More than you really want to know about Natick, Mass.
Please join Yes For Natick for the 2021 Town Election Candidate Forum, featuring candidates for contested elections for the Select Board, and School Committee. This is a virtual meeting.
DATE: Thur., March 4, 2021
TIME: 7pm
Send questions for candidates to YesForNatick@gmail.com.
It didn’t look good for Stuart Rothman’s proposed pop-up hamlet at 1 South Main Street—the site where a fire burned down businesses in summer of 2019—following the Feb. 17 Natick Planning Board meeting. A 3-2 vote for the project wasn’t good enough for approval due to a special permit being involved, and a report after the meeting indicated Rothman had informed the town that he had had enough of the seemingly endless process.
But the Planning Board had kept an item about reviewing its decision about a site plan review and special permits on its March 3 agenda, and indeed Rothman and team returned to the virtual table. Unlike other parts of the hearing, this time it took minutes rather than hours to get things done.
Board member Peter Nottonson, who was among the two members voting against the decision at the prior meeting, said he had had a change of heart and made a motion to reconsider the previous vote. This time, the vote went 5-0, and the decision was approved.
Nottonson still believes the project has flaws, but he said that the developer made quite clear that he wasn’t going to accept further revision.
“If the present project is not accepted by the Planning Board, the site will likely remain empty for the foreseeable future. I want this critical site to have something, not nothing,” he said.
The 5,342 sq. ft. development is envisioned as consisting of modular 500 sq. ft. pop-up spaces for artists and other small business owners, with a courtyard nestled inside. Construction should start this year, but it’s unclear when it will be ready to open. Earlier plans for the site involved mixed use for residential and business tenants, but parking requirements put the kibosh on that.
In between the last Planning Board meeting and this one, town personnel, including Director of Community & Economic Development James Freas and Department of Public Works leaders, got to work addressing lingering concerns about the safety of sidewalks around where the development would rise. Indeed, sloping of some of the sidewalks was unacceptable by town standards, and the town has come up with a plan to remedy this as part of its upcoming construction season and in conjunction with the developer.
Before this hearing concluded, board members reflected on the process, and how things almost fell apart. Board member Andy Meyer says he can’t ever remember getting so many emails, texts, and phone calls from the public about a project, with one takeaway being that people felt the town was getting bullied by a developer who displayed strong emotions during meetings. Meyer chocked up the drama more to “justifiable frustration,” though said he hopes to see fewer displays in the future, and urged fellow board members to do a better job of communicating with one another in a transparent way.
“The board didn’t cave in because of pressure from the developer,” he said. “The board came to a good decision with the developer in a bumpy process. There’s a big difference.”
Get your photo opps at the barren site soon, before development begins
The Town of Natick depends on the active participation of its citizens in governance of the Town. Natick voters will on March 30, 2021 cast their ballots for candidates running for Select Board, a contested race.
There are two candidates running for one open 3-year seat on the Select Board, which serves as the chief executive board of the Town and, as such, is vested with all the municipal authority not specifically retained by the Town’s legislative body, Town Meeting.
The Select Board candidates are Guimel DeCarvalho and Paul Joseph.
Natick Report invited the candidates to answer a few questions about their qualifications and priorities for the Town of Natick.
Below is Guimel DeCarvalho’s Q & A. Here is a link to Paul Joseph’s Q & A.
Guimel DeCarvalho, Select Board candidateNatick Report: What is your background and what qualifies you for a position on the Select Board?
Guimel DeCarvalho: My proven leadership and service on Finance Committee, Natick Is United, and the Natick Equity Task Force, as well as my professional experience as the Vice President of Human Resources & Chief Diversity Officer at Wayside Youth & Family Services, will help me move our town forward in a direction that is best for all of our residents. With over 4 years of leadership experience reducing overdue investigative cases, increasing connections to community-based ongoing services, and managing multi-million dollar budgets I’ve seen how services can be a lifeline for families. Additionally, with close to 5 years of executive leadership at Wayside I’ve implemented wholesale organizational culture change; reduced turnover of staff of color 10%; increased recruitment & retention of staff of color by 6%; and doubled the number of managers of color. I’ve shown that through investment in communication strategies and collaboration, you can engage communities around a unified vision. I’m running to bring an equity focus to the work of the Select Board.
