What To Expect From Beverly's Newest City Councilors

BEVERLY, MA — While there were only two contested city council races in Beverly's municipal election Tuesday, voters seemed to signal they want a change. As a result, two women who had never held elected office before were able to defeat a city councilor and school committee member who measured their political experience in decades.

With her upset victory over Don Martin in Tuesday's election, Kathleen Feldman becomes the first woman to hold the Ward 5 seat on Beverly City Council. She also becomes the first person not named Don Martin to hold the seat in 11, two-year terms.

"This has been a very positive race all around, and while there is much bitterness in politics on the national level these days, on the local level, I’m constantly reminded that there is so much more that unites us than divides us," Feldman said. "When we focus on shared goals, there’s no limit to what we can accomplish for Beverly, and that is what I plan to do."

Feldman, 39, didn't spend any time in the campaign attacking Martin, but she did stress she and her supporters felt it was time for a change on city council. She's set ambitious goals of pushing for fiscal responsibility while also increasing the quality of Beverly schools. She was even bold enough to say she'd push for something Beverly officials have been talking about — and Beverly parents have been griping about — for years: the lack of a full-day kindergarten program in Beverly.

In Ward 3, the race was largely seen as Kris Silverstein's to lose after James Latter said he was not running for reelection. The first signs of trouble came in September's preliminary election, when Stacy Ames topped all candidates with 227 votes, while Silverstein finished second with 203 votes.

Still, Silverstein entered the race with 10 years on the Beverly School Committee and endorsements from Latter, Mayor Mike Cahill and City Council President Paul M. Guanci. Ames, 58, entered the race having never run for office, but focused her campaign on the need for affordable housing, less traffic and for making sure basic city services were provided.

Ames said she knew she was going to have to work hard to gain the trust of voters, so she knocked on every door in Ward 3 "more than once."

"For me, as a first-time candidate, the most important thing was to connect with voters. So that's how I spent my resources, especially my time," she said. "I spent time connecting with people where they lived and where they worked, and tried to understand the neighborhoods. I figured what was best for me was to figure out what was going on and how it affected their lives."

Both new councilors seem likely to challenge some of the big housing development projects that have become the norm in Beverly over the past decade. When asked about the controversial Depot II project, Feldman said the project should be "paused," as Beverly needs "more than just bedrooms." Martin, meanwhile, said the project has the potential to fall in line with "smart growth" principles that he supported.

Silverstein raised some concerns about Depot II but said it "may impose less impact on our infrastructure" because the developer had promised it would be "transit oriented." Ames, meanwhile, was more direct in her criticism of the project.

"Unfortunately Ward 3 residents watch their tax bills rise despite a wider tax base. We feel a tax burden along with increased local traffic. There is a rising fear that we will be unable to afford to live in Beverly," Ames said.