All Melrose voters will elect one City Councilor to represent their ward, four City Councilors At Large, and three School Committee members. They will also vote on three Proposition 2.5 override ballot questions.
Manjula Karamcheti is running for a third term as Ward 1’s city councilor because, she said, “I want to make sure the residents of Ward 1 are represented and their voices are heard.”
“A lot of my work has been guided by the goal of equity and access for students and families,” Karamcheti said. “This has led me to do a lot of advocacy work, and a lot of coalition-building.”
Robb Stewart is running for a fourth term representing Ward 3 on the City Council because, he said, “I have a strong network in the community, and I want to continue to represent and serve the residents of Ward 3 and provide the perspective of someone who’s lived here for a long time.”
Christopher Park is running for Ward 3 City Councilor because, he said, “I’m in a place where I want to give back to the community, and this is my way of giving back.”
Brad Freeman is running to represent Ward 4 on the City Council because, he said, “I’ve spent a lot of time in community service, and I’m ready to give back more. Between my community and professional service, I have a lot to give back, and I have a proven track record of delivering results that would fit well with both Ward 4 and the city.”
Philip Gindi is running to represent Ward 4 on the City Council because, he said, “our city deserves transparent, thoughtful, and forward-looking leadership.” In particular, he expressed concern over what he sees as a lack of accountability for the city’s budgeting and spending.
Ward Hamilton is running to represent Ward 4 on the City Council because, he said, “I am firmly committed to maintaining a strict, fiscally conservative approach to city finances.”
Kim Vandiver is running for a second term as Ward 5’s representative on the City Council because, she said, “I want to continue what I’ve been doing: providing detailed oversight; pushing for specific improvements where there are opportunities to do so; connecting Ward 5 residents to information and resources; and satisfying my own curiosity about how everything in city government works and fits together.”
Cal Finocchiaro is running for a second term as Ward 6’s representative on the City Council “because I like helping people,” she said. “As ward councilor, I’m able to be the contact person for issues - I’m able to help make changes and help people with problems that come up.”
“I grew up here,” Finocchiaro reflected, “and so I love being able to give back and make some decisions about where the city’s going.”
Current Ward 7 City Councilor Devin Romanul, who is running for a second term on the City Council, calls local government “the cause of my life.” He sees his work on the City Council as supporting his goal of “making Melrose the best city in America to raise a family.”
Alex Rodriguez is running to represent Ward 7 on the City Council because he wants “to make sure that Melrose stays a great place to grow up and grow old” and to challenge what he sees as a culture on the City Council where hard questions are not asked and substantive debate is discouraged.
Maya Jamaleddine is running for a fourth term on the City Council to continue her goal representing the entire Melrose community and specifically groups of people in Melrose whom she believes are not otherwise represented in city government.
“When I first ran,” she said, “it was because I felt that a large segment of the population was not being represented on the City Council, and we needed to have a voice for underrepresented people on the Council. Now, looking at what’s going on at the local and the national level, it’s not the time to sit back and say, ‘other people will be able to represent us.’”
Ryan Williams is running for a third term on the City Council because, he said, “I really enjoy the work, I think that I have a lot to offer, and I don’t think my work is done yet.”
“We need a collaborative and functional group of people on the City Council who want to work together, and that’s what I’m there to do - I’m on the Council to work together as a team with the other councilors, to solve problems and make the city a better place.”
Jason Chen is running for City Council At Large because, he said, “I want to help keep Melrose on course for the short term and the long term.”
In particular, Chen intends to focus on ensuring that the $130 million Public Safety Buildings Project stays on budget and on time; pedestrian and traffic safety issues related to new housing developments; and, whether an override passes or not, “making sure we properly prioritize our spending and helping people understand how the money is being spent.”
Dionysios Kaskarelis (often known as ‘Dion’) is running for City Council At Large because, he said, “I love Melrose, I am invested in Melrose for the long term, and I want to see the city thrive.”
“I want to use the position of city councilor as a platform to give residents a voice and the ability to shape the future of our city,” he said. “And I believe in the power of government: going back to ancient Greek times, democracy literally translates from demos - people - and kratos - the state. It’s government by the people, for the people.”
Elizabeth Kowal is running for City Council At Large because, she said, “I love Melrose and I want to be part of its future, and I want to help it grow and develop and continue to be the fabulous place that it is today.”
“I have a unique skillset that lends itself to this type of work, and I think there are gaps that currently exist, which I have personally experienced, that I could help fill. I have been lucky enough to be involved with the city through my volunteer work on the Public Safety Facilities Advisory Committee and the Human Rights Commission, and I believe that there’s more that I can do for the city.”
Camarie Clark is running for School Committee because, she said, “we have had four superintendents in four years. We do not have stability in our leadership. I think it’s important to have somebody in the superintendent position that the School Committee can support and who can create that level playing field for everybody. We’re always stuck in that transition year - transition after transition after transition, but we’re never moving forward.”
Melissa Holleran is running for a position on the School Committee because, she said, “our city is at a critical point right now, and I grew up learning that you don’t just help out when it’s easy - you help out when it’s hard. Right now it’s going to be really hard, but I want to be involved and participate, and make sure that everyone’s voices are heard.”
Sheri Leo is running for a position on the School Committee because, she said, “I can see a path forward for Melrose and I want to be part of the solution.”
“Melrose is at a critical moment right now,” she emphasized. “The outcome of the override vote really will determine the future of our city and our schools. My experiences and skills and background are, I believe, especially relevant in this moment. And I’m the parent of a 7th grader and a 9th grader, so we are experiencing the current crunch along with everyone else.”
Jennifer Razi-Thomas is running for a third term on the School Committee because, she said, “it’s so important to support the schools right now, given where we’re at with the budget and teacher layoffs and having a new interim superintendent. It’s been an honor and a privilege to serve our children and families and educators, and I hope that, by the end of this term, the district will be in much better shape than it is now, and I hope to help it along.”
