Kimberly Martin-Epstein: Swampscott Select Board Candidate Profile

SWAMPSCOTT, MA — Kimberly L. Martin-Epstein is a first-time candidate for the Swampscott Select Board.

She is one of three candidates seeking two open seats in the annual town election on April 26.

The 52-year-old mother of two is an attorney with degrees from Cornell University and the University of Wisconsin who has served on the Swampscott Affordable Housing Trust and as an elected town meeting member.

She told Patch her goal on the Board would be to work collaboratively to solve issues facing the town from affordable housing to school funding to the health of the town beaches and more.

Campaign website

Martin-Epstein for Swampscott

Why are you seeking elective office?

I love Swampscott, and there's no better way to show that than to volunteer and serve. There are exciting opportunities for the town, and critical issues to address, and now is the time to step up.

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

To pick a single issue would be unfair to the diverse concerns expressed by people living in Swampscott. Residents continually consider serious issues, including funding our schools, the ability of small businesses to thrive, racial and economic equity, climate resiliency and the health of our beaches and ocean, preservation of open space, housing prices, and food instability.

If elected, I would work collaboratively inside and outside of Swampscott to make real progress on these serious issues.

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

I believe I have the most experience moderating conflicting views while working toward a productive and positive goal. In my professional life, I am consistently working with stakeholders who need to come together to accomplish something that benefits everyone.

In my position on the Affordable Housing Trust, I have urged our town boards and committees to work together on issues identified by the Trust, but have found it difficult to get traction on an acceptable level of cooperation and interaction. If I am a member of the Select Board, I believe I will be in a better position to change that dynamic, which should lead to more efficient work between boards and committees.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform.

My campaign platform is rooted in the belief that the public should be able to trust the governing bodies of the town so that the initiatives the town wants to promote will be considered in the best light by various factions. I believe I can be a voice of calm reason and help constituents accept the fact that we have to move forward on matters such as affordable housing, transportation accessibility, environmental improvements, town finances, and overall equity.

I understand that this will require compromises from all sides and achieving some compromise will be challenging. I intend to take each matter up not only as a task, whether it is passing a financial policy, dealing with a personnel matter, or proposing a bold development project, but as a piece of an overall plan to keep Swampscott progressing towards a high quality of life for all residents.

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

My professional life — growing a practice, managing complex transactions, and satisfying multiple clients, all while rising to the position of managing partner in my firm — is an accomplishment that evidences my ability to work with various people and differing points of view to achieve common goals. I have also had many experiences working on boards and with challenging organizations where very difficult decisions had to be made. Some of those decisions were economic and some were social/political. Dealing with each and everyone was an accomplishment.

The best advice ever shared with me was:

The only way out is through.

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

While I typically trust my gut when making decisions, I am not quick to judge. I am open to hearing different sides and evaluating bodies of evidence and facts. I also tend to assume the best in people and hope people will do the right thing. I'm right about that more than half the time.