NR: How can Natick further support existing businesses and encourage new ones to come into Natick?
DeCarvalho: The best way to support existing businesses and encourage new ones to come to Natick is by focusing on the issues that matter to our residents, including those who have not been part of the political process before by:
Attracting a diverse range of businesses and jobs to Natick to ensure our economic and cultural vibrancy.
Promoting affordable housing policies that take into account the needs of seniors, families, those with disabilities, and veterans.
Supporting our schools, students, and educators to make sure we are providing children with what they need today and in the future.
Working to further make Natick a town that is truly welcoming to all people, regardless of their race, age, gender, sexual orientation or economic situation.
These issues are not always easy and oftentimes there are conflicting interests and priorities, but I believe that if we focus on people first, ALL people, we can continue to see Natick move forward sustainably and responsibly for decades to come.
NR: How should Natick manage the financial implications of the pandemic going forward?
DeCarvalho: Collaboration and communication from the start. In order for town departments to work together, they have to have a shared vision. That vision should encompass our values as a community and has to include compromise and a deep understanding of the needs of all of our residents. Important services can’t go by the wayside. We need to prioritize and think creatively about solutions to extend our dollars, and also look at things we’ve invested in the past that may no longer work. These important conversations can only happen when all departments come together, which I believe the Select Board should facilitate.
NR: How can Natick best continue to act on the concerns of its residents of diverse backgrounds?
DeCarvalho: The Select Board can help set the tone of municipal discourse and has the ability to prioritize certain issues, including issues relating to equity and social justice. The best way to address the concerns of its residents of diverse backgrounds is to act. By applying both a social justice and equity lens to the broad range of issues before them, the Select Board can demonstrate that the diverse experiences and interests of Natick residents have a place at the table and a voice in town decisions.
We have seen that broader engagement of those voices can happen through tools like Zoom, social media, informational websites, and translation software. It’s important to make clear that participation in local government and community events is possible for those navigating childcare, work, language barriers, and new-ness to these systems. It’s up to the Select Board to go to these communities, not the other way around.
NR: How should voters reach you if they want more information?
DeCarvalho: Residents can reach me at guimel.natick@gmail.com or message me on my Facebook page @guimelfornatick. Make sure to also go to www.guimelfornatick.com to see more about the campaign and information on how to get your mail in ballot or vote in person on March 30th.
NR: Is there anything else you would like to say that the above questions did not cover?
Little Lola’s has announced that its shop in South Natick on Eliot Street has closed, but that the owners are looking to find another full-size location later this year. The takeout spot with outdoor eating, and clutch slushies on hot days, issued the following post on Facebook:
“We have good news & great news
We are extremely excited to announce that we have closed Little LolasThis may seem slightly odd but let us explain…
The great news – we are opening another full size location in 2021Let us know where you want to see us.”
Lola’s Italian Groceria is still going strong in Natick Center.
Meanwhile, let’s hope something interesting takes the spot in South Natick that sits next to a realty office.
The Town of Natick depends on the active participation of its citizens in governance of the Town. Natick voters will on or before March 30, 2021 cast their ballots for candidates running for School Committee, a contested race.
The Natick School Committee is an elected town-wide board. Among other things, it approves Natick’s school budget, appoints the Superintendent, and establishes educational goals and policies for Natick’s schools as a whole.
There are three candidates running for two open 3-year seats on the School Committee—Matt Brand, Shai Fuxman, and Catherine Brunell.
Natick Report invited the candidates to answer a few questions about their qualifications and priorities for the Town of Natick. Below is Catherine Brunell’s Q & A. Here is a link to Matt Brand’s and to Shai Fuxman’s.
