I had heard rumors but didn’t think they were true… until we went to dinner tonight at Dunn Gaherin’s and saw a lawn sign.
It looks like Fredrica Smith is running a write-in campaign for the Ward 5 City Council spot. I ran into her a few weeks ago and she was talking about her frustration about the city lacking any focus on the arts. She mentioned in passing that “maybe I should run for the council”, Apparently she has decided to do just that … and wow, I do love her lawn signs!!
From her “Fredrica Rocks it 2019” Facebook page:
In the past year, with my work on the Upper Falls Greenway, I became engaged in the Newton community in a deeply profound way.
The Newton City Council is the largest council in the state with 24 members. 24 members each with their own outlook and perspective. Among them are lawyers, administrators, architects …. but what’s missing? Artists.
What kind of city will we live in when artists have no voice, no seat at the table.
I’m running for City Council as a voice for art and the artist in the community.
We are not ants, we are human. Where is the art?
Frankly I don’t think Fredrica has much of a chance in this race but I’m delighted that she”s running. Win, lose, or draw Fredrica will almost certainly widen the discussion and I love that she’s raising the issue of where art fits in to the city’s priorities.
With Kathy WInters and Bill Humphrey on the ballot and Rena Getz and Fredrica Smith running write-in campaigns it looks like Ward 5 is the most contested seat in the city.
Considering how long Bill Humphrey and Kathy Winters have been campaigning — and that we’re just a couple weeks away from election day — this seems pretty, um, optimistic.
But I suppose, if Rena Getz has been allowed onto the upcoming Ward 5 debate stage, why not Smith too?
One of the best lawn signs ever!!!
I’m delighted there’s a candidate focused on the arts. I do believe it’s possible for a write-in candidate to win a Council seat in Newton, but not in this race.