The tense Wellesley election season didn’t really end on Tuesday, when voters went to the polls.

Yes, the results are final, including Craig Mack‘s victory over Neal Glick for a three-year seat on the School Committee by 500-plus votes.

But an email distributed a few days before the election by the Wellesley Democratic Town Committee to its mailing list (but that inevitably spread beyond that target audience as online things tend to do) angered Glick’s team. The letter, which urged residents to vote for Mack, cited Glick’s affiliation with the “right wing astroturf group” called Wellesley Concerned Parents, and described Glick’s “well-run, well-funded campaign” as having “capitalized on parental discontent over COVID restrictions and disruptions in learning.”

References to smearing and cyberbullying have been exchanged.

The Glick for School Committee Facebook page shared a message on Feb. 27 from Glick in which he criticized “a political group in Town” for circulating emails badmouthing him. “I have learned that the best way to deal with bullies—cyber or otherwise—is to stand up to them,” he wrote, vowing to fight bullying if he were to win the School Committee seat.

His letter also read in part: “I want you all to know that the group’s desperate attempt to smear me is a sign that our campaign is succeeding. I see that every day on the trail. After all, smear tactics are most often used when substance cannot be.” Glick emphasized that he is not politically affiliated, nor did his campaign receive “a penny from any organization, political or otherwise.”

Wellesley Democratic Town Committee co-chairs Susan Ryan and Katie Griffith issued a statement in which they said the group stays out of town elections as a general rule, and that the group’s email was consistent with this approach in that it was sent to those on its mailing list, not posted more widely in a newsletter or on its website.

“In this case, we decided to alert our members of our legitimate and deep concerns about the views espoused by Mr. Glick regarding Critical Race Theory (CRT) and Black Lives Matter, and the views expressed on the website of the group that he founded, ‘Wellesley Concerned Parents,” that among other things, calls for the ‘elimination’ of the (non-existent) CRT teaching at the Wellesley Public Schools. Mr. Glick himself stated in his letter of candidacy that he was the founder of this group. We also expressed concerns over his prior government service in the Town of Wellesley. These are the kinds of issues that are important for our members to consider when they go to the polls.

“The election is over, and we can understand the disappointment of Mr. Glick and his supporters. Certainly we have all had our share of electoral losses. But to engage now in this effort to smear our Town Committee and its members, rather than graciously congratulating the winner and moving on, is deeply unfortunate.”

Following the election, Glick in email to his supporters looked at positives to take away from the results.

“About that election… it seems that we lost, and the numbers clearly bear that out. But did we? The forces for positive change got 44% of the vote. We lost by a mere 500 votes, and about half of that came from one precinct. We took Precinct C and came within a handful of votes in a few others. In short, in a compressed campaign put together in less than two months, we demonstrated that there is a growing and powerful constituency in Wellesley for CHANGE IN WPS….”

Meanwhile, Mack joined the School Committee for his first meeting as a member on March 2, the day after the election. He shared a few initial thoughts about 90 seconds into the Wellesley Media recording of the meeting. “I’m hopeful about our future as we work together to make a more positive and equitable environment for our students and our community at large. I know there’s a lot to do, and I’m ready to get to work…,” he said.

We did reach out to Wellesley Town Clerk KC Kato, curious if her office, like our inbox and post comments, had been receiving complaints in the wake of the election.

“We do receive complaints about many different things,” she said.

Wellesley’s local election will take place on Tuesday, March 1, 2022.

The polls will be open for in-person voting 7am-8pm. Polling locations here.

Don’t know which precinct you’re in? Here’s how to find out where to vote in Wellesley, Massachusetts.

If you have any election/voting questions, please call the Town Clerk’s Office at (781) 431-1019 x 2252.

Town-wide candidates, in ballot order

Candidates’ Q & A posts

There are six contested races—Select Board; Library Trustees (3-year term); Library Trustees (1-year term); Natural Resources Commission; Planning Board; and School Committee.

All of the candidates running in contested races took the time to answer questions from The Swellesley Report. For your convenience, below is a round-up to the candidates’ Q&A posts.

Meet the 2022 candidates for Select Board—Odessa Sanchez and Lise Olney

Meet the 2022 candidates for Library Trustees (3-year term)—Ann Howley, Marla Robinson, Stephen Maire

Meet the 2022 candidates for Library Trustees (1-year term)—Linshi Li, Sharon Mintz

Meet the 2022 candidates for Natural Resources Commission—Lisa Collins, Raina McManus

Meet the 2022 candidates for Planning Board—Marc Charney, Catherine Johnson

Meet the 2022 candidates for School Committee—Neal Glick, Craig Mack

Town meeting candidates

Town Meeting is the legislative body for the Town of Wellesley. 240 voting town meeting members are elected by eight precincts in the Annual Town Election. Each precinct has 30 members elected to three-year staggered terms.

In the 2022 election, five of the eight precincts are contested races.