Natick Report: What is your background and what qualifies you for this position?
Catherine Brunell: I am a former teacher, a coach and a mom to 5 kids. I co-founded Protect Natick’s Future last spring and
demonstrated my abilities as a community organizer and as a leader who will respond to difficult topics with information for our residents. Running a household with clear procedures and negotiating who needs what and when is my daily life. Practical life skills like listening, relating, asking for more information, advocating, and prioritizing, are where I excel.
Our family has been in the school system for over a decade, we have gone through every level with different learners and different experiences for each of our kids. I know this community, both how to listen to it and how to strengthen it. In a time of COVID recovery, having a close ear to the community is essential. I will serve with a practical, relational emphasis.
NR: If elected, what do you hope to accomplish on the School Committee during the upcoming 3-year term?
Brunell: 1) I will advocate to help students and families, within the policy and the budget objectives of the School Committee, to grapple with, persist through, and ultimately show progress in COVID.
2) With the other committee members, I would like to prioritize setting specific, known to the public, yearly goals for our own School Committee to support the district wide goals. This is a national best practice for effective boards who are focused on student achievement. (see www.nsba.org – Eight Characteristics of Effective Boards.)
3) Increase the amount of clear, two-way communication for our constituents. For example, I will host regular “Coffee and conversation” events and will communicate before and after the meetings about items on our agenda. I will do this carefully so as not to overstep the open-meeting law or committee policy, and I will stay grounded in our mission to engage and represent the public.
4) Establish or reestablish best practices for working with and across our Town Government administration and committees. With a structural deficit in town and a new Town Administrator, how our School Committee sees these relationships with new eyes will be critical.
NR: Going forward, what are the top challenges you see facing Natick Public Schools from the pandemic?
Brunell: Rejuvenating our kids, teachers, administration and families from the impacts of COVID in lots of different ways. As we continue forward, a bit weary and hopefully more aware of our resilience than ever, we need to evaluate carefully HOW all of our populations and individuals have been impacted and what we have learned as a district. Then, the School Committee needs to empower our school leaders through policy and budget to come up with a plan that incorporates the lessons learned and influences the places of need with the most impact. Social Emotional, yes! Academic recovery, for sure! Special education adjustments! And more understanding of equity as a benefit for all.
NR: Other area schools have hired a Directory of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion. Given that promoting equity and inclusion for all students is a top priority in Natick schools, would Natick benefit from such a hire? Why or why not?
Brunell: As a parent and as a community member my response is that this position is necessary, but not alone sufficient for the long, hard and good road that our district needs to travel with diversity, equity and inclusion. As a School Committee Member, my job will be to ask our leadership about what their plan is around equity and inclusion, to vet that plan through community feedback and research and then to figure out how we can prioritize the final decision in the budget. This is an example of a School Committee goal we could have in the 2021-2022 school year (see answer above.) As for this specific position, I cannot wade into a specific hire but I can and will give the administration feedback from our constituents and drill down on if we are achieving equity and inclusion best practices in our schools with the plan we have put in place. Policy, budget, follow through, those are levers I will have to impact our schools and this initiative.
NR: Is there anything else you would like to say that the above questions did not cover?
Brunell: When I am sitting in a public seat, a seat to which I have been elected, I do not see my name on the table. I see the word “community.” That is, I sit in that seat representing a diverse group of Natick residents—in age, experience, race, ethnicity and gender, from those with children in school to those without. I am sitting there to ask my questions and more importantly, your questions. My job is to build the community’s confidence that every decision we make is the best of all of the data-informed options that we have considered for our students, within the competing priorities that we have to navigate. At times, reasonable people will disagree with the votes I cast, but I will always be transparent and back up the decisions I come to with best practices, data and with our students at the center. Additionally, I have a personal goal to communicate to you how we use the funds that the town and the state provide, through your taxes, to ensure a maximized student experience.
NR: How should voters reach you if they want more information?
Brunell: catherinebrunell@gmail.com & www.catherine2021.com