Alice Rose Merkl: Salem City Council Candidate Profile

SALEM, MA — Alice Rose Merkl is seeking her first term as a Salem City Councilor At-Large.

The 58-year-old mother graduated from Salter College in Worcester and has spent the last 20 years working as a piano teacher and is an avid volunteer for many civic organizations and committees.

She told Patch she is looking to serve Salem residents through battling the climate crisis on a municipal level and helping to improve public health for seniors and food security for underserved populations.

The citywide election is on Nov. 2.

Campaign website

electalicemerkl.com

Why are you seeking elective office?

I am running for Councillor At-Large because what affects our day-to-day quality of life, what we rely on the most, happens at the local level of government. With my strong connections to our Salem neighborhoods through my extensive volunteer work and community service, I will bring an informed, in-touch voice to our city council.

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

There are two issues that I see as the most pressing. One is climate change and sustainability. We have a working group currently updating our Wetlands and Floodplains Regulations and implementing these regulations once completed will be critical. I will follow the guidance and recommendations of our environmental advocates such as Salem Alliance for the Environment; Salem Sustainability, Energy and Resiliency Committee; and the Salem Sound Coastwatch. I am excited about the Resilient Together partnership between Salem and Beverly to address the climate crisis, and about the possibility of bringing the off-shore wind industry to Salem. We also need to continue pursuing grants such as the grant received for the Columbus Avenue Seawall.

The other most pressing issue is public health, which includes addressing issues of safety, equity, food insecurity, affordable housing and services to our seniors and underserved community members. I am grateful for the work being done to protect our residents and visitors by the Salem Board of Health and city leadership through the COVID crisis and will support their initiatives and efforts in keeping our communities safe. I will advocate for implementing the Housing Production Plan being created by the Affordable Housing Trust Fund Board for adding more affordable housing options in Salem. I also want to reintroduce the Inclusionary Zoning Ordinance.

I am pleased the city has created a new Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion position to implement the recommendations from the Race Equity Task Force report and am committed to these efforts to identify and address systemic racism.

Through my volunteer work with our Salem Pantry and the Mack Park Food Farm, I see firsthand the effects food insecurity has on so many of our residents. I was also part of the Salem Together program making calls to our senior residents checking on their well-being. I'm proud of the work our city leadership and volunteers have done to meet the needs of our community members, especially during the COVID crisis, and will continue to work to keep programs serving our residents funded and supported.

Another important component of public health is maintaining safe streets and sidewalks. I will work with our residents and the Traffic and Parking Commission to implement traffic calming initiatives.

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

I admire and am grateful for anyone who runs for office. Giving our voters options on the ballot is critical to a strong democracy. All the candidates have unique experiences and ideas to bring to the table. I feel my greatest strength is my connections to our communities. I have the opportunity through my volunteer work to talk with and listen to hundreds of our residents every week, which I feel will be a huge asset to our city council.

How do you think local officials performed in responding to the coronavirus? What if anything would you have done differently?

I am pleased with our city leadership through the COVID crisis and am grateful to our Board of Health and Mayor (Kim) Driscoll for basing their mandates and restrictions on the most up-to-date scientific data. What has been impressive is their ability to come up with plan B, C, and D as the circumstances of the COVID crisis rapidly change. I am also grateful to our frontline workers who have been amazing. I am committed to continuing our "Keep Salem Open" approach to support our small businesses and restaurants and keep our residents and visitors safe.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform.

Other issues of importance to me include support for our small businesses and creative communities. I have been working for small, family-owned businesses and running my own small business in the arts for over 20 years here in Massachusetts. I enjoy working with the collaborative efforts of Creative Collective, Salem Main Streets and the Salem Chamber of Commerce to support our business and creative communities and advocating for these efforts will be a priority for me.

Another issue of importance is funding and maintaining our parks and open spaces. Having public parks and spaces available and accessible to all our residents is critical. Investments in public spaces help address socioeconomic inequalities and health disparities.

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

With my strong support, advocacy and service to all our residents I have shown my ability to listen to and work with city leadership, city committees and various organizations to better serve our residents, particularly during a crisis. In January I received an award from the Massachusetts House of Representatives in recognition for my "tireless efforts and community spirit bringing the best of Salem to people in need," presented to me by State Rep. Paul Tucker. I have also received the endorsement of the Rainbow Times and the Mass Women's Political Caucus in recognition of my hard work and commitment to advocating for the safety and well-being of all our communities. I truly enjoy my community service and love hearing ideas from others and working on collaborative efforts to better serve and care for our residents.

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

Please visit my website for more information. And thank you for your consideration on November 2nd.