Background
I have been a town councilor for almost two years now. As a trained mediator, I have found my skills useful in facilitating conversations and exploring the underlying concerns and ideas behind statements made at meetings. In addition, as a longtime resident my understanding of Watertown and our community has been invaluable in guiding my decisions and votes on issues. I have learned a lot serving Watertown and I hope to continue to do so!
Website: www.carolinebays.com
Candidate Statement
We have a lot of important decisions to make in the coming years. We need to make sure Watertown has great schools, and we’ll be renovating all the school buildings in the coming years. I want to make sure Watertown is a livable community, which is why I’m working on things like development, the noise ordinance, traffic, and affordable housing. I want to make sure that our elected officials are responsive and representative, which is why I’m working to improve town communication with the public. I’ll be serving on key committees, engaging the public on these issues, and advocating on behalf of the people of Watertown.
For committees I serve on, ongoing issues include:
Housing – The most important work we are working on concerns issues about housing. I am proud of the work we did to find places where we can offer some relief from the rising rents to residents here in Watertown. But we still need to do more. We will continue working to find relief for our citizens.
Noise – The Human Services Committee has also been working on the noise ordinance. Noise in Watertown has risen to an untenable level, especially as more and more residents hire landscapers. We need to place some reasonable limits on the proliferation of noise for the health of our residents.
Communication – We just presented the results of the Kitchen Table Conversations that took place over the last few months. We learned where we are succeeding and where we are failing in engaging with residents. I look forward to analyzing the data and then developing recommendations of policy to bring forward to the whole town council.
Elections – And finally, as chair of the Personnel and Town Organization I also will be working hard over the next few months to have a welcome packet ready for any new town councilors who get elected. We will have at least one and I want to help ease the transition onto the council as much as possible so new town councilors can work productively with their peers!
In addition to the committee work, I have really enjoyed listening to residents over the last few years. Constituent services and solving residents’ problems is one of the things I love best about being a town councilor. I have been able to talk to a wide variety of people and get a sense for the issues that really affect residents in town. If I am re-elected I hope to keep that conversation going!