes will be included as part of the upcoming downtown infrastructure project, which will enable a greener and healthier future for transportation in Keene.
If re-elected as City Councilor, I will continue to work for the people of Keene, and especially for the people of Ward 2. In my next term, I plan to push for the re-establishment of a city street tree program, to ensure that our neighborhoods stay green as our existing trees reach the end of their natural lives.
I will also continue my work to make sure that the City makes effective use of money that has become available as a result of lawsuits against the pharmaceutical industry for their role in creating the opioid overdose crisis. If prudently spent, that money can save lives in our community.
I consider myself deeply fortunate to be able to serve the people of Ward 2 on the Keene City Council and I hope they decide to send me back.
I'm also excited about some of the new faces we are seeing in the City Council race, including Cora Elliot and Ashok Bahl, who are running for at-large seats, and Laura Tobin, who is running in Ward 4.
The primary is on October 3, and the general election is on November 7. Best of luck to all who are running.