Here is a list of all Town Meeting candidates.

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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 3-year term on the School Committee. The five-member Committee is made up of local residents. The Committee’s responsibilities are to develop and manage school policies; support the allocation of resources by overseeing budget and facilities; hire and review the superintendent of schools; and advocate for the school district.

The School Committee candidates are Neal Glick and Craig Mack.

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

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

Neal Glick, candidate for School Committee

The Swellesley Report: Please introduce yourself to readers.

Neal Glick: My family moved to Wellesley over 16 years ago, in part for the terrific public schools. I am a father of four, with three kids who have attended Wellesley Public Schools (WPS). As the product of an excellent public school education which led me to a degree from Princeton, and a former teacher, I am a strong proponent of public education. My oldest son went through the entire system and graduated from the High School. My youngest is in elementary school at Sprague. I served as a member of the Planning Board and the Wetlands Committee. I am pro bono counsel to the Wellesley Land Conservation Trust. I coached Little League, love being a “Hockey Dad” and I participate in the PTO. My service as a Trustee of the Boston Architectural College taught me a great deal about what is in store for our kids after high school. I practice law in Town.

TSR: If elected, what do you hope to accomplish on the School Committee?

Neal Glick: Simply put, positive change. WPS needs a course correction. The metrics are clear. Enrollment has declined more than 18%. Parents are voting with their feet. Rankings are falling drastically, from a High School ranked #4 in the State in 2014 to 26 today, with the Middle School ranked even lower, indicating further decline ahead. MCAS scores are down, especially in the “Exceeds Expectations” category. The number of AP course offerings at the HS is constantly decreasing. Our peer communities are cleaning our clock. Our extraordinarily excellent teaching corps is being depleted and replaced with substitutes. Tutoring businesses are growing on Washington Street. This is not a hidden agenda. When asked recently about academic decline, the Principal of the Middle School stated that it was “unfair” to judge school quality on “academic performance.” We need to change that attitude to make academic performance Job 1.

Meanwhile, per the Advisory Committee, per pupil spending has gone up since 2016 over $5,000 to a proposed $21,250. But is this money going to our kids? No. While enrollment has declined by 18.3%, the number of WPS employees has increased by 51. And parents are being ignored. There is no transparency. When questions about curriculum are asked, the School Committee and Administration ignore the requests. Questions about politics in the schools or other legitimate topics are not responded to. As a Select Board Member recently told me, “talking to the School Committee is like talking to a brick wall.” Finally, the School Committee has recently garnered a great deal of negative publicity. The Committee and WPS officials recently had to admit violations of student civil rights and settle a lawsuit in federal court. The mishandling of a horrible assault on a student received regional press—all bad.

We can stick our heads in the sand and pretend that the status quo is great and these issues don’t exist. We can pretend that the priorities of ideology and academic theory are more important than academic rigor and critical thinking. Or, we can start to bring change. If elected, I will push for: a change in emphasis to achievement of academic excellence for all students, giving every kid in the system equal opportunity to reach their full potential; replacement of “Russian Math” with “Wellesley Math” in the public schools; academic freedom for all students and teachers, full diversity of thought and keeping our public schools free from political bias; ensuring that students are not divided into groups, but are unified in their mission to learn; transparency, respect and responsiveness for parents, opening up Committee meetings to the public, in person; eliminating the administrative bloat in WPS through vigorous oversight and work with Advisory; reigning in budget excesses so that funding is available for excellence in teaching and academic performance; creating a safe environment, physically and emotionally, for all students; and insisting on a full and frank assessment of the reasons for enrollment decline and outreach to parents to keep their families in the system.

TSR: As we go into our third calendar year of the pandemic, mental health issues are at the forefront of educators’ minds. How best can the system support students’ mental health?

Neal Glick: Like it or not, the reality is that we are entering onto the off-ramp of COVID restrictions in schools. One can argue about how the last two years have been handled, but what’s done is done. Looking to the future, we need to recognize that our kids have been through a lot. They have been exposed to fear. They have missed time in school. Learning has been interrupted. They have missed athletic competitions, rights of passage and many of the rituals or events that give memories for a lifetime in normal times. They have not been allowed to be just kids. Again, we need to change. We cannot just assume that kids will go back to normal and return to February, 2020. They will need support.

That support starts with parents. The School Committee has to reach out to parents to ensure that there is proper, scientific information available as well as encouragement for handling the effects of COVID restrictions at home. It also entails listening to the kids. Discussions need to occur, in schools and in the home. The input of our children is key.

We need to marshal our existing resources. We have extraordinary teachers. We have school psychologists and, as noted, we have engaged parents. We have a strong Board of Health. With proper planning, we can work together to help our kids through the transition back to the “old normal.” We can learn from other systems in other states and parts of the world who may have already taken the COVID off-ramp, and the published studies on those efforts. Much of this can be done in-house. If outside advice is necessary (and it may well be) then it needs to be viewed as a supplement and not a “go-to” response.

