Newton Officials Share Their New Year Resolutions For The City

NEWTON, MA — January is a time when many are thinking about their goals for the year ahead. Often resolutions center on getting healthier or dialing back on the indulgence that monopolizes the winter holiday season. But this is also a season when we look into professional goals and task ourselves with accomplishing something meaningful related to work. Patch reached out to local officials to get a sense of what their top goal was when it came to Newton or what they wanted to accomplish in the Garden City this new year.

Many of them couldn't pick just one. Here's a look at what they had to say:

Alison Leary, Ward 1

My top priority is to vote a pass zoning reform before the end of 2020! I think this is the top priority due to all the development pressures we are experiencing, all the tear-downs and the very large SFH that are getting built. But it also allows tremendous opportunities for improving the built environment, mimicking nature, reducing impervious surfaces and the heat island effect and providing green-spaces and wildlife habitat. We also need to get rid of parking minimums and require parking maximums and require solar on larger buildings.

My next priority is to phase out all single use plastics; plates, cups, straws and require private haulers who do business must offer recycling pick up and not just trash pick up.

Emily Norton, Ward 2

Responsive constituent services; ensuring new developments benefit the public good and not just corporate profits; environmental sustainability.

Jake Auchincloss, Ward 2

To start addressing transportation comprehensively, from walkability to traffic to transit. (I'm the chair of the public safety & transportation committee.)

Susan Albright, Ward 2

1. To create significant improvement in the way the Council communicates with the citizens.

2. To use technology to help councilors do their work and allow citizens to have more access to information about our work.

Andrea Kelley, Ward 3

Civility and communication!

Bill Humphrey, Ward 5

I hope that in 2020 Newton will continue to speed up its action on climate change.

Deb Crossley, Ward 5

We have serious issues to address across so many interrelated issues, from the housing shortage to public transit reliability to climate change. But to move forward we must work together, build community understanding, be willing to compromise, reach consensus.

Brenda Noel, Ward 6

As an elected official we are on the clock to take bold action against climate change- this includes housing and transportation polices as well as taking a transformational approach to consumption habits and recycling. I will continue to listen and learn from my constituents- and listen to the kids...This is their future hanging in the balance.

Becky Grossman, Ward 7

My focus as we begin this term is on inclusiveness and respectful debate in our public discourse here in Newton. This will be key in my role as Finance chair, presiding over a committee made up of divergent points of view. I’m looking forward to working with my colleagues and Mayor Fuller’s administration to move forward on our priorities while ensuring the long-term health of Newton’s financial future.

David Fleishman, Superintendent of Newton Public Schools

I am excited to continue our focus on achieving equitable outcomes for all students. I believe we are well positioned to make real progress in addressing both the academic and social and emotional needs of our students.

Mayor Ruthanne Fuller

Maintaining the excellence of our Newton Public Schools is always on the top of the agenda. We’ll work to find the right location and design a new community center focused on seniors. We’ll improve our roads, sidewalks and bike lanes, and start construction on major road improvement along Washington Street in West Newton Square and Walnut Street in Newtonville. Construction will begin on a new home for our preschool. A redesign of our zoning ordinance will make sure neighborhoods are preserved and our villages and commercial corridors continue to thrive. I will also work hard to listen and encourage respectful, inclusive give and take.

Ruth Balser, State Representative for the 12th Middlesex District (Newton)
I will continue to work with the Massachusetts Department of Transportation to improve conditions for pedestrians along Route 9 and with the MBTA to improve conditions at the T stops, notably the Eliot Street station.
A top priority for this year will be to improve our public transit system overall, with a particular focus on improvements to the green line.
I will continue to work with the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation to protect and improve access to our public parks and open spaces, with particular attention to Crystal Lake, Hemlock Gorge, and the parkland near Quineboquin Road.
Related to my commitment to protecting our local parks, is my leadership in protecting parks state-wide as the lead House sponsor of the Public Lands Preservation Act.
Recognizing that Newton is a Welcoming City, I am hoping to extend that concept to the entire commonwealth, as the lead House sponsor for the Safe Communities Act, so that immigrants and refugees will feel welcome and safe in Massachusetts.
Aware that the opioid crisis, as well as mental health challenges generally, impacts all neighborhoods and families, I continue to advocate for improved access to addiction and mental health services.

Cindy Creem, State Senator for the 1st Middlesex and Norfolk district, which includes Newton

I am looking forward to a busy legislative session and will be advocating for legislative proposals to combat climate change and protect our environment, improve, expand and fund public transportation, and fully fund our commitments under the new education reform law. I also expect and hope that we will work to address the statewide shortage of affordable housing. I will also continue working to increase voter participation by enacting my Election Day registration legislation, and will be pushing to pass legislation to protect our personal privacy and civil liberties, such as my bill to “press pause” on the government’s use of facial recognition software. I will continue my efforts to reform our criminal justice system and will be supporting efforts to raise the age of juvenile court jurisdiction. Finally, local aid funding will remain a priority and I look forward to continuing my productive partnerships with all of the local officials in my district.

Kay Khan, State Representative for the 11th Middlesex District, Newton

My New Year’s Resolution as your State Representative will be to focus intently on the two leading constituent concerns in the 11th Middlesex District, which in 2019 was undoubtedly our environment and transportation system. I will continue to advocate for all legislation endorsed by Environment Massachusetts and Mass Power Forward because I believe that Massachusetts has a moral and ethical responsibility to defend our environment. I will work alongside Transit Matters to fight for Newton-based transportation issues, including more reliable, more frequent service and accessible stations in Auburndale, West Newton, and Newtonville. Looking ahead to Fiscal Year 2021, I will continue to work to secure funding for the eradication of nonnative vegetation from the Charles River, the lakes district that borders Newton and Waltham and the Newton link to the Charles River Greenway. I am so pleased with the many bills we have already passed this legislative session and know that we have more to accomplish. I wish all my constituents, health, happiness and civic responsibility during the year to come!

Patch reporter Jenna Fisher can be reached at Jenna.Fisher@patch.com or by calling 617-942-0474. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram (@ReporterJenna).