Meet the 2022 Wellesley candidates for Select Board

The Town of Wellesley depends on the active participation of its citizens in governance of the Town. Wellesley has 11 Boards and Committees on the ballot at the Annual Town election each year in March. The 2022 election will be held on Tuesday, March 1.

There are two candidates running for one open three-year seat on the Select Board, which serves as the chief executive board of the Town, and as such, oversees all matters affecting the interest and welfare of the community. The five-member Board exercises the authority vested in the Town not specifically assigned by law to any other board or office.

The Select Board candidates are Odessa Sanchez and Lise Olney.

The Swellesley Report invited the candidates to answer a few questions about their priorities for the Town of Wellesley.

Candidate interviews appear in this post in the order in which their names appear on the ballot.

Odessa Sanchez, candidate for Wellesley Select Board

The Swellesley Report: Please introduce yourself to The Swellesley Report‘s readers.

Odessa Sanchez: Hello neighbors and friends. My name is Odessa Sanchez and I am running for the open seat on the Select Board.

I moved to Wellesley 13 years ago to raise my 3 children, Jayla, Isis, and Shiloh. My family has since grown to include my loving husband, Oscar and his children who share time between their home in Boston. Currently I’m a teacher at Saint John School in Wellesley,  and Head Coach of Cheerleading at SJS and Wellesley High. Living and working in town gives me an opportunity to speak to multiple people about town issues that impact them the most.

Last year I was elected to the Board of Wellesley Housing Authority as a Commissioner for 5 years. I’m proud to be selected to sit on several committees in town including the D.E.I. Taskforce,  Civil Discourse Conversations, Climate Action Plan Committee, St.Paul-St.John St Collaborative Pastoral Council,  Wellesley’s 1st International Women’s Day Committee, and vice president elect of the Barton Road Tenant Organization.

My personal initiatives include: Barton Road Community Fridge Project,  B.A.T.T.L.E Cheer Squad, Wellesley Cheer Squad Coalition,  Teen Financial Freedom Panel,  Real Deal D.E.I Summit on Real Estate, RDF Conversations with Housing Stakeholders, and Valentine’s for Veterans Project.

Since the last election, I haven’t slowed down my mission to make a difference in my community through building relationships and opening dialogues for change. I would like to continue to voice real concerns and tackle issues for people of all socioeconomic backgrounds and embrace our cultural differences and beliefs with respect and kindness. I am a keen listener and I’ve continued to work within my community to solve the issues that impact Wellesley the most.

TSR: If elected, what do you hope to accomplish in your 3-year tenure as a Select Board member?

Odessa Sanchez: My top priorities will be improvement of collaborative dialogue opportunities and areas for citizens to have freedom of thought without backlash or retaliation. As a citizen who fell victim of unfair personal attacks, and attempts to influence public opinion against me, I am even more aware of the power our legislative body in town is wielding. Our officials can safeguard our well-being, or not. As a member of the Select Board, I would feel moved to guard each citizen’s right to hold their own opinions and values. If I were a Select Board liaison to an organization I would feel obligated to ensure respect and kindness is first and foremost when dealing with or engaging the people of our town.

I am also very excited about researching ways to improve Wellesley’s mobility and transportation accessibility around town. I ride the MetroWest Catch Connect service to work every day, and if we add bike paths and additional public transport services, our community will be better off.

I would support the Board of Health and the small business community in doing what’s immediately necessary to return our community to a sense of normalcy using the data and providing the tools available to us.

I support realistic affordable housing options and I aim to make them accessible and spread out amongst Wellesley’s available spaces.  Keeping citizen input first in future development proposals will be key.

TSR: How do you think Wellesley’s inclusivity efforts are going, and what remains to be done?

Odessa Sanchez: I serve on the town’s D.E.I. Taskforce, and I am a role model in my field working as a Black Head Coach of a Varsity sport at WHS. I do the inclusion work every day, I am dedicated to opening dialogues to repair the racial injustices while highlighting the unifying qualities of this town. Diversifying our town’s government would be a start. Bringing groups together for the important conversations help us understand and relate to each other on a human level. This community is full of people who want to have a town that is open and welcoming to all, we need to give those people a voice and make unity the theme instead of division.

TSR: Is there anything else you’d like to say that the above questions did not cover?

Odessa Sanchez: I have been an experienced community advocate and volunteer since 2009. My presence and commitment is evident in the responses provided from this very community that I’ve grown to love serving. It is the people and the work that will always invigorate me, no matter the disparaging roadblocks. I humbly ask for your support and believe that we can change Wellesley for the benefit of all. Join the Spirit of Change and vote for Odessa Sanchez for Select Board on March 1st.

TSR: How should voters reach you if they want more information?

Odessa Sanchez: Please email me for more information or to answer any questions.

