Ward 6 Candidate: Meg Riccardi

Question 1: Why are you running for Councilor and what particular skills can you bring to the position?
I ran for Salem City Council because I saw a need on the council for effective collaboration and better communication with all constituents. 

When I moved to Salem over 20 years ago it was because of Salem State, but the diversity, inclusion, and vibrancy of the city are why I stayed. I am running because I believe Salem deserves a fair and balanced council as diverse as its residents, with unique perspectives that reflect our community. As a working mom, I understand the difficulties many face in our community. Childcare, food, housing, commuting – all items that affect us, but unfortunately most are often working, commuting, child rearing and more, and lack time to participate in local politics. But we need to hear all voices, and I think that providing information on how to join in on conversations and have your voice heard is one of the most important tasks of Ward councillor, and one that I am always striving to improve upon. 

In my professional life, when I am tasked with finding a solution, it needs to be one that would not only solve a problem, but the solution must also not negatively impact others. It is important to think like this whenever change is being discussed. Change can be hard, and unwelcomed, but often necessary. We need to be able to find a fair balance as a city council, but also not be afraid of change. 

Communication is paramount to achieving this, and I ensure communication is open; from regular updates via newsletters, social media, and community meetings, I will continue to make myself available to listen to the concerns and needs of residents and stakeholders. In 2020, I held the first “virtual” neighborhood meeting to endure that residents were up to date on local items, and had an open forum to ask questions. I will continue to think creatively and not be afraid to have these difficult conversations. 

Question 2: What are some of your proposed solutions towards resolving the housing crisis in Salem?
The housing crisis is a complex problem not unique to Salem that does not have one single solution. 

Salem is unaffordable for a large portion of the population – those just starting in the workforce, our service workers, seniors on a fixed income – and we need to find solutions for all. Salem is also historical and home to many properties and neighborhoods that we need to preserve and protect. Not a simple problem and there are no simple solutions. 

When people hear “affordable housing” they often think of low-income, government funding housing, but the solutions are much broader and complex. There needs to be many tools utilized to help alleviate this crisis, many of which I support in moving forward with, including Inclusionary Zoning (or a requirement of private development to include affordable units) and creative solutions such as a condo conversion ordinance. The face of many neighborhoods is changing as rental units are being removed from the market and converted to condo units, and the rental housing stock becomes more strained. 

We also need to work collaboratively with those that are looking to build in Salem. Our housing analysis shows us actual data on the type of housing that is needed here, and we should be pushing for that when the opportunity is available. 

We will not be able to build ourselves out of the housing crisis, nor can we say “sorry, Salem is full.” We need to think creatively and collaboratively and not be afraid to lead the way in housing solutions. 

Question 3: How do you see Salem impacted by the climate crisis and what new initiatives would you take to lead Salem's resiliency efforts?
Much of Salem’s uniqueness is due to its geography, and being a coastal community is something that needs to be respected and carefully managed. We see the climate crisis literally on our streets and at our doors when each major storm rolls through and the tides rise up. 

Resilient Together, Salem’s collaboration with the city of Beverly, just released their Action Plan, which is very exciting. The Action Plan hits on areas such as solid waste reduction, buildings & development, energy use, infrastructure and more. I recommend checking it out if you have not yet (Resilient Together Dashboard (resilient-together.org)

There are also tangible items in front of council now that I will continue to support and shepherd through, including: 

• A Green Building Ordinance. As seen throughout town, there is new construction going on. It is a shame that there are not additional requirements put in place for building sustainability. Did you know that buildings account for over 40% of our carbon emissions? Retro-fitting older buildings may be complicated and costly, but there should be no excuse on new buildings, whether it be making sure their roofs are solar ready, low flow water features, and more – there is much more that can be done. 

• An Urban Agriculture Ordinance. This will support and encourage local growing, increase access to fresh, healthy foods, improve the local economy and environment, increase the resiliency of our community, and benefit public health. Factor in the additional environmental benefits (less carbon from the transportation needed to import foods as just one quick example) and this just makes sense to work towards.

 Question 4: Please outline some ideas you have that can enhance civic engagement at the city level.
While speaking to residents of Ward 6, one topic I am hear often is that people want to be involved and know more about what is going on, but they are not entirely sure who to speak to about what. City government should not be a mystery. Having a family, or an irregular job schedule should not be a barrier to civic engagement. 

Neighbors become empowered when together and can provide insight into their unique needs. Getting out from behind fences and computer screens helps knock down those divides - and everyone can have some fun while doing so. 

In reading my response to this question from 2019, I found this line: “We also need to be leveraging technologies that are easily available to make city meetings accessible to more.” Well, I think we got this – and then some – with 2020. This past year has been monumental in so many ways but increasing accessibility and transparency with city meetings is one benefit that must stick around. We cannot go backwards from where we are now. 

