Village 14 is inviting all candidates for mayor, city council or school committee to submit a single guest column between now and Aug 1.
The theme of my work and campaign is “making Newton a welcoming city”. Many feel as I do, that governmental progress now will only come from the state and local level; in that regard, allow me to tell you about some of my work of the last term.
I’m proud that I led the charge to create the Welcoming City ordinance, which requires adherence to 4th and 10th Amendments of our US constitution – providing due process for all Newtonians regardless of immigration status.
Other work highlights include:
- The Cabot School upgrade where I worked with neighbors and parents to promote a design and site plan that worked for everyone – neighbors, children and teachers alike. (I look forward to answering concerns about this work)
- I docketed and passed a drone ordinance to protect our privacy.
- I moved from the Land Use Committee to the Zoning and Planning Committee as the work began on Newton’s Zoning Reform.
- I Chaired the Real Property Reuse Committee, working on reusing an abandoned water tower site for affordable housing.
- I co-sponsored an item asking for municipal aggregation, which could save ratepayers on electric bills.
- I co-docketed and worked on the revised and recently passed Accessory Apartment ordinance which will help seniors and others remain in their homes and provide additional opportunities for renters.
- I continue to work on sustainable land use policies to enhance our village centers, preserve our neighborhoods, support diverse housing, and encourage economic growth.
I worked with Representative Khan advocating for accessible commuter rail stations in Newton. I supported continued rehab of public buildings to meet an environmentally sound standard and to repair our roads and sidewalks. I advocated for an economic plan to strengthen our commercial tax base and work on a new zoning code, which preserves our neighborhoods. I supported and worked on projects that create housing including affordable housing and options for seniors who want to live in a walkable village center. Of course I supported budget requests that preserve our excellent schools.
I bring a problem solving style to thorny issues looking for solutions that benefit the greatest good, working with the Police Chief to satisfy his point of view in the Welcoming City ordinance and with the Cabot School committees to satisfy competing interests (100 years is a long time to regret not seeking a stronger solution).
While both my fellow Councilors in the ward have monthly office hours – many know that I’m always accessible – my home phone is on the city’s website and I receive many requests for help and input every day of the week both from Ward 2 and all over the city.
In the next term I will:
- Support zoning that creates diverse housing options while preserving the character of our neighborhoods,
- Work for ordinances and budgets to create a sustainable environment,
- Encourage the mayor to continue to modernize our infrastructure,
- Create policies, ordinances, and support projects to broaden our tax base by becoming friendlier to bringing new business
- Encourage using smart city technology including the exploration of autonomous vehicle systems
- Urge DPW to continue its work to reduce waste and encourage recycling
- Sustain Newton as a wonderful place to live, work and go to school.
To learn more about me visit my website http://susanalbright.org, join me on facebook, https://www.facebook.com/susan.albright.7798 , on twitter @aldermansusan, or email me [email protected]. I’d be happy to explain my rational for any of my votes and receive feedback on my ideas. Let’s talk and work on things together. I love my work for Newton and I ask for your vote.
I appreciate all the hard work our elected officials invest in our city, I really do.. . I have never run for office and do not have their perspective. But, reading all of these columns by people running for office tripping all over each other trying to be the greenest or most welcoming is laughable. Other than the few councilors who decided to vote against the recent impeachment petition, and the couple mayoral candidates who may or may not be serious, what’s the difference? You could close your eyes and throw darts at the ballot and it wouldn’t matter one bit. For once it would be refreshing to hear someone running talk about the mine field Centre Street has become and plans to fix it so my car can survive a few more years. I have a feeling most people would be interested in that message. Heck, even add a couple new bike lanes to the improvement plan…
@Leopold: I couldn’t disagree more when you suggest that all our councilors are similar but I completely understand how you could reach that conclusion.
Our council is too large for citizens to absorb the genuine distinctions between council members.
But the solution is not throwing darts at a ballot, it’s a smaller city council.
I guessed you missed the part about fixing the roads and sidewalks – which both I and my colleague Jake mentioned. Not keen on the reality or the image of you or anyone throwing darts at the City Councilors.
