Jim Bennett Running For Ward 3 City Councilor

The following was submitted by Jim Bennet. It was submitted before the change from alderman to city council.

My name is Jim Bennett and I am running for ward three alderman.

I grew up in the ward. I graduated from the fifth grade at Beebe School in 1989. The people of this neighborhood gave me my start in life, and now I would like to repay that debt. I am asking for your vote so that I can go to City Hall and advocate relentlessly and effectively for issues that will make ward three and Melrose a better place in which to live.

I am no stranger to community service. For seven years I have served on the city Historical Commission, for the past four years as chairman. I have served on the city’s Library Building Committee since 2016. I currently serve on the Leadership Team at First United Methodist Church, and teach Sunday School there to a wonderful group of kindergarten through fourth graders. I have striven to be an active, responsible member of this community since moving back here a few years ago.

While I was gone I earned two master’s degrees in history and worked as a teaching fellow, a university lecturer, and as a research fellow. I currently work as an educator at the USS Constitution Museum in Charlestown, teaching families and students about the story of our nation’s ship of state. In my vocational life, teaching and a love of learning have been my core values.

I am the son of Tom and Kay, and care for them deeply. My beloved aunt Pat recently moved to an assisted living facility here in Melrose. I am a proud uncle to ten nieces and nephews. Six of them received at least part of their education in the Melrose schools. My family has been deeply embedded in this community for forty years.

As those who know me will attest, I am a tireless advocate for causes that are dear to me, and will bring such passion to my work as alderman. That certainly includes the nuts-and-bolts issues of living in the ward, advocating for you when streetlights go out, snow is not removed, potholes are not filled, and all of the other hassles that can make or break the life of a particular street.

It also means advocating for issues that concern every street. In ward three, our biggest neighborhood issue will be the future reuse of the Beebe School. As Alderman, I will call for listening sessions and focus groups to discern the particular needs and desires of ward three families and neighbors, and ensure that the city heeds our neighborhood’s will when determining the best use for the school.

A ward alderman also helps the city to make a plethora of community-wide decisions.

They cannot all be enumerated in this space, but some of my guiding values include tax relief for seniors and disabled people on fixed incomes; environmental sustainability and conservation; smart development that builds more affordable homes without displacing small businesses or destroying our historic buildings or open spaces; strategic and wise deployment of our override funds; and mindfully building a community that is inclusive and tolerant.

To find out more about my campaign, please visit my campaign website at jimbennettformelrose.com, and do not hesitate to E-mail me at jimbennettformelrose@gmail.com.

I hope to meet many of you and hear your concerns as I go door to door in the coming weeks. Together, at this critical juncture in our city’s political history, we can build a better Melrose!