Thank you, 14th Villagers, for this wonderful opportunity.
Newton faces some tough choices—how will we encourage the kind of development we want? How can retail and commercial entities survive and thrive? What kinds of public spaces encourage community building? How do we retain our social and economic diversity in the face of a hot housing market?
Our infrastructure needs to be swiftly addressed and I will make this a priority. In talking with hundreds of neighbors, our streets have been a regular topic. It’s not just the (bad) surface conditions that need to be addressed, but we must repair the leaking pipes underneath. We also need to make our streets safer, addressing excessive speeds, drivers on their devices, and traffic.
My husband and I moved to Newton nearly 30 years ago, and for most of that time, I have volunteered through the PTOs, the League of Women Voters, Waban Area Council, and since 2010 as chair of the Transportation Advisory Group. My focus is improving quality of life for all—from infants to elders—via good schools and services, adding more options and diversity in housing and transportation, and working toward a cleaner, greener environment.
Listening, doing my homework and thinking through the long-term consequences of any decision are part of my approach.
About me:
Greg invited me to join the V14 blogerati around 2011, when I changed careers. I had been a community journalist, at first for the Brookline Citizen (where I became its last editor), and then as a regular contributor to the Boston Globe, several TABs, and publications like the Harvard Education Letter, and CommonWealth.
I covered meetings in Brookline, Newton, and Boston, and researched solutions to common challenges. I continue to read City Council’s weekly packets (and produce the Docket Digest).
Now, I am the executive director of the Wastewater Advisory Committee to the MWRA (which Paul Levy jokes is the #1 utility in the #2 business). Among other responsibilities, I organize meetings to discuss infrastructure, energy conservation and renewables, and budget processes.
I am looking forward to working hard on the Council, and in particular with Ward 5’s Deb Crossley, on creative solutions to some of Newton’s challenges. I know any progress will be a collaborative effort that needs to include all voices, and I want to hear yours.
So please visit my website—www.andreae4newton.org, email me, or call 617-329-1261. Thanks for your time and consideration. I ask for your vote for Ward 5 Councilor at Large on November 7.