I agree that our streets are horrific. But, I have seen in the past month some improvements going on by paving Beacon st and dedham st’s and I hear winchester st seems to have improvement. I do hope centre st is on the agenda. I don’t know how we got in this position (I have my theories) but we are where we are and it’s time we pay attention to this part of the infrastructure.
I’m truly happy to see any elected official cite the value of the 4th Amendment, which has been under assault nationwide since 9-11.
It’s recently been “reported” here on Village 14 that the City Council may consider a request by the Newton Police Department to install surveillance cameras at various intersections for the purpose of ticketing alleged traffic law violations. I’m curious how Councilor Albright feels about that?
I’m a big fan of Susan Albright. She has always remained active in the community, I see her all over the city. And although she has already accomplished so much, she always seems to have the next 5 goals lined up and in her sights.
Susan is the kind of councilor Newton can be proud of.
Ms. Albright, I guess you missed the part of my comment where I said “throw darts at the ballot” but I guess that was just you being snarky at the expense of reality. Though my comments were not personal and just a general observation regarding all candidates who have posted their information, I read your list of accomplishments and vision both above and highlighted in red on the main page of your website and pretty clear where your priorities lie. One has to dig pretty deep down the list to see your commitment to fixing the roads and other things probably most Newton residents are interested in a lot more than most of your priorities… But the other stuff plays a lot better here and in your usual circles. Best of luck.
Mike – I was one of the City Councilors who requested that the video surveillance cameras be sent back to the Public Safety Committee. At the time this item was discussed there was no policy on their operation – who had access, how long will tapes be kept etc. Subsequently, before the full Council was to meet, a policy was provided but it was incomplete and it had never been vetted by the Public Safety Committee. I’ve read the ACLU position on these cameras and they are generally not in favor – but if the cameras are in place there must be policies on their use. I look forward to the discussion on the policy in Committee and then I’ll decide how i will vote on the item.
Leopold – true enough I was snarky. I found your comment about the darts snarky so I responded in kind. Not my usual modus operandi but it felt right in that instance. I find your comment on “my usual circles” equally snarky.
About my vision – if you call scrolling down my home page digging deep, I don’t agree. The area in red on my website are my past accomplishments in the current term. What i want for the future – my vision is below that. I’m not keen on scrolling on web pages but frankly that’s the current style. Its “old fashioned” to have lots of separate Tabs at the top of the page.
So – for your reading pleasure I provide my vision for infrastructure from my web page. You will notice that the first item is repair the roads and sidewalks. I have been on the Pubic Facilities Committee since I joined the Council. The roads have continued to deteriorate but until the Mayor was willing to put funds into this – there is nothing I could do short of getting some equipment and doing the work myself.
Before you read my vision for infrastructure – I want to agree with Greg’s comment. There is a tremendous difference in Councilors but you have to pay a lot of attention in what we do to see it. That’s a lot of work for citizens. Most of the Council work is done in Committee – and that is not even visible because it is not televised. If you look at the items each of us dockets you will see where are interests are. I’ve docketed items that range from issues related to removing double poles to improving our zoning code for retaining walls. You wouldn’t know about this unless you really followed what the Council is doing. If you get your information from the TAB you are missing about 85% -90% of what the Council does.
And now – for my vision on infrastructure
Create and Maintain Sound Infrastructure
Maintain and repair roads and sidewalks
Continue to renovate and maintain city and school buildings
Insist on undergrounding our ugly wires at all major developments to enhance our environment
Continue our plans and implementation processes for water/sewer/storm water work
Create additional off-leash dog areas
Create a sustainable method for all-city composting to remove organic materials from the solid waste stream
I’m for all the items on this list, but I’ve become concerned lately that the renovation/rebuilding of the city elementary schools has fallen on the list of priorities. We’ve made good progress, but a number of schools are still in the queue and are in desperate need of attention. Franklin and Countryside are truly dreadful buildings in which to learn and work – the space is inadequate and unhealthy. Lincoln Eliot and Ward were built for a 20th-century education while we’re well into the 21st. By the time the worst buildings are rebuilt, Mason-Rice, Burr, and Pierce will be approaching 70 years old.
