Lawns signs have started showing up across Ward 5 for the Sept.10 run off election between Bill Humphrey, Rena Getz* and Kathy Winters, who are running to fill the ward council seat currently held by Councilor John Rice, who chose not to seek reelection.
This is the only run off in Newton this year. Only registered voters in Ward 5 will be able to vote in this contest, which will narrow the field to two candidates for a second face-off on Nov. 5. But everyone can comment here! So share your thoughts, endorsements or other reflections in the comments section. (Also if you know of any candidate forums, please share.)
*I wasn’t able to find a campaign website for Rena Getz. If there’s one please let us know about it in the comments section.
While the Mayor and City Council were playing their own version of reefer madness, Bill Humphrey came on Village 14 and told them to “respect the vote.” Although I don’t agree with Bill on every issue, he understood the importance of cannabis reform and defended the democratic process when every member of the City Council got it completely wrong. We need more progressive thinking people like Bill Humphrey in our local government.
Whomever best represents to preservation of Upper Falls and other Villages and opposes their destruction by Big Development and their plans to expand density more than our infrastructure can support has my vote!
I don’t know much about Rena Getz but the fact that she doesn’t have a website in this day and age makes it hard for this Ward 5 resident to believe she’s taking this too seriously.
Heck, Jerry Reilly built this for the launch of my mayoral campaign on April 1, 2017 in about an hour (and I bet she doesn’t have as many endorsements as I did either).
I’m campaign treasurer for Rena Getz. This takes a particular kind of commitment and it reflects the personal trust I have in her candidacy and the esteem I hold her in personally. She’s motivated, issue oriented and totally upfront in everything she says and does. Rena’s anything but a bomb thrower, but she also isn’t afraid to speak truth to power when necessary. She knows the total ins and outs of city government and local politics from being a constant participant and leader in a full range of city council committee meetings, civic gatherings, and area council and other specific village events
Rena’s website will be up shortly. It seems late only because she deliberates carefully and meticulously on every issue and choice. it was in the last few weeks that she opted for the Ward 5 Council seat instead of contesting one of the two at-large seats from this ward. We knew she would be a strong presence and effective candidate whichever she selected although I personally think she made the right choice. Rena’s website will be up shortly and I think everyone will be impressed with it’s depth, precision, common sense and the clear way it discusses the major issues affecting Newton and this ward specifically.
Good to know Bob, thanks. Your endorsement says a lot. She’s lucky to have your support.
Of course I hope Rena and the other candidates will think of Village 14 as a good place to campaign as well. Voters in Ward 5 only have just over a month to make a choice. The more opportunities to engage the better.
Hi,
I would encourage all readers to go to the League of Women Voters
web site and submit questions to be used during the forums for all city Councilor and School Committee races, which start taping tonight at NewTV. Ward 5 up first, followed over the next couple of weeks with
subsequent Wards, and will then be broadcast on NewTV.
https://lwvnewton.org