Ryan Williams Running For Ward 7 Alderman

My name is Ryan Williams and today I announce my candidacy for the 2019 election to the Melrose Board of Alderman (soon to be City Council), representing the good people of Ward 7.

Melrose is an incredible community and my family is fortunate to call it home. Ward 7 is an amazing place to live, learn and play. Whether you live in the cozy neighborhoods along Lebanon Street or the quiet and beautiful land around Swains Pond and Knox Memorial Park, Ward 7 features some of the best of what Melrose has to offer. We all sense that Melrose is going through an exciting and historic transition, and I am excited for the chance to bring my talents and my neighbor’s voices to City Hall.

From the first day that I joined the Ward 7 community, I’ve been working to make improvements not only on my street, but across our ward. Whenever I see an issue, no matter how small, I work to improve it for the benefit of all. This year, I spearheaded a community request resulting in two new accessible crosswalks on Lebanon, with more traffic calming measures on the way. That gives residents of all ages and abilities (including those of us who push strollers and walk our children to school) safe access to schools and parks, and cuts down on neighborhood traffic. The year before, I successfully worked with the city to replace the sidewalks for eight households on my block, and flagged the need for more ramps at street crossings. As a new Hoover dad, I’ll be working with the PTO and school to suggest ways to make it safer, easier and more fun to walk my new Hoover Hawk to her kindergarten class.

As your alderman/councilor, I’ll continue to work with my neighbors and the city to ensure that critical Ward 7 infrastructure is maintained and improved in a timely manner. I’ll secure sidewalk and road improvements, and where it makes sense, recommend adding new sidewalks that can ease traffic congestion and make walking our ward easier and safer. I’ll raise your concerns that our streets should be safe and comfortable to drive and bike on and safe to walk across, and I’ll put a plan together for our parks, open lands, and athletic fields to receive regular investment and maintenance. I’ll lay the groundwork for better systems to request city services and learn about public meetings and new projects. I’ll also work with the other aldermen/councilors and the mayor’s office to ensure transparency and accountability from our city budgets so we can be sure our hard-earned tax dollars will come back to benefit our community.

All of this is a big job, and I can’t do it without the support of my friends and neighbors. To share your ideas, or volunteer to join me on the campaign, contact me at Ryan@RyanforMelrose.com or call or text to 781-218-9287. Follow the campaign and learn more about me and my ideas at RyanForMelrose.com or Facebook.com/RyanForMelrose. Thank you for giving me the chance to give you a choice.