Teona Brown Challenging Marlborough Councilor Tunnera In 2021

MARLBOROUGH, MA — The only contested Marlborough City Council race in 2021 is the race for Ward 4, where five-term incumbent Robert Tunnera is facing first-time candidate Teona Brown.

Brown, 43, said she's always wanted to run for local office and hopes to win the Ward 4 seat to serve as a problem-solver for local residents. Brown is giving Tunnera his first challenge since he won the Ward 4 seat in a special election in 2010.

Marlborough Patch sent both candidates a questionnaire to allow voters to get to know them and their positions. Here's what Brown had to say:

Can you tell us a bit about yourself and your background and why you decided to run in 2021?

I am a lifelong resident of Marlborough and a graduate of Marlborough High School, class of 1996, and earned a BA in Sociology at Framingham State University. I live on Millham Street, along with my husband, Chris, and our son, Tanner, who is a student at Richer School. I am a licensed early educator and am director-certified in the field as well. I am a licensed insurance adjuster, which is the career I started this year.

I decided to run in 2021 because I feel there are a lot of residents who have concerns but do not know where to have those concerns addressed. I see a lot of conversations happening on local social media pages and I would love to represent Ward 4 and be the person to whom my fellow ward residents can bring those concerns. Since childhood, I have wanted to serve my community in this capacity, and given the time I have available, I am at a point where I am able to take on this big responsibility and be a responsive representative.

What's the biggest issue facing Ward 4 right now and what do you intend to do about it?

While out canvassing, I have had many conversations with residents over the last several months, and I feel the issue that has been brought to my attention most often is the proposed fire station on the west side of the city. I have heard overwhelming feedback from neighbors and residents who are opposed to the location in the Elm Street area. Many have expressed the need for a station on our end of the city, but do not understand why the proposed location is in an area that is mostly residential. The west side of town has a lot of non-residential areas, and people have asked me why the station cannot be built along Route 20 or near one of the office parks. The residents are also sharing that they do not feel like their concerns have been heard and/or their concerns are brushed aside in a dismissive way. If I have the honor of being elected to represent our Ward, I would not be dismissive of our residents’ concerns. While I am aware it would not be up to my single vote, I would absolutely bring discussions up with the other elected officials and speak on behalf of the residents’ feelings.

At a recent public meeting, residents were invited to listen to a presentation about the proposed station. During the presentation, it was mentioned that there were other sites available in the past, which could have been suitable for a station, but those sites are no longer an option. Not many years ago, the west end of Marlborough did not have much development. It is disappointing to me that, while we have known for a long time there is a need for a station on the west side, so much building occurred and the station location seems to be an afterthought.

How will you serve Ward 4 differently than the current Councilor?

I have heard from residents that they wish there was more communication from their councilor. I have a goal to bring our community together and encourage more people to be involved and have meaningful, productive conversations. I would like to host a Ward 4 meet-up twice per year, where we can come together and discuss any issues impacting our part of the city and the city as a whole, and any successes we would like to see continued in our community. I will send out a quarterly newsletter via email and post it to my website, to keep people informed about important happenings or updates. I will also make myself available by phone or email, to discuss any pressing items needing more immediate attention.

How will you work with either a new mayor or the incumbent to get things accomplished in 2022 and beyond?

My top priority is working with the new or incumbent mayor and other elected officials by communicating on behalf of my fellow neighbors. If there are issues where we do not see eye-to-eye, I am the type of person who will listen to the other side and will want to work together to reach a mutual decision, however, if there is an issue the constituents feel strongly about and I feel it is for the best of our greater community, I am quite comfortable speaking to those points and doing my best to have the voice of the people be heard. As I have knocked on doors and met so many people during my campaign journey, I have been taking note of the concerns that have been brought up to me, and there have been a few items that have been brought up repeatedly. In addition to the fire station, people have spoken about issues regarding water main breaks and water pressure problems, traffic concerns, and worries about how the pace of development in the city has impacted our infrastructure. Since these seem to be common topics, I would like to learn more about what we are currently doing to address these concerns and if we are not, what can be done.

Related: Marlborough Councilor Tunnera On Why He Wants 6th Term