Framingham Candidate Profile: Cesar Stewart-Morales For Council

FRAMINGHAM, MA — Two men are vying to replace Framingham Distrct 2 Councilor Pam Richardson. Cesar Stewart-Morales, 37, is a first-time candidate and former Town Meeting member trying to beat School Committee member Ricky Finlay.

Stewart-Morales, a Framingham High School grad, says the most important issues facing District 2 are the redevelopment of the Nobscott Shopping Center, and parking and traffic in the Saxonville area.

He's also highlighting the diverse background he'll bring to City Council: he's the only gay candidate in this election, he speaks five languages, including Spanish and Portugese, and is a certfied public accountant.

Here's how Stewart-Morales responded to the Patch candidate questionnaire.

The single most pressing issue facing our city is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.

As I have walked through our neighborhoods meeting and speaking with District 2 neighbors, I have heard about many concerns, but two have stood out:

The Nobscot residents of District 2 are worried about the Nobscot Plaza development that will be coming in the near future. While people are generally pleased to know that the plaza will soon undergo quite a transformation, worries exist around the impact on traffic and parking in the area. Traffic is quite an issue at the main Nobscot intersection and the residents expect that measures to improve traffic flow and pedestrian ways be incorporated into any future changes there. Parking is also a concern as there doesn’t seem to be enough in the area and that will likely worsen as residents lose access to the parking currently available in the plaza today.

As councilor, I plan to follow the development of Nobscot plaza closely in order to ensure that the community ends up with a developed Nobscot plaza that does not deviate far from what has been communicated to date by the developer. I will continue to be engaged with the District 1 and District 2 Nobscot residents through the Nobscot Neighbors group and will solicit feedback from involved citizens. I will do my best to advocate for the district in front of governmental bodies, such as the Planning Board, the Zoning Board of Appeals and the Department of Public Works.

Traffic and parking are also a concern in Saxonville Center. Improvements to traffic flow and pedestrian ways are needed in McGrath Square. Residents are happy to have a local coffee shop available to them but find it difficult at times to patronize the establishment due to the lack of access to parking. There is a desire to create a more vibrant village feel to the Saxonville Center area and there seems to be an opportunity to do that by restoring and/or reimagining uses for the three vacant city-owned properties at Watson Place. Speeding on Central St. and Concord St. continues to be a concern as well. I have been engaged in discussions about Saxonville Center through the Saxonville Working Group and would love to continue to hear from this active group of local residents and business owners. I plan on educating others on the council and throughout our city on the needs of Saxonville as I truly believe that investments in this area will benefit the entire city. Saxonville, rich in natural resources such as the Sudbury River, is an important historic site as the first settlement location in Framingham. As District 2 Councilor, I will be an advocate for Saxonville Center.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

I am one of the newer voices stepping up to serve on the City Council in Framingham. We need new voices and new ideas at the table. I have critical expertise that is currently lacking on the City Council.

I am the only candidate running for District 2 who has financial expertise.

I am the only candidate running for District 2 who has a Master's degree and is a certified public accountant.

I am the only candidate who is not only bilingual but can communicate in five different languages; English, Spanish, Portuguese, French and Italian.

I am the only candidate who is gay and hispanic raising adopted children and knows what it means to be different.

I live in a multigenerational home.

I am an independent thinker.

I know the questions to ask and how to build relationships.

I’m used to being the odd man out and still making great progress.

I have the professional skills, life experience skills, the education and business experience that will transfer directly to the city council for the benefit of our district and our city.

We need new voices and new ideas at the table. If we keep doing the same things with the same people who have the same abilities, we will only get the same results. It’s time to vote for people who are qualified and skilled, who bring valuable perspectives to the table so the council can better serve the residents. I have The Expertise We Need on the City Council.

If you are a challenger, in what way has the current board or officeholder failed the community?

Although there is no incumbent in the race for District 2 City Councilor this year, I will note that our current city council has not been able to make enough progress for the residents in several key areas.

I’m concerned about the budget process and the impact it has on our taxes, our ability to attract young professionals and to keep our seniors at home. We have a 300 million dollar budget and not enough financial expertise on the council. I am a Certified Public Accountant with a bachelor’s in finance and accounting from Bentley University and an MBA from Clark University. I manage billions of dollars in the renewable energy business. The Finance Subcommittee, the Mayor and the CFO need to design a precedent-setting budget process for our young city. I have the relationship skills and the finance skills that are needed to get that done.

