Candidate Profile: Nicole Morell, Medford City Council

MEDFORD, MA — Nicole Morell is one of five incumbent city councilors seeking re-election. There are 14 candidates vying for seven seats on the Medford City Council in the Nov. 2 municipal election, as well as contested races for mayor and school committee.

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

Morell is a first-term city councilor and communications specialist in the MIT Office of Sustainability.

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

Age (as of Election Day)

36

Position Sought

City Councilor

Party Affiliation

Democrat

Family

Husband Jeff, rescue dog Greta, and first baby on the way later this year

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

no

Education

University of Rhode Island, BA in journalism, Honors Program, graduated summa cum laude

Occupation

communications specialist, MIT Office of Sustainability

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office

current first term City Councilor

Campaign website

nicolemorell.com

Why are you seeking elective office?

I’m seeking a second term to continue to support the work of building a more sustainable, inclusive, and forward-focused Medford.

I’m committed to sustainability as it relates to climate change, but also as it relates to creating a Medford that works for all residents well into the future. I believe this can be accomplished by focusing on our infrastructure, both in making much needed repairs and improvements to our streets and sidewalks, but also preparing them for the increased flooding and heat events that come with climate change. I’m focused on creating streets that are people centric, allowing for people to walk, bike, and roll safely to our squares, supporting more vibrant and lively centers of commerce and community. I’m also running to support a more inclusive Medford where all voices can be heard and engaging in the city, through continued access to public meetings through Zoom as well as translation and accessibility services to ensure everyone stays informed and has the opportunity to engage in the city. Overall, I’m running for re-election to represent Medford’s residents—to respond to their needs and hopes for the city in all ways that I can.

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

Zoning. It’s the most powerful tool the City Council has, and it has been decades since the last comprehensive zoning update. The makeup of Medford, needs of residents, and the built environment have changed tremendously since the last comprehensive review and update, making it long overdue. Zoning is a device for cities to define who they are and who they want to be in the future. From future development and business, to climate change preparedness, to historical preservation and affordability, there is little that zoning does not touch or impact in a city.

The council has been working with a zoning consultant for the past year plus. We’ve had many fruitful meetings in the zoning recodification process, which is the precursor to a comprehensive zoning review and update. A recodification is essentially a clean-up for our zoning: addressing inconsistencies, contradictions, outdated references, and adding sections to zoning that are common but missing from our zoning.

If re-elected, I will make sure this process continues and advances to the comprehensive review and update stage, further engaging a zoning consulting firm to help guide the process. I will ensure that this process is designed for robust community input and engagement and will personally push for zoning changes that will prepare Medford for the future and support a sustainable, affordable, and welcoming community. My ideas to support this are zoning for transit-oriented development, affordable housing, accessibility, and green density as well as design standards for climate resilience and adaptation, multimodal development, and historic preservation, to name just a few ideas.

Some of these changes can be accomplished through overlays, where a smaller zoning area is applied for a specific outcome, like transit-oriented development or affordability. Others can be accomplished through design and performance standards in a district, like the amount of impervious surface allowed, guidance around clear cutting trees, or using native plants, or design standards that set policy around key characteristics of new development, as opposed to them being decided on a project by project basis as they are now.

As cities are consistently learning from the challenges and successes of others, I look forward to beginning this process and using the best available data and case studies to support a sustainable, multimodal, resilient, and affordable Medford through zoning.

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

I believe a diversity of experiences and skills make for an effective and representative legislative body. My mission as a city councilor is to clearly communicate, advocate, and fight for a Medford that works for all of us. Above all, I’m focused on supporting a Medford that is climate resilient, multimodal, vibrant, affordable, and inclusive.

I believe I have the unique skills to do this as I’ve spent my career in communications, with the last eight years at MIT. My job is to take complex subjects and issues and break them down so I can first understand them and share them out to a broad audience to engage them and help them make decisions, change behavior, or simply learn something new around topics like climate change and breakthrough technology and research.
This is a skill I bring to the city council. I work hard to break down complex issues, focus on where I can make an impact, and represent residents with my votes. I’m mission-based, straight forward, and direct on all issues. My biggest job as a councilor is constituent services, so I am always working hard to be responsive and support residents on the issues that are most important to them no matter how big or small.

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

In my role as a city councilor, I work hard to be responsive to new information and data as it comes forward, being agile to support the administration and Health Department’s public health efforts and keep the public informed. The pandemic is very much not over, nor are the unique needs that have resulted from it. Far too many residents are struggling with the cost of food and housing, along with many who have faced the loss of loved ones, work, and childcare during these times. I have been vocal in fully funding programs that can support Medford residents in need like emergency rental assistance and legal services as well as an eviction and foreclosure moratorium.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform.

Housing: Expand inclusionary zoning to make homeownership possible for more residents; allow for residential exemption so residents can continue to call Medford home

Sustainability and transportation: Sustainable zoning and resilient building standards to support a climate ready Medford; support safe streets for all through redesign, zoning, and people-centered development projects

Vibrant Squares and Green Space: Smart development and zoning improvements to support lively, pedestrian-friendly squares across the city; codify language to enhance our tree canopy and pervious surface to reduce impacts of heat islands, flooding, and increase curb appeal

Community: Continue to support a welcoming and accessible City Hall through translation services/interpreters, increased meeting access, and community outreach to ensure all voices are represented in city decisions

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

In my first term I was resolved, direct, and responsive, while fiercely advocating for residents. In the most challenging and surreal circumstances for a first term, I stayed focused on the issues that matter most to residents and worked to support them through an unprecedented time while also looking toward what we can do to better support the future of Medford.

The best advice ever shared with me was:

"Never sacrifice long term goals for short term rewards." via my dad

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

It's been an honor to represent you in my first term and I look forward to the opportunity to continue working for you.