Finally, we need to make the COVID off-ramp a learning experience. We teach science in our schools. All of us, kids included, have lived over the past few years in one of the most significant scientific endeavors in our lifetime. Our kids can study this. They can think about options for handling the effects of the pandemic on them and others. This can be a healing effort as well as a terrific “teachable moment.” We might end up with some future virologists, epidemiologists and public health experts.

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

Neal Glick: In a word, community. Public schools are the backbone of our community. They are a source of community pride. The kids in the schools are best friends, teammates, bandmates and lifelong acquaintances. Out teams and athletic competitions bring us together. By virtue of the steep and continuing enrollment decline we are losing that sense of community, as neighbor kids drift off to private schools. Wellesley will lose a great deal if we allow this to continue. We need change and we need it quickly.

Similarly, if we allow the schools to decline academically, we will cease to be a magnet for young families looking for a wonderful town with excellent public schools. Academic excellence, ratings and metrics matter. If we do not change course, eventually our community will suffer. Our property values will suffer as well. Thus, everyone in Town has “skin in this game,” whether you have kids in the system or not. The change that we need will impact us all.

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

Neal Glick: Simple. NealforSC.com is our website and has a great deal of information. Nealforsc@gmail.com also allows for easy and direct email communication. You can find us on Facebook as well.

Craig Mack, candidate for School Committee

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

Craig Mack: My name is Craig Mack and I am honored to be a candidate for Wellesley’s School Committee. I am running because I have a desire to contribute to the town’s education system in a constructive and positive manner. For me, this work is both deeply important and deeply personal. I am the proud father of four strong, independent women. My oldest daughter graduated from Wellesley High School in 2020. My other daughters are in grades 12, 9, and 8 in the Wellesley Public Schools. This is the basis for my pride in the school system and my desire to be involved. Between my children’s education and my 28-year career in higher education, I have a unique perspective to contribute to the School Committee.

My family and I have lived in Wellesley for ten years and my wife is a lifelong Wellesley resident. I am originally from the great state of Ohio but I relocated to New England 28 years ago to work at Boston University. Since that time, I have worked at two other higher education institutions while advancing my professional career. I have worked in both student services and academic affairs where my focus is always about academic success and student well-being. My professional roles have always centered on the well-being and success of students.  I currently serve as the Associate Provost for Student Achievement & Success at the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences.

I have committed my life and my life’s work to education and student success. We can all agree we want the best for our schools and our children. My career has been focused on bringing people together. For the many issues that face the School Committee in the years to come, I am committed to carefully considering all perspectives of our community members to inform my recommendations and decisions. I would be proud to represent the interests of all members of our community. I am energized by this exciting opportunity and I would be honored to bring my passions, experiences, and commitments to this role.

TSR: If elected, what do you hope to accomplish during your tenure on the School Committee?

Craig Mack: I would like to recognize that this is a collaborative role, one that requires discussion, active listening, and partnership. While a candidate cannot make promises regarding policy outcomes, I can share my values and beliefs that will guide me in the role. First and foremost, I intend to keep the focus on academic excellence while developing the whole student. As we continue on the path to recovery from the pandemic, it is critically important to support students’ mental, emotional, and physical well-being. These are not mutually exclusive.

Other issues that will be a part of my work include:

• Creating a more effective line of communication between School Committee members, school administrators, parents, and students. The schools remain a top reason why people choose to live in Wellesley. Your voices and contributions are important to the growth and success of the schools.
• Creating more room for student input so that we can better understand their day-to-day experiences.
• Ensuring our students and graduates develop empathy and understanding for others by strengthening our passion for celebrating different backgrounds, experiences, and cultures.

TSR: As we go into our third calendar year of the pandemic, mental health issues are at the forefront of educators’ minds. How best can the school system support students’ mental health?

Craig Mack: Academic success and socio-emotional well-being go hand in hand. Our students cannot succeed academically if their social, emotional, and developmental needs are not being met. As we discuss every issue and consider all perspectives (community members, teachers and staff, parents, taxpayers, etc.), these discussions must always prioritize the needs of the students, whose education and well-being are entrusted to us.

We have yet to understand the full effect of the pandemic on our students and schools. Our school system needs to remain nimble and well equipped with the resources necessary to support the areas that most benefit students’ developmental needs and academic success. This is why student input is so crucial. We can only best support our students if we are actively engaged in listening to their experiences and needs. Let us tap into current resources such as school counselors, psychologists, social workers, and other experts who do this work with our students every day. Let us deploy Adjustment Counselors in all of the school buildings as part of our Pandemic Recovery Plan, and let us commit to keeping these roles as long as their support is needed by our students. While making use of the full potential of current resources and programs, we should expand upon these initiatives and make them core to our pandemic recovery. Let us collaborate with and listen to the students to find out what more we can be doing to best support them.

