Environment

Responses to Questions Posed by Green Maynard

March, 2023

1. What issues do you plan to prioritize as a member of the Select Board?  

A danger of prioritizing of course is the implication that items not on the list are somehow not important. That is far from the truth. I could easily list 10-20 priorities. For example, enabling the town administration to go about their daily responsibilities is an unglamorous yet essential priority.  Environmental responsibility, social justice and sound fiscal management are not so much individual priorities as they are values that should be ingrained into the nature of decision-making on all matters. That being said, here are four issues that I do believe are worthy of special attention.

1. Ensure a water supply that can meet the demands of long term planning and development.

2. Maintain a housing strategy that maximizes affordability for a diverse population.

3. Provide services for seniors that are in line with those provided to all of the other residents of the town.

4. Ensure that the town government acts in accordance with a coherent long term development plan that encompasses the Community Development Principles.

The last priority is of course somewhat all encompassing given the breadth of issues covered by the ten Development Principles.  They include using natural resources wisely and protecting land and ecosystems. This cannot be accomplished without a comprehensive response to short and long term issues raised by climate change.  

2. What do you consider to be the duties of the Select Board in addressing the current and future impacts of climate change—and how would you support the town’s Climate Emergency Declaration and Action Plan? 

The Select Board and the residents need to be very well educated about the implications of long term climate change on health, ecosystems, regional economics,  and the cost of living here in Maynard. While there is disagreement about the specifics and timelines of this change, there is an overwhelming consensus that challenges and costs will only go up. There is a concept known as the ‘Resiliance Gap’, defined as the degree to which people, communities, economic sectors, etc. are unprepared for the climate-driven pressures and impacts they face, leaving them open to harm.  Closing this gap requires us to mitigate as much as possible the effects of climate change as we also adapt to the changes.  

The Climate Emergency Declaration provides a jump-off point, and the action plan will hopefully provide an important lens through which to view and make future decisions about the town and its development.  

Regionalization is a loaded word for those who have been in Maynard for more than a few years, especially around issues of education and water supply.  If ever there was a case for local towns and the State to band together to develop these mitigation and adaptation strategies, then this is it. 

3. How will you take into account environmental justice when making decisions about sustainable policy and practices for Maynard?  

I understand Environmental justice to be ‘the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people, regardless of race, color, national origin, or income, with respect to the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies’ (from the Office of Legacy Management). It is unfathomable to me that anybody might consider this to be an unreasonable goal, but unfair treatment can all too often occur as much through neglect or ignorance as through wilful intent. Indeed, this speaks to one of the reasons why I place affordable housing as a priority for the town, since this is an area historically notorious nationwide for discrimination. Decision makers need more than passion.  They need education to be informed and effective.  Fortunately, there is a vast range of resources available to help us and, even more importantly, many people in Maynard with the expertise to help bring these principles to bear on decision making in the town. 

4. What are some things you’d like to see happen for Maynard in the next 5 to 10 years?    

• The development of a senior center that serves as a hub for supporting the senior community in Maynard, and their involvement with other residents.

• The development of the Mill Buildings in some combination of residential and commercial use. I believe the general vision is available. We need the right people in the right places to engage in the local and regional bodies that can make such changes actually happen.

• A reinforcement of belief in and support for our town community. Despite a wide range of gripes and concerns about different aspects of the town, most people I talk to express pride and a sense of belonging to the town. I would like to see this culture maintained and shared with those who are newcomers to the town. 

• I would like to see all students graduating from high school, prepared and able to choose from a wide range of further education or professional opportunities.

• I would like to see the business and arts communities flourish and to be an integral part of our town. 

• I would like to see a Maynard that continues to welcome and foster diversity among its people in race, color, income, gender, expertise, age, and more. A diverse community can promote vibrancy. It leads to innovation and creativity that allows us to learn from each other and grow for mutual benefit.