Meet Barnstable Town Council Candidate Paul Cusack

BARNSTABLE, MA — Local elections in Barnstable are less than a month away, and Patch is determined to help residents get to know their candidates for council and school committee.

Patch has sent candidate questionnaires to each of the candidates that will appear on the ballot in a contested race for each of those positions.

Paul Cusack is running for a seat on Barnstable's Town Council in Precinct 5. Find out why he's running this year in this Patch election profile.

Name

Paul Cusack

How old will you be as of Election Day?

51

Does your campaign have a website? If so, include the URL here.

https://www.electpaulcusack

What city or town do you live in?

Town of Barnstable

What office are you seeking?

Barnstable Town Council

If you are running in a district, you can specify the district here.

Barnstable Town Council Precinct 5

Please give us your party affiliation.

non partisan election but I am a Democrat

Education.

BA in Classical Languages,Georgetown University, MA in Public Administration, Columbia University

What is your occupation?

Highlights:
White House Aide, 4 years. 1996-2000.

Los Angeles Department of Water & Power. Renewable Energy Program 2001-2002.

Green Dot Public Schools: Expanded gang prevention and intervention programs from 2 to 10 throughout city of Los Angeles. 2008-2009

2nd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, US Army
Completed 4 combat deployments in Afghanistan. Executed more than 60 combat missions as a Team Leader. 2010-2015

Cotuit Oyster Company. Shell Fisherman 2018-2021

Barnstable Town Councilor for Precinct 5 elected September 2022 to complete a term created by a resignation. Now as an incumbent, I am running for a 4 year term.

Do you have a family? If so, please tell us about them.

Yes. I live and care for my aging parents. And I spend lots of time with my 2 sisters and 2 brothers, and 10 nieces and nephews. It is a very tight knit group!

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

None

Have you ever held a public office, whether appointive or elective?

I was a White House aide for 4 years from 1996-2000. I was a U.S. Army Ranger from 2010-2015

Now we'd like to ask a few questions about your reasons for running and your general views on politics and government. First, why are you seeking this office?

I am running for re-election to protect and serve the people of Barnstable's 5th Precinct. My campaign is dedicated to restoring some civility to the public sphere. Teamwork, collaboration and innovation will continue to be the calling card of my time on the Council. I will be transparent and aggressive in pursuing a direction that strengthens our values and character, while steadfastly maintaining my belief that our Villages' uniqueness is best expressed within the context of the Town of Barnstable as a whole.

Please complete this statement: The single most pressing issue facing my constituents is \_\_\_, and this is what I intend to do about it.

The single most pressing issue facing my constituents is the nexus of our dire need for housing and the realization that our historical development patterns have put enormous pressures on our natural ecosystems.
There is no "what I intend to do about it" answer. This takes a massive team effort. I have spent 10 months examining the team and what they are doing. I have found an incredibly focused staff willing to work hard.

Much of the town's work must be seen through the prism of the climate emergency. We have not yet fully accepted this. For instance, when pursuing town business, our staff needs to continue to expand the aperture. All projects should have a resiliency and renewable energy aspect - solar PV rooftops, heat pumps, EV charging stations. etc.
I will pursue the protection of open space and the identification of new sources of drinking water.
I will pursue getting a Green Community designation and the increased state funding that comes with adopting the stretch code.
I will pursue getting a handle on the PFAS situation.
I will press for adoption of best practices in landscaping to reverse nutrient loading and pesticide use and encourage the key work of pollinators and insects.
We need to expand the Transfer Stations food waste composting effort. We spend too much money and carbon shipping food waste out of town. These are just some of the proven practical things a town council CAN do that can and will show real results.

What are the major differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

I have served in the White House and fought in the mountains of Afghanistan. I have seen different kinds of combat from being a US Army Ranger to being a first responder at the Boston Marathon bombing to my work on gang intervention programs. And I know Osterville and surrounding villages intimately. Until recently, I worked the local waters for years as a shell fisherman in the Three Bays.
From high level service in government to lying on my belly in Cotuit Bay, from combat in Afghanistan, to helping kids in Watts avoid combat in their own neighborhoods, I bring a set of practical life skills and commitment to public service that differentiates me from my competition for this seat.

If you are challenging an incumbent, in what way has the current officeholder failed the community?

I am the incumbent.

What other issues do you intend to address during your campaign?

The campaign is almost over. I have been able to showcase improvements in and plans for street safety, sidewalk safety and recreational spaces since I have been in office. Our village has benefitted from having an an involved councilor for 10 months (me) who has learned how the Town system responds to our needs.

A major portion of the campaign has been seen through the prism of "Save Dowses Beach" issue. I have spent hundreds of hours talking with folks who are wrong on the science, wrong on the the economics, and wrong on potential outcomes of a possible cable landing under a big parking lot.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

I think I have given the answers to this in question 10 and elsewhere in this questionnaire.

What is the best advice anyone ever gave you?

If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.

Is there anything else you would like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

No