Marlborough Candidate Profile: Samantha Perlman For City Council

MARLBOROUGH, MA — There are seven people running for four at-large seats on the Marlborough City Council in 2019. That includes four incumbent City Councilors and three challengers.

One of those challengers is Samantha Perlman, 24, a first-time candidate who is the chair of the Marlborough Cultural Council.

Perlman grew up in Marlborough and graduated from city schools. She works as the civic engagement manager at the nonprofit Scholars Strategy Network, but she has previously worked in federal and state government.

Here's how Perlman 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.

Our most pressing issue is the city’s need to balance initiatives aimed at economic success with that of the quality of life of residents. We need to manage growth so a diversity of residents with a wide range of income-levels can thrive in our city and have access to human services and housing - whether that is seniors, families, veterans or new residents. Further, we must not lose sight of the crucial infrastructure and services necessary for a city of our size such as the much needed west side fire station and road maintenance.

To find this balance, I will work with other local leaders, organizations, businesses, department heads, residents and schools to develop long-term planning goals based on our zoning, rate of growth, available land, protection for open space and infrastructure needs. In the midst of such growth, Marlborough must also retain its historic character, most evident in our downtown revitalization, where we should continue emphasis on local businesses and community events. As a candidate, I have a willingness to learn the changing needs in our city. I have already spoken with various department heads, including our Police Chief, Fire Chief, Conservation Officer, Superintendent of Schools and other community leaders, as well as our front-line municipal workers. These people have the hands on knowledge we need to utilize to have a healthy balance of growth and quality of life.

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

I bring fresh eyes to the office of Councilor At-Large as a first time candidate with a background as a civic educator, community organizer and experiences engaging young people in government. I also have worked in the state and federal branches of government where I saw firsthand the value of constituent services and building relationships with those you serve. Prioritizing residents first is a mantra that I am living out uniquely as a Candidate At-Large. I have knocked on over 2000 doors to meet residents because I believe the future of Marlborough depends on collaboration, communication and transparency between local government and residents. I have also prioritized engaging youth as volunteers on our campaign to gain an understanding of the inner-workings of running for office.

Most importantly, I am listening. I have knocked on doors in every ward, have my website translated into Spanish and Portuguese, as well as attended meetings of groups ranging from the local Disabled American Veterans organization, BNI chapter to the Rotary Club to hear the concerns and hopes for our community members.

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

Our city is strongest when we have a wide range of voices on our Council who represent the community. I am running because we need to engage people who have not felt part of the political process such as asking for their feedback, offering materials in multiple languages, learning from our Metrowest neighbors and engaging a diversity of perspectives in government.

Often, city government operates separately from residents. It is only when we break down walls between community and government do we make systemic impact that empowers our residents. I am best suited to make that bold change. As a young woman raised in Marlborough, with a clear commitment to our city and experience in local government and civic engagement, I am your unique choice for Councilor At-Large.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform:

As mentioned above, civic engagement is key to my platform to ensure that we are creating pipelines of leadership for the leaders of tomorrow. For example, I am excited to work in collaboration with our School Committee and spearhead a high school City Council shadowing program. Further, I will host various forums and meet ups around the city to continue incorporating the feedback of residents. I will help community members learn how to join appointed boards and commissions and circulate information about how to give public comment.

I will work to ensure Marlborough remains affordable as it is increasingly challenging for those who grew up or raised a family here to continue living in the city. I will fight for human services to support residents going through hardship or transition periods. Further, I look forward to partnering with our Veterans Council and Senior Center to ensure a high quality of life for veterans and seniors.

Another key component of my campaign is responsiveness to combat climate change. As your Councilor At-Large, I will advocate for increased public transportation within the city, bike lanes and the new bus connection to the Southboro commuter rail. Further, I support increased renewable energy in city buildings to reduce energy consumption and save tax dollars as well as protect open space in our city.

With regard to downtown revitalization, I look forward to working with other Councilors, the Mayor and our business community to live out the downtown’s promise as a designated cultural district, where all small businesses thrive. Furthermore, I will help the development of a dog park in the city, given our large dog-owning population and high demand for such a project.

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

Through my nonprofit role, I helped pass MA state legislation in November 2018 called An Act to Promote and Enhance Civic Education because I am invested in supporting education and future generations. This law ensures that every student in Massachusetts has access to student-led nonpartisan civics projects that prioritize discussions across divergent views, evidence-based analysis and direct engagement with local policymakers on an issue in their community. To pass this state legislation, I served on a statewide civic learning coalition that enabled me to be a legislative advocate, cooperate across divergent views and actively listen to the various stakeholders involved. Shortly after, our collective efforts continued as we secured $1.5 million in the state budget for a Civics Project Trust Fund to ensure robust statewide curriculum development and teacher training. Throughout my education, I also worked in state and federal offices within the legislative and judicial branches in Boston and D.C., which strengthened my skills of constituent services, time management and communication.

I am also active locally which led me to my appointment to the Marlborough Cultural Council. My fellow members recently elected me as Chair based on my organization, communication, and proactive working style. Serving in this capacity showed me how local government operates, how to manage state grant funding and instilled in me a continued desire to support the arts.

Through other professional development opportunities, I honed community building skills that will be vital as a Councilor. For example, I was selected as one of 15 young professionals across Greater Boston to help facilitate a nonpartisan civic training for 18-26 year-olds in affiliation with a national foundation. Additionally, I am ready to move our city further into the future through the use of technology. Last year, I designed a technology pilot as a global fellow with the Institute for Canadian Citizenship in coordination with my nonprofit to connect Boston students to one another through collaborative technology. This project advanced my skills of creativity, financial management and problem solving that will serve me well in tackling our city’s 21st century challenges.

The best advice ever shared with me was ...

Anything worth fighting for takes time and hard work. Always give 110% to what you care about and the people around you.

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

I am fortunate to have grown up in our city, a community that instilled in me the value of public service which I carry forward today. In this election, I also see that young people are looking to me to see if public service represents them, especially as I grew up in our city and continue to be actively involved as a young professional. In the organizations I joined, I was often the only young woman present. I came to realize the importance of new voices - especially the voices of women - that reflect the diversity of our city in public office. This is important as our current Council has one woman out of 11 Councilors and I would be the youngest woman ever elected to our Council.

A vote for me, Samantha Perlman, is not a vote for a candidate in a race- it is an investment in the future of our community where we work together to create a Marlborough that thrives. I ask for your vote this November 5th for Councilor At-Large.