With the November 7 City Election on the horizon, here is some campaign news. A lot of it came to us from the committees working to elect candidates.
Jen Grigoraitis endorsed by Congresswoman Katherine Clark
Melrose City Council President and Mayoral candidate Jen Grigoraitis has been endorsed by Congresswoman Katherine Clark. Grigoraitis, who currently serves as CIty Council President and Ward 6 City Councilor, finished in first place in the September preliminary election, and has led all candidates in endorsements from elected officials and organized labor, and most recently earned the support of Governor Maura Healey and Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll.
Congresswoman Katherine Clark said, “Melrose is a special place to me, which is why it is so important that its next mayor has the vision and experience to move Melrose forward. I have worked closely with Jen Grigoraitis and seen her proven leadership as City Council President and a community leader. She has my full support, and I look forward to working together to deliver results for Melrose.”
Grigoraitis said, “I am truly honored to be endorsed by Congresswoman Katherine Clark. This endorsement is especially meaningful, coming from the most influential woman in Congress, and also the someone who has been our neighbor in Melrose and represented us in State and Federal government for the past twenty years. As mayor, I look forward to working in close partnership with Katherine to deliver the resources, services, and effective leadership to move Melrose forward.”
City Democrats endorse candidates
The Democratic City Committee makes the following endorsements in the November 7th election.
For Mayor, we endorse Jennifer Grigoraitis. Throughout her time on City Council and through her campaign, she has demonstrated a nuanced understanding of all of the issues facing Melrose, an ability to communicate those complex issues to the average person on the street, an openness to hear feedback from all sides of any given controversy, and the strength of character to make difficult decisions and stick by them until resolution is achieved. She will make an excellent mayor.
For Councilor-at-Large, we endorse Maya Jamaleddine, Leila B. Migliorelli, Edward J. O’Connell, and Ryan L. Williams. These four candidates hold a combined twenty years of elected government experience in Melrose and have demonstrated their ability to work together as part of a team to move our city forward. Each one can also point to an individual record of accomplishment that the other candidates in this race lack. They will make for thoughtful and useful partners for Grigoraitis as she charts the future for our city, and we urge you to vote for all four in this four-seat race.
For Ward Six Councilor, we endorse Barbara L. Travers. Travers, who like her opponent is a newcomer to Melrose politics, has shown a willingness to listen and learn from her neighbors, and through her service as Winthrop PTO Treasurer has demonstrated a seriousness of purpose in grappling with Melrose’s budget reality. If they wish to continue to enjoy the Grigoraitis standard of competent, hard-working representation that steers clear of unnecessary controversy and delivers for the neighborhood, Ward Six voters should choose Travers.
For Ward Two Councilor, we endorse John C. Obremski. Obremski provided a steady hand for Ward Two on the council over the past two years, and he has earned another term.
For School Committee, we endorse Matthew L. Hartman and Seamus Kelley. Hartman and Kelley will join the School Committee following a year beset with difficulty, and they both have shown that they understand the seriousness of the work they will undertake. They have already done much to learn from the varied perspectives of parents, teachers, and administrators that the school committee must keep in balance. They promise to bring new life and fresh perspectives to the work of the committee.
Although they do not face opponents on the ballot, we nonetheless heartily endorse Manjula N. Karamcheti in Ward One, who has provided strong representation for her constituents over the past two years, and Kim Vandiver in Ward Five and Devin Romanul in Ward Seven, who have demonstrated great promise as candidates, and we expect will make fine councilors once elected.
Finally, we urge Melrosians to vote yes for our public safety buildings. None of us like to see our taxes raised, but far worse than higher taxes would be the disasters that could unfold if we do not have properly funded and equipped police and fire departments. Vote yes for the safety of all of us.
To learn more about our endorsed candidates, please visit our candidates’ page at melrosedems.org/2023elections-1