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

Craig Mack: The Wellesley Public Schools are a major contributor to our robust community where we have all chosen to live and raise our families. As we look to the future, the School Committee and School Administration will need to foster flexibility and creativity in the schools’ use of constrained resources among competing priorities including:

• Financial resources;
• Personnel, especially teachers and administrative staff;
• Physical resources, including buildings, capital equipment, electronic communications equipment, etc.; and,
• The inevitable variation in the size, composition, and needs of the student population.

The Wellesley Public Schools need someone to galvanize the resources to preserve and improve our schools. I am that candidate. I look forward to the opportunity to serve on the School Committee and contribute to Wellesley’s future and its success.

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

Craig Mack: I truly appreciate your time and the opportunity for you to get to know me better! Please visit my campaign website at www.craigmackforwps.com or contact us at craigmackforwps@gmail.com.

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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 3-year position on the Natural Resources Commission (NRC) Board.

It is the mission of the five-member NRC Board to provide stewardship of, education about, and advocacy for the Town of Wellesley’s parks, conservation, recreation and open space areas so the full value of the Town’s natural assets can be passed onto future generations.

The Natural Resources Commission candidates are Lisa Collins and Raina McManus.

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

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

Lisa Collins, candidate for Natural Resources Commission

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

Lisa Collins: I have dedicated myself to serving Wellesley’s kids and families to learn, live and play in our Town’s healthy environment. With leadership roles on many local nonprofit organizations—PTOs, WEF, Wellesley ABC, Wellesley Scholarship Foundation and Wellesley Service League—I have helped ensure funding for environmental science programs, led and trained a volunteer corps in science-based geology walks and I have been an advocate for our Green Schools initiatives district-wide. I have worked tirelessly to support the mental and physical development of our kids to live and thrive in a healthy and sustainable environment through both protection and recreational play.

TSR: If elected, what do you hope to accomplish in your tenure as an NRC board member?

Lisa Collins: My Protect, Plan, Play platform is grounded in the mission of the NRC to define our priorities and create a blueprint for action.

Protect: We must protect and preserve our biodiversity with science-based best practices. Our natural resources are a part of a complex ecosystem requiring laser focus to protect our natural habitats (park, pond and wetland) and watershed protection areas through both NRC action and policies. Prioritizing tree canopy growth, legacy trees, plants and wildlife are a vital part of the ongoing focus of NRC stewardship.

Plan: We must plan effectively to secure our natural resources for generations to come through fiscally sound short, mid-range and long-term planning. We must lead education and advocacy through climate change collaborations as part of the Municipality Vulnerability Preparedness Program, address gaps or updates in NRC policies, and detail open space maintenance and development projects.

Play: We must value the growing needs of our community’s mental and physical health. Define the use of our passive and active recreation spaces throughout Wellesley by taking an engaged leadership approach. Encourage and educate families to enjoy, access and responsibly use our recreation spaces, especially sports fields. Healthy families and healthy environments can and should coexist.

TSR: We haven’t heard much about the North 40 lately. What would you like to see the town do with that property?

Lisa Collins: The North 40 continues to be a vibrant space of trails, community gardens and a vernal pool as a passive recreation space. In any discussions of further development, the NRC will need to collaborate with many other boards and committees in the Town as we consider any additional development. For example, the Town’s Unified Plan includes a consideration for mixed use housing on a portion of the land. The NRC will play a vital role as a steward for our natural resources. I envision more passive and active recreational uses for this site, all centered on the land’s natural infrastructure and viability. To support the Town’s goal to enhance the economic vibrancy and stability of Central Street merchants the North 40 should become a destination for passive and active recreation which could include: walking and hiking trails, biking paths, active playing fields, a children’s playground, skating rink, and community and demonstration gardens.

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

Lisa Collins: I have deep experience from my work in the private, nonprofit and public sector collaborating, problem solving, using data, and stakeholder input to make sound decisions. How we work together matters. I  have the leadership experience and the know-how to get things done that the NRC needs today. We  need a clear plan and real transparency to reach all of our goals and honor the NRC mission to be true stewards of our natural resources for the Town of Wellesley. It is vital we come together with a unified and balanced approach to meet our collective goals and move our community forward.

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

Lisa Collins: I would be honored to represent you on the NRC and I ask for your vote! You can learn more about me and get in touch at www.lisacollinsfornrc.org

Raina McManus, candidate for Natural Resources Commission

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

Raina McManus: I’m Raina McManus, running for re-election to the NRC. I’m a 30-year resident, my husband Michael grew up in Wellesley, and our children, Hera and Tycho, attended Wellesley public schools.

I’ve served as an environmental leader in Wellesley for decades, beginning with installing an organic garden at Fiske Elementary School 30 years ago, co-founding Friends of Brookside to protect our drinking water, and for the last eight years as a Commissioner on the Natural Resources Commission.