We let the renovation and rebuilding of our school facilities drop on the list of priorities at our peril. The nearby comparable communities have better facilities to offer top teaching candidates. If Newton wants to maintain its competitive edge, then we need to continue to invest in school facilities that provide for a 21st-century education.
We’re in the 21st century??
Jane – the city re-applied to MSBA for the “new” Lincoln Eliot – after being turned down the first time. I don’t believe we have heard anything yet to learn if they will accept that school for reimbursement. We are in the waiting phase but we haven’t stopped.
The roads ARE starting to improve
even in the neighborhood I live in –
Winchester, Dedham etc. There is
paving going on as i write this.
I have nothing personal against Susan
Albright, but as far as I’m concerned,
she’s part of the problem not solution.
Jane mentioned the elementary buildings, specifically Countryside,
which have been in the “deplorables”
category for many years. Some history and observations here:
I don’t ever remember Albright
in her time on the school committee ever specifically advocating for countryside or lifting a finger when the Avalon Bay building flooded countryside with its kids. There was a school committee/school facilities to do list years ago and countryside was at the TOP of that list and Albright knows that as she was on the school
Committee! I do however, remember Albright politically supporting her former collegue Waban alderman Christine Samuelson whose antipathy towards the school was appalling. Albright was out in front of the windsor club in Waban holding a Samuelson sign the night Samuelson debated bill brandel the
year he upset her in the ward 5 race. I wished her luck.
Countryside is in the condition it is in because of people like Albright and that is a fact. Doing nothing says plenty. Albright as Samuelson did, will likely blame the 40B laws for her taking a powder. The “temporary” modules that are at countryside have been there since Albright was on the school committee. That’s also a fact
Also, Jane, where have you been?
You have been in the school system for 30+ years & you obviously spend time over
here even though you have decamped for Waban. You are talking about this now??!!
Thanks are also in order to the “persistent”, “resistent” Newton
City Democratic committee.
Ward 8 representative Dan Clifford
who has lived one st over from countryside for years and is active every cycle in school committee elections
has spent his tenure playing politics and supporting PACS like Stand for children
but zero time advocating for the school
even though he’s well aware of what the situation is over there.
She/They persisted?? Please!!
Give me an airsickness bag
,
Additional note to Jane- Former
Newton Teachers Association
President Cheryl Turgel, who lives even closer to Countryside than Ward 8 Newton Democrat rep Dan Clifford does not only never advocated once for the children of countryside, she apparently never stood up for her teachers or colleagues that she represented that worked at the school either. This was at least 12-15 years ago. Turgel did however make sure to send letters to neighborhood school parents to encourage them to help the teachers during a contract negotiation. “A fair contract”…
I kept that one for the scrapbook.
Susan – The issue with the MSBA re L-E is, unfortunately, just the tip of the iceberg. The city needs to remain committed to rebuilding the schools and it’s going to take decades to complete all the school projects. If the replacement of these buildings becomes a lower priority when the political winds shift, then the school system will be in serious trouble.
Paul – Any and every city councilor and school committee member in recent history will tell you that I’m nothing short of a broken record with regard to my concerns about the condition of the elementary schools. I’m not sure where YOU’VE been! ;) I’ve posted here about the issue numerous times and spoken at the public comment segment of the SC. My thoughts about building overpriced schools without a funding plan, at the expense of the rest of the school system are – shall we say – well known.
We’re on the right track now, but I see the interest in these projects waning and that concerns me.
You should be concerned Jane.
In many ways the horse has left the barn. People like myself have kids that have graduated from the school system. With no skin in the game,
a neighborhood school that’s in the same condition as it was about 40-50 yrs ago, and elected representation that has been absent facilities wise,
I can’t imagine ever supporting any override requests. Fortunately, our property value isnt going anywhere
whether the local school is a trailer park or not.
