Candidate Profile: Brian DeLacey, Councillor At Large

MALDEN, MA — Brian DeLacey is one of six candidates vying for three city councillor at large seats in the Nov. 2 municipal election. The at-large race is Malden's only citywide election this year, but there are also elections for city council and school committee in certain wards.

Malden Patch asked candidates to answer questions about their campaigns and will be publishing candidate profiles this week.

DeLacey is self-employed as the co-founder of the Malden News Network. He previously worked for International Business Machines, Harvard Business School and in social work.

Are you running for office in Malden? Contact Alex Newman at alex.newman@patch.com for information on being featured in a candidate profile and submitting campaign announcements to Malden Patch.

Age (as of Election Day)

62

Position Sought

Councillor At Large

Party Affiliation

Democrat

Family

Brian is married to Lynn. Their three grown children all graduated from Malden High School.

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

No family members work in Malden city government

Education

Bachelor's Degree in Mathematics, MBA with a concentration in Finance and Quantitative Methods

Occupation

Self Employed. Past employers include International Business Machines, Harvard Business School, Retail Management Information Systems and Social Work. More than 20.

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office

Multiple elected and appointed positions held in Student Government

Campaign website

https://www.BrianDeLaceyForCit...

Why are you seeking elective office?

I care very much about the City of Malden. I am concerned about the future of the City of Malden. I would like to make a difference for the residents of Malden.

The three pillars of my campaign are simple:
> Democracy in Action (Getting stuff done))
> Integrity in Government (Doing it right)
> Working to Make Malden Better for All of Us (Acting fairly)

The single most pressing issue facing our (board, district, etc.) is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.

There is more than one pressing issue. It's fair to say there is at least one pressing issue facing each ward in the city, and those issues vary considerably by the area of the city.

One of the major issues which has faced all residents citywide in the past is a lack of transparency in public records. Additionally, there has been a lack of adherence to Open Meeting Law, which has often kept residents in the dark on key matters. I've worked actively and successfully to help the city improve it's standing on these pressing issues.

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

More than five years ago, I co-founded and have since grown Malden News Network. This is a media communications channel established to address and make transparent numerous issues around the city. This level of openness and communication transparency for the benefit of the general public is unparalleled by any other candidate seeking the role of Councillor At Large. I anticipate this openness will continue. I believe, if elected, I will be in a better position to help other members of the City Council be more open as well.

If you are a challenger, in what way has the current board or officeholder failed the community (or district or constituency)?

I published numerous stories on Malden News Network documenting - through research, source records, and interviews - some of the areas where the City Council can do better. My goal is to see improvement on the City Council and I pledge to play a positive role in that if elected.

How do you think local officials performed in responding to the coronavirus? What if anything would you have done differently?

The City Council performed poorly in the early stages of the Pandemic. This is well documented. The City Council failed to meet in an open meeting with the public for more than a month. Despite the Council's failure to meet in public, they continued extensive communications in private and via email without disclosing critical information to the public. This was a time when the public most needed the Council's leadership.

The City Council did not perform well in its early response to the Coronavirus. I recognize this was a challenging time for many people. My concerns about the City Council's poor performance during this pandemic time are well-known and well-documented.

What is the City Council's plan for responding to the next pandemic?

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform.

I have published critical issues defining my campaign platform online. I invite readers to reach out to me by email or phone with any questions. I welcome any readers to visit my campaign's website, mentioned earlier, or my Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/brian...

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

I participated in a Superintendent Search Committee and the Open Space and Recreation Plan Committee. I have taken initiatives leading to greatly improved adherence to Open Meeting Law and Public Records Law. In addition, actions I took in response to the City's removal of public shade trees during roadworks projects led to a new process for public hearings to engage neighbors and residents.

The best advice ever shared with me was:

Things work out. They always do. Life is good.

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

The interests and endorsement of YOU, the voters and the residents of Malden, is what matters most to my campaign. In traveling the streets around Malden, I realize there are different interests and needs in the city. However, we all share common concerns: getting stuff done, doing it right, and acting fairly for residents citywide.

We've done our best to give you a fair shot at making your independent voting assessment. Throughout my campaign, we made a conscious effort to remain independent. Our goal has been to represent just one constituency - YOU, the resident. I promise I will work with any candidate elected by the voters to get things done in a way that is in the City's best interests and YOUR best interests.