In my eight years on the NRC I’ve learned what it takes to bring projects to completion by leading inclusive, transparent, and even-handed processes that get us to successful solutions. Some examples include:

• New public bathroom at Hunnewell Field, coming this spring!
• Renovation of two girls’ softball fields
• Plastic bag bylaw
• Wellesley’s organic pesticide policy
• Shoreline restoration of Morses Pond
• Renovation and expansion of Hunnewell Track and Field
• Restoration of Fuller Brook Park
• Lights and restoration of Hunnewell basketball court

The hot topic right now is the installation of lights on Hunnewell Track & Field. See my video. This is a controversial project that will benefit from my knowledge and experience, as well as listening to each other.

There are many stressors and demands constantly placed on Wellesley’s natural resources. I support nature-based solutions and balanced decision-making to protect them for future generations.

TSR: If elected, what do you hope to accomplish in your tenure as an NRC board member?

Raina McManus: Now more than ever we need to rely on knowledgeable and experienced officials as we face growing environmental challenges such as extreme heat, prolonged drought, more flooding, invasive species, environmental toxins, and development. In all these cases, our natural resources are our best defense.

We need to protect our open space and build a community that is resilient to climate change and committed to healthy living. That means protecting our wetlands and drinking water, planting more trees, reducing pesticides, creating sustainable landscapes, fostering healthy and biodiverse habitat for wildlife and important pollinators like birds and insects, protecting our ponds and shorelines, expanding our trails system, and reducing our greenhouse gas emissions. Nature is our best ally; when we protect our resources, we protect ourselves.

My priorities align with our Town’s Climate Action Plan, Unified Plan, Open Space and Recreation Plan, Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness program, and Town Meeting mandates. I have served on each of these planning committees and understand our goals and the action steps necessary to reach them. My experience serving on these committees, as well as on the Community Preservation Committee (CPC) and the 3R (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle) Working Group puts me in a unique position to contribute over the next three years.

TSR: We haven’t heard much about the North 40 lately. What would you like to see the town do with that property?

Raina McManus: I served on the Select Board-appointed North 40 Steering Committee, which recommended our Town purchase this important 46 acres of open space. While on the NRC, I’ve provided education about the importance of this mostly forested land.

In 2018 we co-hosted an event with the League of Women Voters, “Speaking for Our Trees”, with Dr. David Foster of the Harvard Forest and author of the publication Wildlands and Woodlands. He spoke about the extra value contiguous forests and open spaces provide, and we shared this information with other town leaders.

The North 40 provides countless educational and community building opportunities, including the vernal pool with its protective volunteer-built boardwalk, numerous trails maintained by our dedicated Trails Committee members who pivoted during COVID to provide self-guided walks, and the gardens, which provide free produce to Wellesley’s Food Pantry. We recently hosted an Owl Prowl.

The North 40 falls within the Town’s Water Supply Protection Overlay District. It cleans and replenishes our groundwater, buffers weather change, improves air quality, reduces sound, and provides wildlife habitat, as well as countless recreational opportunities such as gardening, hiking, cross country skiing, birdwatching. We know that towns with healthy, abundant open spaces enjoy increased property values, and residents living near open spaces are more apt to use them regularly for exercise, contributing to our physical and mental health.

The North 40 is an important part of Wellesley’s open space. I appreciate the opportunity to engage on this valuable asset, which is currently under the purview of the Select Board, and I look forward to staying in the conversation.

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

Raina McManus: On a personal note, I’m a native gardener, I participate in “Shave the Peak,” the food waste diversion program, and the “We Care” renewable energy program. I drive electric, and I’m a weekly participant at “Fridays For Future” on the Town Hall lawn.

I’m a proud member of the League of Women Voters Wellesley, Sustainable Wellesley, Wellesley Club, Wellesley Conservation Land Trust, Wellesley Green Collaborative, and Wellesley Green Schools.

It’s the mission of the NRC to pass along the full value of our natural assets to future generations. It’s an honor and privilege to serve Wellesley on this important board.  The Mission Matters! I ask for your vote on March 1.

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

Raina McManus: Learn more about my work:

RainaForNRC.org
Facebook.com/RainaForNRC
Instagram.com/rainamcmanus
RainaForNRC@gmail.com

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 three candidates running for two open 3-year seats on the Board of Library Trustees, a six-member board of local residents. The Library Trustees candidates, 3-year term, are Ann Howley; Marla Robinson; and Stephen Maire.

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

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

Ann Howley, candidate for Board of Library Trustees, 3-year term

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

Ann Howley: I am Ann Howley, candidate for re-election to the WFL Board of Library Trustees (3-year term). Our family has lived in Wellesley since 1993 when we moved here from Maryland. My husband, Peter, and I have three daughters and four granddaughters and currently one standard poodle, Charlie. Two of our granddaughters attend WMS.