Paul Green,
I get your point but you have the wrong Albright on the School Committee. Margaret Albright – School Committee
Susan Albright – Ward 2 Councilor-at-large
Except for the fiasco holding up the opening of Cabot School, I am quite happy that Susan is one of my ward representatives. I agree with her on most issues.
@Susan
The fact that “neighbors” are the constituency you list first among those interested in the Cabot School project, symbolizes perfectly what was wrong about the process. You enabled them to have an outsized voice and circumvent the established process for creating a plan.
Newtonville deserved a brand-new school, that was built according to schedule. Instead, we’re getting a renovated school– with a very good layout, but a compromised one– that is behind schedule.
Not good leadership, Susan.
I’m definitely not wrong Marti
Bowen.
Susan Albright was a school committee member AND chair of the school committee also. Glad you get my point, which is if you break it, you own it. As a public servant in Newton for close to
20 years, at least 8 of those on school
committee, and as a cheerleader for politicians that helped run the school into the ground or looked the other way, Susan Albright has a firm equity share and fingerprint stamp on the countryside school. Ironically,
Margaret Albright, Steve Siegel, and the much loathed Geoff Epstein( at least in the eyes of the village 14 editors) were the only school committee people that bothered to show any interest in the population and equity issues at schools like countryside and Lincoln Eliot
I’m not sure that the school parents who moved to Newton at a median price of 700,000 – one million dollars
per home for our “schools” and got stuck at substandard schools would agree with your assessment of Albright. More worrying about meat and potatoes local issues people really care about – money they are paying taxes for, and less worrying about be “welcoming” would be more appropriate,
@Paul-
Agreed. 100 percent. Cabot should have been built either before or right after Angier. Although squeaky wheels get the oil, the monied squeaky wheels always get the oil first.
Paul – Regarding Cabot: Most likely you don’t know that a historic school in Boston, applying for MSBA funds, was held up before the Massachusetts Historic Commission for over a year because they wanted to tear it down instead of reuse the building. No one wanted that to happen to the Cabot project. It was clearly in the best interest of all to preserve the building.
Perhaps you also don’t know that the old building is going to be totally gutted and will be brand new on the inside. Cabot will be a terrific school.
I too wanted Cabot to be the first on the list but it was explained by the School Committee that Angier was the oldest and in the worst shape and that additional space needed to be created at Zervas to accommodate growing enrollment before Cabot could be done. This was not a squeaky wheel situation. I had to agree this was good planning on the part of the School Committee.
So , now Countryside. Back in the day – Countryside and Cabot were in the same condition. Both overcrowded. Then Countryside had its brick totally repointed. Then finally, both got modulars, Countryside first and then Cabot. That took the pressure of the space problem for both schools. Countryside is a much newer school than Cabot. Later, perhaps you don’t remember there was a comprehensive study regarding which elementary schools had the most severe problems. The study showed it was Williams, Memorial Spaulding and Bowen. So over a period of time – those schools were upgraded. That was the end of any work on the elementary school because the focus then shifted to the high schools where the student enrollment was expanding. I won’t elaborate how that went as I think most will remember.
I left the School Committee at that point and I no longer had control over what happened to any school. I don’t necessarily agree with the decisions the School Committee is making on which school gets renovated in which order after the current batch. I have made my thoughts clear in meetings but – I don’t get to pick.
Finally – Equity was important to me while I was on the School Committee. It was important regarding normalizing access to funds for playgrounds and also for technology. The policies set in place in my day on the SC are, I believe, long gone. I find it odd that you are angry with me over offenses to Countryside as I had a particular fondness for that school. Cabot and Countryside were like twins in our exploding enrollment. Clearly you feel that Countryside has not been treated fairly. You need to take this beef up with the current School Committee.
As a community we are finally paying attention to the elementary schools. Back, even before i was on the school committee, I chaired a Parents Advisory Committee on Space. I’m quite sure, that if it were not for the work of that committee – the three “tier one schools” (I mentioned them above) would not have been attended to at all. It is time to upgrade all the elementary schools. I hope our community agrees and will support that effort.
