This surprising news comes from the David Kalis campaign….
Long-time Newton resident David Kalis has formally announced his candidacy for the at-large seat on the Board of Aldermen/City Council from Ward 8. Kalis initially announced he would not seek a 3rd term, but circumstances have changed.
“While I thought I couldn’t find the right balance between family, work, and my Board of Alderman responsibilities, I have made changes to my schedule, and can give all these important roles the attention they deserve. The decision to re-enter the race was made with my family, and we are confident and excited about this decision – I am as passionate as ever about serving the City. The tipping point was the encouragement I received from colleagues in every Ward, and our many friends in the Newton community.”
Kalis grew up in Newton and brings a unique combination of business and community experience, leadership, and listening skills to the role of Alderman. As a business professional, David will continue to leverage his expertise in budget management, prioritization, and strategic planning. In his community he has made a difference as former Brotherhood President at Temple Beth-Avodah and initiator of fundraising efforts at Countryside school. As Kalis states, “Collaboration with City staff, residents, and businesses has been critical to achieving success as a Board member. We need seasoned and effective leaders who can address the significant challenges facing our City.”
David has specific goals in mind for his next term. “I have unfinished business I want to address on the Board. With the first phase of Zoning Reform almost complete, I want to focus on the second phase, simplifying our code and finding the balance between development and maintaining our historic character. I want to continue helping constituents with their concerns, improving our city’s infrastructure, investing in our educational programs, and promoting fiscal discipline across all programs and services.”
Kalis, age 46, attended Zervas, Charles E. Brown, and Newton South High School before graduating from Tufts University and the University of Chicago, Graduate School of Business. David and his wife Anne are the parents of two children in the Newton Public Schools: a son who is 11 and a daughter who is 9.
The Kalis campaign also released this video statement…
Great news!
David,
Good luck!!!
I hope this won’t discourage Frank Wolpe from continuing his campaign for this seat. We need more competitive contests in Newton and it will be fun to see a few Wolpe, Kalis and Rick Lipof debates.
I agree. The more candidates the merrier. Or something like that.
I’m pretty sure he’s staying in
That noise you just heard was my sigh of relief.
Hooray, David! I was truly sad to think you were leaving.
Excellent news! David, thanks for staying in the fray!
Wonderful!! Thank you, David.
David is a very dedicated and conscientious member of the Board of Aldermen, and we are lucky to have such individuals willing to put up with the slings and arrows, not to mention time and energy drain that serving on the Board entails. Not to discourage other folks from running, but we should all appreciate his willingness to do it again. Actually I look forward to hearing from him as to what on earth persuaded him to come back for another round of hassles.
Thanks to all for the nice welcome back.
HL – In deciding to run again, it wasn’t really a question of “why” for me, but instead, “how”. I really enjoy the role and find it intellectually stimulating and very satisfying. The ever-evolving nature of the work makes it interesting – and challenging – and being in a position to help people in our community is a gift. The collegiality of the Board – even when we disagree, is a draw and I find the community involvement/input/passion very motivating and energizing. Sure, like any job there are frustrations/hassles – but it’s far outweighed by the content and the people. Regarding the how, from a scheduling standpoint, I’ve shifting some aspects of my life around to be able to dedicate the time it requires. These changes are somewhat personal, but I’d be happy to discuss with anyone via phone or in person (just not online). My number is on the City website.
Thank goodness!