Website:  www.electodessasanchez.com
Email : odessa@electodessasanchez.com

Lise Olney, candidate for Select Board

The Swellesley Report: Please introduce yourself to The Swellesley Report‘s readers.

Lise Olney: I am a 29-year resident of Wellesley and I love this town. It has been an honor to serve as a Wellesley Select Board member for the past three years. My husband Tim Fulham grew up here and we raised our two daughters, Mary and Elizabeth, on Windsor Road. While bringing up our girls, I served on the board of our church, UU Wellesley Hills, and spent eight years on the board of Sustainable Wellesley. In 2014, I decided to run for the Natural Resources Commission to have a more direct impact and affect policy. I spent five years on the NRC, working to build consensus and public engagement on waste reduction, reducing pesticide use, and addressing gas leaks. That work led me to want to have an impact at the executive level and so I ran for the Select Board in 2019.

My three years on the Select Board have been fascinating, while also presenting unexpected challenges with the arrival of COVID-19. When the pandemic hit, it was truly inspiring to see how quickly our town staff and our board were able to adapt as we faced sudden financial uncertainty and difficult decisions about our COVID-19 response and recovery funds.

The pandemic has been tough for all of us. For me, it has put into high relief the values that have motivated me all my life: living with respect for each other and for our natural world. I’m proud that I’ve been able to make real progress in some key ways—including proposing the Select Board Resolution on Climate Change passed by 2020 Town Meeting; initiating and serving on the Town’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Task Force; and launching and coordinating the Wellesley Civil Discourse Initiative, which is aimed at building understanding and connection in our community, especially when we disagree.

I’m grateful for the opportunity to have a positive impact right here in my own community, and I look forward to continuing to work for the town and for all our residents for the next three years. And I ask for your vote on March 1.

TSR: If elected, what do you hope to accomplish in your 3-year tenure as a Select Board member?

Lise Olney: Looking ahead to the next three years, I know we can continue to build on our successes and meet the coming challenges together. My priorities for my second term will be:

• To support vibrant business districts invigorated by housing options that attract newcomers, workers, and downsizers
• To create a more welcoming community and promote civil discourse through small group dialogues that forge connection and increase understanding
• To develop equitable and sustainable strategies that build resilience as we work to mitigate and adapt to the effects of climate change here in Wellesley.

I believe we have a great opportunity right now to look holistically at our town assets and consider how they intersect with our goals for housing, the environment, and economic vibrancy of the town. For example, the Tailby/Railroad lots in Wellesley Square are located in the heart of our town and are currently used exclusively for parking. These properties are directly under Select Board authority and I believe it is time for the Board to reopen a public conversation about how best to use this land. Towns throughout the Commonwealth are reimagining their town centers to increase housing options and bring new life to commercial areas, while taking full advantage of public transportation hubs to reduce traffic. I believe that through a thoughtful and inclusive process, we can come up with effective solutions that will strengthen the town, enhance our town’s unique character, and help us build a future that is more economically and environmentally sustainable.

TSR: How do you think Wellesley’s inclusivity efforts are going, and what remains to be done?

Lise Olney: The work of becoming a more inclusive community is a long-term process, and in many ways, we are just getting started. To me, an inclusive community is one in which people feel included and connected. My heart breaks when I hear how we are falling short—the residents of color who feel disregarded by their neighbors, the Black students who feel unwelcome in the town, the Asian residents told to “go home,” the seniors who are isolated and disconnected. There are so many ways in which we can do better—and there is no one solution. Inclusivity needs to be part of all that we do.

When the controversy arose around Indigenous Peoples Day, I started searching for a way to bring members of the community together. I enlisted a team of volunteers and we formed the Wellesley Civil Discourse Initiative to give people a new way to come together to have open and inclusive conversations that are intended to strengthen relationships and build understanding. The initiative started with a training for 20 town staff and residents who learned to facilitate small group dialogues. We have just wrapped up a three-part dialogue series exploring the personal values and community values that shape how we talk to each other, with 47 participants from congregations and organizations throughout Wellesley. We plan to hold many future dialogues to provide a constructive environment for discussing tough issues affecting our community.

No one effort is an answer to the complex question of how we can make Wellesley a more welcoming and inclusive town. But we can start by restoring hope that we can care, talk, and work together, no matter what.

TSR: Is there anything else you’d like to say that the above questions did not cover?

Lise Olney: When I was first elected to the Select Board in 2019, I started holding office hours to give members of the public an opportunity to ask questions or comment on issues in town. Select Board members now rotate, holding office hours twice a month. My colleagues and I invite you to join us! Sign up for Town News & Announcements to hear about the next office hours (and so much more!).

TSR: How should voters reach you if they want more information?

Lise Olney: Learn more about our campaign at ElectLiseOlney.com. Like our Facebook page @LiseOlneyforWellesley.

Email: ElectLiseOlney@gmail.com.

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