Thank you for reaffirming your commitment to the elementary schools. I hope that includes rebuilding schools that long ago outlived their useful lives. This must remain a top priority.
@ Susan Albright-
I’m glad that you have made voters in this coming election aware that you don’t feel responsible for any of the problems that the school committees that you CHAIRED created, ignored or compounded. Instead they are the fault of the current school committee in whose lap you are trying to dump it in. Right? What’s the expression, buyer beware?
Talk about rewriting history and throwing the current group of school
committee members under the bus all in one throw. Im sure that will play nicely this coming fall.
Like I said before,other than Susie Heyman, the Susan Albright, Ann Larner era of the school committees
did little to make
change in the places it was it was sorely needed.
In addition, Space and equity issues were compounded not only by your work on the school committee “by that point I no longer had control over what happened at any school”.., but in a far more cynical and destructive way during your tenure as alderman.
Your class, and your class only was the one in power when the Avalon Bay project was built and not a single one of you – all education supporting Democrats – worked to mitigate the influx of children into the school.
By that point you were an alderman and had far greater ability to insist on addressing and mitigating these issues
but not a single one of you did, and you were the one who hadchaired the school committee. Absolutely pathetic or as Hillary would say, deplorable. I really do hope that voters continue the movement to flush out the group of too long in office, it wasn’t my responsibilty or fault councilors like yourself. Samuelson is gone, Marcia Johnson is gone and hopefully you will be gone soon also.
@Susan
Probably best if you don’t assume your constituents’ opinions are based on lack of knowledge.
Angier somehow didn’t have the same concern on historic– that got pushed through. FYI- MSBA rated Cabot lower than Angier. I know there are those that disagree, but they provided a neutral, expert driven assessment. Fully aware of the full gut job, along with the now former principal making clear that the layout was suboptimal relative to the new building layouts.
You ignored the point specific about your role, which was giving an outsized role to a group of neighbors solely focused on their views of the school. You enabled them to break the process, and helped contribute to a delay.
I would love to vote for someone who makes Newton more welcoming for LEGAL immigrants:
We want legal immigrants to continue to live in Newton by
– Maintaining and preserving the quality of Schools. Ensuring the schools do not become over-crowded over time
– good fiscal responsibility to manage property tax increases
– community centers for senior citizens
– keeping Newton residents safe. One crime category which is troublesome is ‘burglary’, Newton should have a zero tolerance, its not a victimless crime
– more support for small businesses, legal immigrants are key drivers of new businesses
@bugek-
At the end of the day there is a loud and clear message being sent from Albright, and frankly, most of these boomer politicians whether they are elected to local, state or federal office. It doesn’t matter whether they are Democrats or Republicans:
Elect me and give me power, but don’t hold me accountable for anything(unless it’s good)that happens on my watch or in the committees that I lead, even if i am in office for decades, because I’m not ever going to take responsibility for anything. It’s the other guys fault.
Now back to the critical Russian Collusion investigation….Any updates Marti Bowen?
Paul Green, my apologies. At that point in the discussion I thought you were talking about present day. Thanks for correcting me. You, Paul and bugek have brought up some interesting ideas concerning the issues.
Paul, I was going to make the same point about Angier being historic. Honestly, I think it was Humpty Dumpty. While a lovely symbol of Cabot, folks tend to rally about historic symbols easier than historic buildings. I also think if a historic building was going to be preserved, it made sense that it was Cabot. The bones are good, even if a new building for the site would have been optimal.
Once Angier was a tear down and went first, the optics of the situation and NHS and MHCs probably made it inevitable that Cabot was a historic rehab.
Even if I was fine with that, the delay due to Susan and Emily ignoring the PTO and the Cabot Community was unacceptable. And the revisionist history (as evidenced by the prior thread of Jake) and certain school committee members stating that it was always going to be a 2 year rehab is just pure bunk. We were at the meetings folks.
Not yet sure who I’ll be voting for in Ward 2. That is largely because I know nothing about the challenger.