I am a graduate of Vassar College. My professional career has been in fundraising at the preK-grade 12 levels. Empowering women has always been important to me, both in my education and career, and is even more relevant as a mother and grandmother of terrific woman and girls. Volunteer service is a significant part of my life, especially helping communities of which I am a part. I served on the Advisory Committee from 2002-2005. I have been a Town Meeting member from Precinct C since 2003 and a Library Trustee since 2008. Through these experiences, I have come to appreciate Wellesley’s unique government structure, how all the parts fit, and the need for them to work together to make a successful government.

Beyond town service, I am a member of the Hills Garden Club of Wellesley and the Wellesley Club, serve on the Board of the Wellesley Kiwanis Club, am a former president of Harvard Neighbors and have volunteered at several schools in the Boston area.

TSR: If elected, what do you hope to accomplish in your tenure as a Library Trustee?

Ann Howley: I hope to:

• • Continue to support our outstanding Director and staff as they work to meet the needs of Wellesley residents and to keep the WFL a “best in class” library
  • Work on WFL efforts that support Town’s Climate Action Plan
  • Continue outreach to all segments of Wellesley’s increasingly diverse community
  • Work with our outstanding supporting organizations (Wellesley Free Library Foundation and the Friends of the Wellesley Free Libraries) to maximize our successful partnerships
  • Look at opportunities that develop as the result of the newly renovated Main library spaces
  • Review successful patron service models that were developed during the pandemic to see which might remain

TSR: The library this year will put together its next five-year strategic plan. What do you think should be the plan’s top priorities?

Ann Howley: The Wellesley Free Library creates a strategic plan every five years under the direction of the Library Director, working with the Trustees. The top priority of this effort is to ensure that the WFL is meeting the needs of our patrons—to look at what patrons like and find helpful, what they would consider changing and what new services and opportunities they would potentially want to see.

The Trustees and staff set the goals and direction of the WFL for the next five years primarily through patron feedback and input. This information, gathered through community outreach, is acquired directly through surveys, focus groups, observational studies as well as informal and formal discussions. We then look at all this information through a broader lens which includes reviewing Town demographics to see what changes have occurred since the last plan, including age and diversity of population; general trends in the broader library world such as emerging technologies, new service models, community outreach opportunities and circulation trends.

Further considerations involve looking at Town-wide initiatives like the Unified Plan, the Climate Action Plan and the WPS Strategic Plan in an effort to have the WFL plan align with them. We give special attention to challenges that the WFL may face in the coming years that could present obstacles to the success of the plan. We also consider opportunities that the plan may present to strengthen the partnership with our supporting organizations, the WFL Foundation and the Friends of the WFL.

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

Ann Howley: The WFL has become so much more than just a repository for books—it is the heart of our community for programs, information, and gatherings—and is a welcoming place for all. As a Trustee, it has been my privilege to play a small part in the Library’s success—including overseeing the budget, backing new programs like ESL, reimagining the branch libraries, applying sustainable ideas to the library, and participating directly in the design and renovation of the Main Library. The WFL is a vibrant, forward-looking place—changing to meet the times—and our recent renovation is the latest and best example of this. I hope my town government experience and strong track record as a Trustee will earn your vote so that I may continue to serve the WFL and our community.

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

Ann Howley: townbusinessah@gmail.com

Marla Robinson, candidate for Board of Library Trustees, 3-year term

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

Marla Robinson: It has been an honor and a pleasure to serve the Wellesley community over the last 18 years as a Library Trustee and Chair of the Trustees for over ten of these years. I am a long-time Wellesley resident and have been a Town Meeting Member in Precinct E since 1996. I’m seeking re-election because in actively supporting and ensuring that WFL continues to play a vital role in the community, I have successfully learned how to evaluate, articulate, and champion both residents’ and staff’s needs.

I am incredibly proud of the Library’s many accomplishments over these last years. During my early years on the Board, the Library was able to significantly increase the number of programs for young and old, present new types of materials, expand our computer and technology class offerings and manage the administration functions of the Library in a more efficient way.

In the past fifteen years, I have overseen the reopening of the Branch Libraries, worked on creating the Wellesley Free Library Foundation (one of our key fundraising organizations) and participated with the Town’s HR and Executive Directors as a member of the Town’s bargaining team to negotiate several Library union contracts. I chaired the Search Committee to hire our current outstanding Library Director, supported the development of a successful ESL program, advocated for timesaving technologies such as the automated materials handler, and worked on the redesign of the Fells Library and Garden as early-learning spaces.

Last winter I secured a temporary downtown location for the Main Library to use during the recent construction. Most recently I served on the Design Committee for the renovation of the Main Library. The new meeting rooms, reimagined Children’s room and Commons space have already had an impact on how the Library meets Wellesley’s needs, and have exceeded residents’ expectations.

TSR: If elected, what do you hope to accomplish in your tenure as a Library Trustee?

