We have invited all candidates running for contested seats in the upcoming Newton election to submit a guest post to Village 14. The format and content of the post is entirely up to them.

City Council candidate Kathy Winters, who is running for the Ward 5 seat, has submitted the following post.

Like most candidates in competitive races, I have spent a great deal of time knocking on doors and talking to voters. But I have also spent time reaching out to another (nonvoting) constituency of Ward 5: the businesses that make up the village centers of Newton Highlands, Upper Falls, and Waban.

We all want vibrant village centers, and we all bemoan empty storefronts. How can we help our small businesses thrive in this difficult commercial environment? I don’t have all the answers, but I know the first step is to listen, so I did.  I connected with a wide swath of businesses and spoke to owners, employees, and customers. I also talked with Newton’s new Director of Economic Development Devra Bailin. Here are a few of the things I learned:

It’s tough out there. Lots of closed storefronts, especially in the Highlands along Lincoln Street. Rents are high, we shop online, and the competition along Needham St. and in Chestnut Hill has had an impact.

We don’t make it easy. A number of business owners/managers complained about the permitting process in Newton, especially if they were expanding or renovating. Our ordinances are out of date, requiring special permits for basic renovations. One business owner with extensive experience in other towns put it bluntly: “Newton does not earn high marks for opening a new business.”

Parking is a problem in the Highlands; to a lesser extent in Upper Falls. The most frequent complaint I heard from Highlands business owners/managers was that there is not enough parking for customers. Many businesses have their employees park on the street, shuffling their cars every couple hours. Some were happy with the new permit program allowing employees to park on surrounding neighborhood streets, some did not find it to be useful because their designated street is sometimes fully parked when they get there.

I didn’t hear many complaints about parking in Upper Falls, except at All Star Liquors. They have their own lot and report that it is constantly being parked up with the customers, clients and employees of surrounding businesses that lack sufficient on- or off-street parking.

Being near a school helps. The hit to local business is another reason to lament the closing of neighborhood schools. Waban businesses reported a downturn when Angier was under reconstruction, and an uptick when it reopened. Waban is also fortunate to have two preschool/day care centers and a preschool/music school in the village center, all of which bring customers.  The neighborhood schools of Upper Falls and Newton Highlands were long ago shuttered, and it shows in the commercial centers.

Speaking of schools, my favorite anecdote came from a gentleman who was enjoying his coffee outside of the Depot in Upper Falls. He told me when he was a schoolboy, there was a woman who ran a brownie bakery at what is now Bob’s Sub Shop, just down the hill from Emerson. She sold only brownies, and offered pan scraps to schoolchildren at a deep discount. He described the happiness of walking through her doors after a day at school. “Oh the smell of brownies…”

Hiring is challenging in this tight labor market; employees come from all over. Many owners/managers said hiring is one of their biggest challenges. Some employees live here in Newton, some live in nearby towns (Watertown, Waltham, JP), some live very far away. Most of them drive, few businesses reported any T/bus use by their employees.

Many business owners do not feel connected with local government. Quite a few owners were surprised and grateful to be asked about their businesses and how city government could better serve them. This may have been my biggest takeaway. If we want our small businesses to thrive, they need a voice in local government. If elected, I will keep the conversation going with the businesses of Ward 5.

Finally — our local businesses are critical to vibrant village life. I didn’t need to go door to door to come to this realization, but it certainly brought it home. We have so many wonderful restaurants, food markets, and shops (not to mention dog groomers and shoe repairmen). The owners and employees know many of their customers by name. They are constantly giving back to the community. Many are operating on the edge of profitability but keep at it because they love being part of their village. We are fortunate to have them, and we should keep looking for ways to help them survive.