Why are you running for Councillor and what particular skills can you bring to the position?
A Salem resident for over 20 years, and a Ward 6 homeowner since 2007, I fell in love with Salem’s diversity, geography, history and inclusivity when I first arrived at the age of 19 and my work centers on ensuring that opportunity is available for others after me.
I have demonstrated that I am an organizer, who is not afraid to speak up for others. My ability to lead conversations, while also listening and providing space for others, is a skill that I think is critical to uphold.
My volunteer and non-profit work displays my desire to serve my community and help others with empathy and conviction. My diverse professional background has prepared me for many situations. My ability to communicate effectively with everyone from the CEO, to customers at my table, is paramount to my successes.
Residents are facing housing instability and displacement. Do you have specific plans that would protect renters in the city?
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.
When people hear “affordable housing” they often think of low-income, government funding housing, but the solutions are much broader and complex. “Missing middle” “Affordable” and everything else on the housing spectrum is needed, and a multitude of tools must be utilized to help alleviate this crisis.
I support inclusionary zoning, which will require private development to include affordable units and I also support enacting a Salem 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.
Most importantly, we need to continue these conversations, moving towards solutions.
Salem is already seeing the effects of the climate crisis, including flooding during storms and high tides. Focusing on what you would do, what are your top priorities to mitigate the climate crisis?
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.
As chair of Council Committees, I helped shepherd through to passage both a Municipal Green Building ordinance and an Urban Agriculture Ordinance, which just scratch the surface. Buildings account for a large portion of green house gas emissions, and enacting a green building ordinance for private development is critical.
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 continue to advocate for alternative transportation options, funding for programs such as the Salem Skipper and Blue Bikes, and thinking innovatively about other alternatives.
We also need to be smart with our building; I was in support of the recently amended wetlands ordinance and am looking forward to the updated flood ordinance as well as the client resiliency overlay district ordinance, which a working group has been diligently working towards the past year.
Salem strives to be a diverse, equitable, and inclusive city. What have you done to lead on these ideals and how will you support work in this area?
Having the honor of serving on Salem’s Race Equity Task Force in 2020 was both eye opening and inspiring. Salem should be proud of the work we have done to be a diverse, equitable and inclusive city, but also know there is more work to be done.
I was, and continue to be, in full support of the members and efforts of our new Race Equity Commission, which was a resulting item from the 2020 Race Equity Task force, along with the hire of our Race Equity Director, Regina Zaragoza Frey, who leads the city in many initiatives.
The fear within our LGBTQ+ community currently due to the national, and sometimes local, hostility is scary and I will always work hard to be an ally and step up where appropriate. I am proud of the work put forth recently to remove Gendered language from our ordinances as well as the 2022 Resolution on Protection of Reproductive Healthcare Rights submitted at council.
In 2019 the city completed an ADA transition to assist in prioritizing accessibility improvements – I am in full support of continuing the work outlined in this plan, and elsewhere reported.
On average, 30% of Salem residents voted in the past municipal elections. Please outline some ideas you have that can enhance voter engagement and elections.
While speaking to residents of Ward 6, one topic I often heard was 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.
COVID opened many doors for accessibility to city meetings – providing a remote meeting option which allowed many to listen in from their homes or elsewhere where they would not have in the past. But conversely, I also hear that solely remote meetings are not liked by many, as they would like to go and hear conversations in person. For this, I am in full support of getting all governing bodies to be on a permanent Hybrid meeting solution, similar to council.
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 to their unique needs.
Get Out The Vote – perhaps the most important civic engagement – should also be without barriers. I am in full support of vote by mail and early voting initiatives, as well as supporting the elections office and their outreach efforts.
Learn more
Campaign Website: www.meg4ward6.com
Campaign Email: meg4ward6@gmail.com
Social Media: https://www.facebook.com/meg4ward6/ & https://twitter.com/meg4ward6