Marla Robinson: Serving for so many years gives me a unique historical perspective and institutional knowledge of our past practices, how the town operates and the way that the Library interacts and collaborates with other departments and town boards.

The Library constantly evolves but my priorities remain the same—to tirelessly advocate for the WFL so that outstanding library services and exceptional resources are available to residents in a fiscally responsible manner. The Library’s budget is quite tight, and understanding each line item along with the ramifications of making adjustments and being able to articulate these fine points to both Advisory and Town Meeting is crucial.

Technology and technology needs continue to grow. This has been made even more evident by the pandemic. The need for virtual support tools, evolving software platforms and models for everything from patron databases to eBooks requires increased staff support. Priorities include staying ahead of technology curves, meeting the increased costs of vendor service models and anticipating and meeting needs of patrons.

TSR: The library this year will put together its next five-year strategic plan. What do you think should be the plan’s top priorities?

Marla Robinson: In developing WFL’s strategic plan, we have a responsibility to listen to the community to determine our top priorities. While one can guess that technology, staffing, community connection and fiscal constraints will be discussed, it is paramount that the process is collaborative, transparent and objective as the results will guide and inform the Library’s direction and future goals. My top priority is to work with as many stakeholders as possible. It is important that the Library gathers data using a variety of methods including surveys, focus groups and observation studies on how patrons use different areas of the Library.

The Library is very data driven. We report statistics yearly to the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC) on a large number of areas including types of materials that circulate, numbers of programs, how many visitors come to the Library, and financial data on what we spend on staff and materials as well as other expenses. As part of the Library’s certification process, the MBLC requires that all libraries submit a strategic plan every five years. Each year we submit an action plan that describes the concrete steps we will take that year to meet specific goals in the strategic plan.

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

Marla Robinson: The vision of the Wellesley Free Library is to become the cultural intellectual, and virtual crossroads of the community, to provide exceptional library services, to make connections and to be a leader among public libraries. As Trustees, this is what we continue to strive for—and while by most metrics we have been incredibly successful, it is important that the Library continues to evolve as needs of the community change.

I’m seeking re-election because this is an exciting time to be part of the expansion of the role of libraries. The renovation allows the Library to move forward with new offerings and new opportunities. As COVID restrictions are lifted, many things at the Library will go back to normal and yet the WFL will take what it has learned in terms of our incredibly successful virtual programming to complement in-person programming.

My experience, leadership and institutional knowledge, and commitment to library excellence make me uniquely qualified to be a Library Trustee, and I welcome the opportunity to serve the Town for the next three years.

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

Marla Robinson: mrobinson@wellesleyma.gov

Stephen Maire, candidate for Board of Library Trustees, 3-year term

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

Stephen Maire: I am Stephen Maire and am running for the position of Library Trustee. I have been a Wellesley resident since 2008. I am active in the community with Wellesley Scout troop 185 and have also worked with the HBS Alumni Association Community Action Partners providing pro bono consulting services to Boston-area non-profits. In this capacity I have worked with social service organizations, universities and museums on their strategic plans.

As befits a candidate for Library Trustee I am a reader and patron of the Library. As a high school student I worked in my town’s library shelving books.

TSR: If elected, what do you hope to accomplish in your tenure as a Library Trustee?

Maire: The Library is a gem and aspires to be a center for the town culturally and intellectually. A popular measure of the role of the Library is to cite it as the State’s 7th busiest. This is true, but when looked at in terms of Wellesley’s population, the Library is only as active as that of Williamsburg, MA and lags behind Dover and Weston. Moreover, we achieve this at relatively high cost.

In short, it is not that the Library is not very good, but that to realize its aspiration to be a center of the town it needs to be doing more.

TSR: The library this year will put together its next five-year strategic plan. What do you think should be the plan’s top priorities?

Maire: The strategic plan is an opportunity to define a focus for the Library for the coming years. The past two Strategic Plans have both included “Communication” as their second strategic initiative. That communication has been a strategic initiative in both plans highlights its importance as well as the struggles that the Library has had in addressing the need.

Yet, there seems little discussion of communication at Trustee meetings and little in the Strategic Plans of what would constitute “good” or “improved” communication. Clearly, a new approach is needed in this area. While communication will always be a challenge, more initiative is needed.

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

Maire: In the same way that ebooks, audiobooks, videos and other electronic materials have changed what it means to “read”, they have also changed what it means to be a library. Moreover, as the last two years under COVID have demonstrated, video-conferencing and internet services offer the Library a reach that extends well beyond the physical building.

As a service to town residents, the Library now needs to figure out how these new media and services can enable the Library to allow all Wellesley residents to participate in the intellectual, cultural and recreational life of the town that the Library aspires to.

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

Maire: To contact me, please email me at smaire@arrantdesigns.com.

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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 1-year seat on the Board of Library Trustees, a six-member board of local residents. The Library Trustees candidates, 1-year term, are Linshi Li and Sharon Mintz.