I want to help people get engaged to serve and to share their ideas and concerns. As a commissioner on the Human Relations Commission I played an important role in recruiting more members resulting in a fully-seated commission. We are currently in the process of doing this again due to new vacancies. Councilors can and should recruit people for our boards, they shouldn’t have to wait to be asked by the Mayor for help on this. I will make sure work with the Mayor to get more people engaged. I can communicate in English, Spanish, Portuguese, French and Italian. In a community where our high schoolers speak more than 70 different languages, this ability will serve us well.

It is understandable that the Council and Mayor may have differing priorities. However, there is no reason why we can’t support each other and work on more than a single area at a time. I am not afraid to publicly support a good solution to a problem as proposed by the Mayor because of how it will look politically. I would like to see many more joint resolutions issued and joint efforts on working on new and better city ordinances that the Mayor is on board with.

Also, as an important municipality in MetroWest, Framingham needs to show leadership. There is much more that we can do in helping to fight the Climate Crisis, being innovative in the area of Environmental Justice, we need to adopt the Community Preservation Act ,and generally, we need to take a firm position on important national and state issues that affect our residents.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform:

My campaign platform is focused on the following:
- Improve the overall budget process
- Collaborate on important projects such as addressing our city-owned properties
- Build and strengthen relationships with local businesses to foster creative economic development
- Open the lines of communication so everyone can get involved
My priorities include:
- Strong Schools
- Protecting our neighborhoods from inappropriate development
- Preserving open space and taking care of our waterways and natural resources
- Addressing traffic flow and parking issues while accommodating pedestrians and bicyclists
- Taking care of our seniors and easing the tax burden
- Making Framingham greener with a stronger commitment and action now!
- Working better together at all levels

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

I am proud of my accomplishments. I am an immigrant, a latino, a gay man raised modestly by a hard-working divorced mother and with a younger brother. I see now that the odds were stacked against me but I never allowed myself to feel that way growing up. I was a great student and I figured out early how to set goals for myself and how to achieve them. I was resourceful and I figured out where to find guidance when I needed help. When I came across a roadblock, I found another way. I was in honors and advanced placement courses in the Framingham Public School system, often as one of the only latinos in my classes. When college time came around, I wasn’t rejected by a single one of the universities that I applied to.

I worked 30+ hours a week while attending Bentley University full-time. I took courses in the summer and graduated early. I earned my bachelor’s degree and found a job in my field earning more than almost any other family member on my first job out of college. I worked my way up steadily. I was the first in my family living in the U.S. to graduate from high school, undergraduate and graduate school. I was a homeowner at 22 years old. I married my high school sweetheart and adopted two beautiful boys.

In my spare time, I have helped my extended family, worked with the local immigrant community, served on condo boards, mentored a high school student, become an active member of my church, supported numerous charitable causes and organizations, and served on non-profit boards. I now continue in that spirit with my membership in the Framingham Democratic Committee and with my work in Framingham Town, and now, City government.

My past accomplishments are many and it is reflective of a track record of someone who knows what it takes to get things done. I am familiar with the kinds of challenges that face many of the different communities that call Framingham home. My professional and life experiences are broad and diverse. I have The Expertise We Need on the city council.

The best advice ever shared with me was ...

“Be a good person.” I heard this very simple motto on the radio a few years ago. Basically, this is my goal in life. I want to be a good person. I have learned how it feels to be treated badly or unfairly first-hand. I value honesty, kindness, and empathy. I try my best to be aware of how my actions affect others; I always have been sensitive to that. I try to help others by volunteering my time and expertise. I try to help our world by working in a field that is helping make progress where it is needed. When I see a need, I try to fill it. I support good causes whenever I can. I try every day to raise my sons to be good people, too.

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

As a first time politician, I know that representing District 2 on the City Council will be a very challenging experience. No one, including myself, has all the right answers. I look forward to working with other district and at-large representatives that the people have elected to be their voice on the city council. I look forward to learning from them and learning from the residents who come to us with the matters that are important to them. As a councilor, I will try my best to keep an open mind. My experience working in teams in corporate settings and working with other qualified volunteers on non-profit and community boards has helped me develop the skills that are needed to solve problems effectively. I am a good listener, I have good judgement in distinguishing between important and irrelevant information, and I am comfortable taking a leadership role in proposing solutions. I am also flexible enough to adapt to changing situations when presented with new information. I am focused, and I show up to work when there is work to be done.

I ask for your support in this very important city election that is happening at a very important time for our young city. Find out more about me online at www.CesarForFramingham.com or by reaching out to me by e-mail to Cesar@CesarForFramingham.com or by phone to (508) 250-0503. Please vote for Cesar Stewart-Morales on Tuesday, November 5th!