We do need to watch out for information overload - the increased accessibility of meetings and information can be overwhelming at times. Being able to summarize items of importance is critical, and a skill I bring to the job. 

Question 5: How do you think Salem should continue working on issues of race equity, now that the City's first Race Equity Task Force has submitted its report?
As a member of the Race Equity Task for the past year, I had the honor to be part of these important conversations and fully support items presented in the Race Equity Task Force Report. 

It is hard to boil the entire ocean at once, but we need to start somewhere. I feel that the newly created position to lead up our Diversity, Equity & Inclusion activities will help us in these efforts. Many of our neighboring communities have created such a role, and it is our time to do so. A community member wrote in during our budget sessions with this note: "While Salem is a wonderful place to live, it is not perfect." I am looking forward to this new role to help lead the change in helping Salem get closer to perfection. 

I am also in full support of a new Race Equity Commission – the work of the task force was just the beginning of our efforts. To continue this important work, the commission is needed.

To learn more about Meg, please visit her website: www.meg4ward6.com, or follow her on social media: https://www.facebook.com/meg4ward6/, https://twitter.com/meg4ward6. 

Ward 6: Jerry Ryan

Jerry L. Ryan is married to Pamela (Lovely) Ryan and they reside at 11 Locust Street with their three sons; Colby, Austin and Gavin who attend Collins Middles School and Salem High School. Jerry represented Ward 4 as a City Councillor from 2008 through 2013 and has served two terms as Council president – 2011 and 2013. He also served as Councillor-At-Large from 2016-2017. Jerry is a lifelong resident of Salem, growing up as the 12th of 14 children of the late Dr. James T. Ryan and Ann (Butler) Ryan. Jerry attended Sheridan School, Bates School, Middle School West and graduated from Salem High School in 1992. He went on to earn a B.S. in Finance from Bentley University in 1996. Jerry works for Eastern Insurance as a Customer Service Team Leader.

Why are you running for Councilor and what particular skills can you bring to the position?

I am running for Councillor because I love Salem and want to be involved in keeping Salem a great place to live. As a former Ward Councillor and Councillor-At-Large I believe that I have the experience to hit the ground running to provide representation to all the residents of Ward 6 as well as all the residents of the City of Salem.

What are some of your proposed solutions towards resolving the housing crisis in Salem?

There is no easy answer to resolve the housing crisis. I believe we need to continue to keep the lines of communication open with all stakeholders and explore all solutions. Salem is a desirable place to live which is causing increases in housing costs. I do not believe that building more homes is going to solve the issue alone and that there needs to be a multi prong approach to address the housing crisis.

How do you see Salem impacted by the climate crisis and what new initiatives would you take to lead Salem's resiliency efforts?

Salem, like other coastal communities, is going to be impacted by rising sea levels. We need to scale back from building on the water's edge and need to help residents secure flood insurance at a reasonable cost. I also believe we need to keep trying to get residents to go solar. I have solar panels on both my homes and love them. We need more programs to help the residents become educated in the climate crisis and provide them assistance when they want to make improvements to their homes to help address the issue.

Please outline some ideas you have that can enhance civic engagement at the city level.

Salem is a great City to live in. It is filled with many active organizations that keep moving Salem forward. In comparison to other local Cities, the residents of Salem are active citizens, just based on the number of candidates running for public office. Currently the City Council meets on the 2nd and 4th Thursday's of the month. Perhaps the Council should consider meeting on Sunday nights so more residents may attend the meetings.

Ward 6: Meg Riccardi

A Salem resident for over 20 years, and a North Salem homeowner since 2007, my husband Paul and I chose Salem because of its beautiful diversity, history, character and geography that you cannot find anywhere else. 

I earned my degree in Communications from Salem State in 2002 while working as a waitress in local restaurants. After graduation, I was employed in various roles in the financial industry, from retail banking, to residential lending, to corporate strategy for a Real Estate Valuations company. My career took a more technical turn, and I now work for a global CyberSecurity company as a Senior CRM Administrator.

Our daughter, Stella, was born in 2011 and currently attends Carlton School. 

With a history of volunteerism locally and in Boston, I currently serve on the Board of Rebuilding Together – Boston a non-profit that renovates houses for people unable to pay for essential home repairs and much-needed updates. 

I saw a need in my neighborhood for neighbors to have a way to meet and decided to do something. 12 months later, I am co-chair of the newly created North Street Northfields Neighborhood Association and I also represent the group on the city-wide NIAC, where I keep neighbors up to date with my newsletter emails.

