Melrose Candidate Profile: Matt Hartman For School Committee

MELROSE, MA — With the Melrose Municipal Election scheduled for Nov. 7, Patch is profiling the candidates.

Here, we learn more about Matt Hartman, who is running for the Melrose School Committee. Hartman is among four candidates running for three open seats. The field features incumbent Margaret Driscoll and challengers Hartman, David Trzepacz and Seamus Kelley.

Hartman is a lawyer and legislative professional who has worked in the Massachusetts State Senate as an attorney, advisor and staff leader.

Candidates were sent questionnaires and filled out the answers.

Name

Matthew (Matt) L. Hartman

How old will you be as of Election Day?

42

Campaign website

https://www.ElectMattHartman.c...

What city or town do you live in?

Melrose

What office are you seeking?

Melrose School Committee

Please give us your party affiliation

Democrat

Education

College and Law School

Occupation

Lawyer and legislative professional

Family

My wonderful wife and I share two amazing kids, a 6-year-old and an 8-year-old who attend the Roosevelt School in Melrose.

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

No.

Have you ever held a public office, whether appointive or elective?

Yes, multiple roles in the MA State Senate as an attorney, advisor, and staff leader. I have never run for or been elected to a public office.

Why are you seeking this office?

I've been involved in municipal improvement and local advocacy for many years but I have never run for office. I was deeply involved in the 2019 override even before my kids were in the schools. I fundamentally believe in the power of public education and its importance to all of our children — it's something we need to constantly improve and work to sustain as a community.

I want to bring my decade of experience working in public policy in the MA Senate, where I have worked extensively on education policy and education funding, to my community in Melrose. I will also bring 7 years of experience working with an executive director as a board member for a Somerville Head Start program.

I am prepared with knowledge of the role, invested in the outcomes, focused on hearing from the community, and ready to work hard to make the schools the best they can be. I decided to run this year because I feel prepared for the position and I see the need in Melrose for experienced leadership.

Please complete this statement: The single most pressing issue facing my constituents is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.

Our budget. We face an enormous gap in the current school year budget and we must ensure the additional funds are made available to address it.

We then need to define the future needs of the schools as clearly and directly as we can map out. We must identify the expected trajectory of our revenue and our expenses and make clear the expected needs of the schools.

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

It has been a pleasure to get to know the other candidates running for School Committee and they all bring great qualifications.

Through my work in public policy, I have extensive experience with school funding and the expectations of the state in how we run our schools. I have also spent my entire career in public policy communicating with the public about the results of debates, the laws we have made, and the budgets we have passed. My career has readied me for negotiating with many types of interests while focusing on goals and outcomes. And, my volunteer experience as a board member for the Somerville Head Start program throughout the pandemic has prepared me on how to work with a chief executive (as only one member of a body) to meet goals even during the most trying times.

If you are challenging an incumbent, in what way has the current officeholder failed the community?

While there is an incumbent in the race, there are also two open seats as people have stepped aside. I wouldn't say I am challenging anyone as much as I am working to bring my experience and skills to bear on the school committee in a time of need.

What other issues do you intend to address during your campaign?

• Addressing our budget gaps; identifying and explaining our needs; and developing solutions to meet them.
• Advocating for the creation of school building capital needs plans.
• Building up our educators and ensuring we have sufficient staff to do the challenging jobs we ask them to do.
• Advocating for effective strategic planning with identified goals and metrics, and for a permanent superintendent with the skills and experience to execute on those goals.

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

Passing a law is no easy task, it takes perseverance, dedication, and more than a serving of collaboration. For more than 10 years, I have done this work. From major transportation projects to passing legislation on pay equity, I've succeeded in bringing public ideas into reality. Each success came with many setbacks along the way, often with the bright spotlight of public scrutiny. The process requires the ability to reevaluate your plans, find new partners, and work to create new plans as the needs you are trying to address evolve. All of the skills I've gained through this experience would make me a successful member of the School Committee.

What is the best advice anyone ever gave you?

Build a coalition of diverse people and interests to succeed.

Is there anything else you would like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

I have truly appreciated the opportunity to meet so many people over the last few months and I hope I'll have the chance to meet many more as a member of the School Committee. Hearing from people about what they are facing, what they have enjoyed about our schools, and where they think we should be focusing our efforts is what government is all about. I hope you'll trust me with your vote on November 7!