Brookline's Heather Hamilton Runs For Norfolk County Office

BROOKLINE, MA — Brookline Select Board member Heather Hamilton is running as an independent for a seat on the County Commission Nov. 3. If she wins the seat, she would be the first woman to hold the position in 16 years.

"It is critical that an experienced, conscientious public servant committed to transparency fill one of the two seats up for election in November," Hamilton said in a statement.

The three county commissioners control a $31.7 million budget —less than half of Brookline's budget — drawn partially from local property assessments with the rest coming from state funds.

Hamilton, who just won a second term in Town on the Select Board, and who has a full time job at civil engineering and environmental consulting firm, said she's confident she will be able to handle the added work of the commission, which meets less and handles a much smaller budget than Brookline Select Board.

The candidate said some of the county’s 28 cities and towns haven't been equally represented in previous years and her hope is to help relieve distressed municipal budgets across the county.

"I have always been passionate about sustainability and affordability. My time on the Brookline Select Board focused on making town government more fiscally responsible to ensure those that want to live in this community can afford to do so," Hamilton said.

Hamilton also said she plans push for more transparency with the meetings, which are only accessible via unrecorded conference calls that are not posted online.

Norfolk County has a median household income of $81,899 and is the wealthiest county in Massachusetts. As of the 2010 census, some 670,850 people lived in the county, which is one of the smallest in the state.

Dedham's Francis W. O’Brien announced earlier this year he would not seek reelection for the commission.

Democrats Dennis Guilfoyle of Dedham, Charles Ryan of Braintree, Joseph Shea (incumbent and former Quincy City Clerk) and Richard Staiti, of Canton, are also vying for seats. The top vote-getters in the Democratic primary Sept. 1 will advance to the November general election. Because Hamilton is running as an Independent she will also be on the general election ballot.

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