Marybeth Stramaglia, Salem Town Council Candidate

Marybeth Stramaglia

Age (as of Election Day)

56

Position sought (including district number if applicable)

3 year term on Town Council

Party Affiliation

Independent/Unaffiliated

Family

Keith Stramaglia, 54

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

My husband, Keith, is currently serving a 3 year term on the Select Board/Town Council

Education

BA, Roanoke College - Political Science (International Relations Minor); JD - Suffolk University Law School

Occupation

Attorney - 21 yars

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office

Board of Directors - Girl Scout of the Green and White Mountains 2016

Campaign website

N/A

Why are you seeking elective office?

I am seeking a seat on the Town Council because I believe that Salem's residents, taxpayers, and businesses deserve more than 'business as usual.' I believe that the fact that voters have approved a new Town Charter, reinstated all the funding slashed by the Budget Committee, and have begun to vote out long time incumbents indicates that they want fresh ideas, new alternatives, and a Town Council that is ready to roll up its sleeves, and work hard to serve the Town, not outside influences or personal agendas. I want to help bring the Town to a place where needs are addressed before they become critical problems, and Town leaders are held accountable for their actions and choices. I believe that my decades of experience as in house legal counsel for some of the world's largest technology companies gives me the skills needed to help drive those change. While I have no direct political experience, I do have hands on, real-world experience in: (i) managing budgets, (ii) building and leading international cross-functional teams, (iii) driving strategic plans and shaping the tactics needed to implement them, (iv) rapidly ingesting new information and forming actionable steps to move things forward, even in the face of uncertainty, and (v) bringing together diverse (and usually conflicting) points of view and needs, to build compromises that meet an objective, and balance benefits, risks and costs reasonably for all the stakeholders.

The single most pressing issue facing our (board, district, etc.) is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.

The single most pressing issue facing the Town is its rapidly crumbling infrastructure and equipment. I intend to work with the Town's leadership to build a true Master Plan for the Town that presents all the necessary work, prioritizes it by urgency and impact, assesses likely costs, puts forward a timeline across which the work can reasonably be accomplished, and provides for contingencies like unexpected economic downturns, catastrophic failure, price increases, bonding challenges, etc. I also intend to work with the Town Council and the Communications Committee to make sure that the citizens and Tax Payers are presented with full and accurate information about the plan and what it will mean for them.

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

The most significant difference between me and my opponent for this post is that my opponent has a long history both with the Town and State governments, while my experience is wholly outside the political/government sector. Some see that lack of direct government experience as a negative. I see it, rather, as a much needed injection of new ideas and perspectives.

If you are a challenger, in what way has the current board or officeholder failed the community (or district or constituency)

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform.

My campaign platform is simply this - Salem needs ethical, transparent, fiscally responsible leadership that will be able to work cooperatively with other Town leaders to overcome the challenges facing the Town. For too long, elected Town leaders have failed to work WITH the non-elected leadership in ways that bring workable solutions to the employees, citizens and taxpayers of the Town. It is time for that to stop.

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

I believe that I am qualified for this position because I problem solve, and align competing interests, for a living. Over the past two decades I have negotiated billions of dollars in contracts - often between competitors who had no reason to work together, but did so in the end due, in part, to my guidance and ability to propose creative solutions to both legal and business problems. The international, cross-functional teams I have lead have built efficient, cost-effective, risk balanced ways of accomplishing the needs of the suppliers, customers and internal stakeholders of the companies we work for.

The best advice ever shared with me was:

"Never believe that your way is the only way." Dad (His actual advice was a little coarser than that, but this was the general idea. :))

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

I would like the voters to know that my commitment to the Town Council and the people of Salem, if I am elected, will be a full commitment with no strings attached. I am not doing this to push a personal or political agenda, I am willing to be shown that what I believe to be the facts is wrong, I am not doing it to massage my ego, and I am not looking at this as a stepping stone to other political office. I am running because I truly believe that I have the experience and character to help move Salem into the future in a way that will serve the best interests of the people and businesses who call Salem home, and I would consider it an honor to be entrusted with that responsibility.