Priority Areas & Issues

Balanced Growth & Economic Development

Keeping our town attractive to businesses and families is essential to our viability as a community. Bringing in new revenue-generation opportunities will ensure we can meet our present and future needs, provide the most optimal services for residents and give our students the highest-quality education possible. While onboarding new development entails the involvement of other town boards and not solely the council, the focus should be on repurposing vacant or crumbling properties into new opportunities for housing, business, and recreation. In some cases, the town must seek to acquire and sell such parcels to developers with a vision most in line with North Attleboro’s needs.

Supporting our Schools

As with any town, our schools are the lifeblood of our community. As the only Councilor and one of two candidates to have been a voting School Committee member, I will continue to advocate for our students and staff to have the resources they need to provide the most optimal learning opportunities. We also need to make sure the mental health needs of all students and school/town employees are adequately funded and addressed. I believe opportunities exist for improving and streamlining the working relationship between the Town and Schools, especially in operations and budget formation.

Public Safety & Health

All levels of government owe the people adequate investment in public safety. That does not just mean making sure we have enough police officers, firefighters, and paramedics, but taking a holistic approach to reducing the drain on public safety resources-for instance, improving our downtown to reduce speeding and enhance pedestrian safety, finding ways to mitigate traffic in problematic areas, and more prompt attention to damaged roads. While our current most prevalent public safety issues are a speeding epidemic, rat infestation, and a PFAS issue, new issues will inevitably arise, and it is essential that Town Council, public safety officials, residents, and professionals come together to form common-sense solutions to mitigate these and other potential problems.

Supporting & Encouraging Small Business

Whether they are shops, services, or restaurants, small businesses are what keep any local economy going and bring its people together. While North Attleboro’s economy has come a long way in recent years, there remains a reputation of being unfriendly to business. One major area for improvement that has been highlighted in the last two years is the licensing process-while I look forward to the Charter Review Committee’s recommendations, the town and aspiring business owners would benefit from an appeals process when the Licensing Board denies an application.

Responsible Spending & Effective Governance

In these times of high inflation, it is important that we recognize the impact property taxes have on the budgets of hard-working individuals and families. While tax money must be spent wisely, we cannot afford to delay much-needed and overdue maintenance and infrastructure upgrades. We must prioritize projects and measures that will most effectively improve life in the community and boost the local economy. The most crucial factor in that, and in all aspects of government, is taking residents’ feedback to heart.

Housing

Massachusetts and the nation are in the midst of a housing crisis. This is an issue that town government cannot solve alone, but must be done with the help of our state and federal leaders. As we look for mixed-use opportunities, the town is in serious need of housing for the 55+ community and opportunities for younger folks to buy homes. Incentivizing developers to invest in senior housing will give our 55+ population new options for downsizing and open up new real estate opportunities for younger residents.