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

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

Linshi Li, candidate for Board of Library Trustees, 1-year term

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

Linshi Li: My name is Linshi Li and I am a candidate for the Wellesley Free Library Board of Trustees, one-year term. Professionally, I am a Senior User experience manager working on simplifying life with diabetes. By understanding technology and user needs, we create intuitive products and experiences. Personally, I am an eight-year Wellesley resident. My husband and I have three children in Sprague and PAWS. I have been volunteering for the library since 2017. Last May, the library trustees selected me from 14 candidates to fill a vacant trustee position. I bring knowledge and practice from the technology industry, and user perspectives as a young parent. I advocate for education, accessibility and sustainability. My focus is on technology and service innovation to address patrons’ needs and promoting cross-cultural connections.

TSR: If elected, what do you hope to accomplish in your tenure as a Library Trustee?

Linshi Li: I bring user experience expertise to the Board, serve as a resource for staff and an advocate for residents, to help our library make informed and fiscally balanced decisions on technology and innovation that address patrons’ needs. I also hope to help make connections among residents with different social and cultural backgrounds, and promote cross-cultural communication.

TSR: The library this year will put together its next five-year strategic plan. What do you think should be the plan’s top priorities?

Linshi Li: I think the strategic plan gives us an opportunity to listen to what residents want. The previous strategic plan was created after Trustees and Library staff involved the community and assessed their needs.  I look forward to gathering as much information and data as possible to determine the priorities for the next five years. I imagine some themes may include:

• Optimizing resources (physical, digital and partnership) to support education needs
• Maximizing the role of technology and innovation
• Promoting communication, mutual understanding and cross-cultural connections
• Educating patrons and residents about climate resiliency, and demonstrating best practices of sustainable and socially responsible efforts.

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

Linshi Li: I would like to encourage the community to sign up for our personalized newsletter, stay informed of the services and programs (in-person and virtual) offered by the Wellesley Free Library, if you have not. Wellesley Free Library has a lot to offer, and would welcome your feedback and suggestions to make our future even better.

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

Linshi Li: Please feel free to reach me via email linshil@gmail.com. Thank you!

Sharon Mintz, candidate for Board of Library Trustees, 1-year term

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

Sharon Mintz: Wellesley has been my family’s home for 27 years and I feel grateful for the community that welcomed us. At every step along the way we tapped the Wellesley Free Library’s resources from Storytime programs to parent/child book clubs to lectures and concerts. When our children attended the Wellesley Public Schools, I chaired Creative Arts Committees, Community Service Day and the 8th grade Graduation Ceremony Committee. I cook, serve and deliver food through Family Table and Rosie’s Place and mentor an inmate at MCI Norfolk. My nonprofit fundraising career spans 30+ years, and I have a strong track record of raising significant philanthropic gifts for educational and cultural organizations, advocating for financial support and fiscal responsibility, and mobilizing volunteers. I am currently in my 10th year at Babson College as a Major Gift Officer and have successfully raised millions of dollars for Babson’s Annual and Capital Campaigns.

TSR: If elected, what do you hope to accomplish in your tenure as a Library Trustee?

Sharon Mintz: With 97% of the library’s budget dedicated to fixed costs, private fundraising provides our residents with the extras that make the WFL exceptional from ebooks and museum passes to Fells branch operations. I am the candidate best suited to steward the public-private partnership and grow the fundraising efforts. Collaborating with Foundation and Friends volunteers, I will increase private donations. With additional funds, I will advocate for the library to expand and enhance its offerings—more STEAM programs, new community building events such as a bike/walk to the library day and increased offerings in the outdoor spaces are a few of the ideas I’m excited to explore.

TSR: The library this year will put together its next five-year strategic plan. What do you think should be the plan’s top priorities?

Sharon Mintz: We expect the library to keep pace with IT changes and implement innovative initiatives. I am engaged on a daily basis thinking about the future needs of Babson college students and how I can attract supporters to fund the technology and spaces students desire. I was on the fundraising team that helped bring the extraordinary Weissman Foundry—a 24/7 “maker space” to Babson. Our next strategic plan needs to explore the evolving changes in technology, so library systems run efficiently and patrons have access to the technology they desire from 3D printers, laser cutters, and scanners to new databases and software programs.

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

Sharon Mintz: I am the candidate who will bring change and an infusion of new ideas to the Wellesley Library Trustees Board. I believe the Board needs an independent thinker with a fresh perspective on ensuring that our library is the intellectual and cultural center for all members of our town. I am running to serve as a Library Trustee to ensure our best-in-class Library system evolves and continues to provide the exceptional services our residents expect, while adhering to a fiscally responsible budget. Please vote for Sharon Mintz for the one-year Library Trustee position on March 1.

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

Sharon Mintz: Please reach out by email: 4mintz@gmail.com

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