This year, I decided to do more. As a fully invested resident of Salem, I see a need for the Council to communicate, collaborate and move forward with all residents in mind and I am ready to work hard to accomplish this.

Why are you running for Councilor and what particular skills can you bring to the position?

I am running for Salem City Council because I see a need on the council for effective collaboration and I am ready to work hard and smart for the city that I love. When I moved to Salem 20 years ago it was because of the proximity to the ocean, but the diversity, inclusion, and vibrancy of the city are why I stayed.  I am running because I believe Salem deserves a fair and balanced council as diverse as its residents, with unique perspectives that reflect our community. 

In my professional life, when I am tasked with finding a solution, it needs to be one that would not only solve a problem, but the solution must also not negatively impact others. It is important to think like this whenever change is being discussed. Change can be hard, and unwelcomed, but often necessary. We need to be able to find a fair balance as a city council. 

Communication is paramount to achieving this, and I would ensure communication is open; from regular updates via newsletters, social media, and community meetings, I will continue to make myself available in order to listen to the concerns and needs of residents and stakeholders. 

Research is also key, and I am a hard worker who is not afraid to tackle new subject matters. I am passionate and will take action to get things done. I promise to be prepared and ready for discussion matters and to my due diligence. 

What are some of your proposed solutions towards resolving the housing crisis in Salem?

The housing crisis is a complex problem not unique to Salem that does not have one single solution. 

Salem is unaffordable for a large portion of the population - those just starting in the workforce, our service workers, seniors on a fixed income - and we need to find solutions for all. Salem is also historical and home to many properties and neighborhoods that we need to preserve and protect. Not a simple problem and there are no simple solutions. 

When people hear “affordable housing” they often think of low-income, government funding housing, but the solutions are much broader and complex. There needs to be many tools utilized to help alleviate this crisis, many of which I support in moving forward with: 

• I support inclusionary zoning, which will require private development to include affordable units 

• I support the Zoning Ordinance relative to Municipal and Religious Reuse Special Permit

• I support the amendment to the current Accessory Dwelling Unit zoning, with a few edits, such as homeowner occupancy. 

I also support researching additional solutions, such as a condo conversion ordinance. The face of many neighborhoods are changing as rental units are being removed from the market and converted to condo units, and the rental housing stock becomes more strained. My work with the Non-Profit Rebuilding Together highlights this as we help homeowners stay in their homes by making critical repairs needed. Creative programs like this should be considered.

Most importantly, we need to continue these conversations aggressively and get moving on solutions. 

How do you see Salem impacted by the climate crisis and what new initiatives would you take to lead Salem's resiliency efforts?

Much of Salem’s uniqueness is due to its geography, and being a coastal community is something that needs to be respected and carefully managed. We see the climate crisis literally on our streets and at our doors when each major storm rolls through and the tides rise up. 

I have been attending the Salem SERC meetings (Salem's Energy and Resilience Committee) this past year to learn more about what initiatives are in play and what more can be done. The Solarize Mass Program that Salem was recently chosen to participate in, is an exciting opportunity for homeowners. I hope with new programs, and a decrease in overall costs, alternative energy solutions will become available to more. 

As a native of North Andover, and where my mother still resides, the gas explosions last fall hit home. There are gas leaks all over Salem, which residents are not only paying for, but they are also killing our trees. The pressure needs to be put on to correct these, before something major happens. 

An accessible, shared transportation system is also critical to both the environment and the housing crisis. Less gas-driven cars on the streets are needed, but people still need to get around and our current transportation options only help if you work along the commuter rail line or the MBTA bus lines. Getting to and from the supermarket, the hospital, and neighboring towns should be easier by methods other than a car. I will work hard towards alternative transportation options.  

Please outline some ideas you have that can enhance civic engagement at the city level.

While speaking to residents of Ward 6, one topic I am hearing often is that people want to be involved and know more about what is going on, but the meetings are held at an inconvenient time, or they are not entirely sure who to speak to about what. City government should not be a mystery. Having a family, or an irregular job schedule should not be a barrier to civic engagement. As someone with a young child myself, that does not have cable TV, I have found myself having similar feelings of frustrations. 

Connecting neighbors with each other, face to face if possible, is something I feel strongly about and will continue to encourage and help facilitate in North Salem. Neighbors become empowered when together and can provide insight into their unique needs. Getting out from behind fences and computer screens helps knock down those divides - and everyone can have some fun while doing so. 

We also need to be leveraging technologies that are easily available to make city meetings accessible to more. Residents have live-streamed meetings on facebook, but as a city, we are still unable to provide this service for those without Cable TV. A simple, easy to use platform that is accessible by all would increase engagement, and produce creative solutions to our challenges when we are able to include more.