Zoning and housing are hot topics in Marblehead right now. If there is a Special Town Meeting this fall to pass the MBTA Communities Act plan, will you support it? What do you think should be changed in the Planning Board’s original proposal, if anything? What else can Marblehead do to create more housing?
Erin Noonan: Yes, we will have to hold a Special Town Meeting before the deadline of Dec. 31 to allow another opportunity for Marblehead to adopt the proposed plan and become compliant with state law. The MBTA Communities Act is the law, and the vote at Town Meeting does not change this. This was a very close vote. The misinformation circulated leading up to it points to the need for more discussion before the town bumps up against the year-end deadline. The quality of the plan was never questioned. The Planning Board and the Town Planner worked incredibly hard. The result builds on the town’s strengths and aligns with our current housing production plan. State intervention in municipal land-use policy is as common as state intervention in building and public health codes, school operations and curricula, and environmental regulations. To pretend otherwise is fantasy. As Town Counsel confirmed at Town Meeting, it is well-settled law that the state can impose zoning requirements for municipalities. I am hopeful that the voters of Marblehead will choose to adopt the plan at the next opportunity because it is good for the future of Marblehead.
Although not unique to Marblehead, our town feels the housing crisis acutely as a densely populated town with limited opportunity for new growth and an overwhelming inventory of single-family homes. We also have a rapidly aging population. We must increase the diversity of the housing stock in town to allow for more types of housing that meet residents at all stages of life.
Dan Fox: Commentary at Town Meeting focused more on opponents’ disagreement with the law rather than with the plan itself. Chapter 40A, Section 3A is the law and we have to follow the law. I support the Planning Board’s original proposal, as it was well thought out in a manner that protects the integrity of Marblehead’s neighborhoods and our history. There is work to do ahead of a Special Town Meeting to ensure citizens understand the plan and the ways in which it will benefit Marblehead. Development is necessary for towns to grow and maintain housing choices for everyone. This growth should be meaningful, sustainable and inclusive. The adoption of ADUs is a great start to create more housing and we need to look for other such opportunities to allow Marbleheaders the opportunity to remain in or return to town.
Dan Albert: If there is a Special Town Meeting this fall to pass the MBTA Communities Act plan, will you support it? That’s too hypothetical. Jim Nye wished Town Meeting could be delayed; John DiPiano (with my help and support) moved to delay. But in violation of Town Meeting Time rules the Town Moderator headed off that debate. Instead, Town Meeting sat through the same self-canceling arguments officials have presented for months.
The Planning Board assures us that no housing will ever be built, but our state representative Jenny Armini tells us these unbuilt apartments will address the “housing crisis.” Sustainable Marblehead’s leaders claim (without evidence) that people will ride the bus but support a plan that encourages — in fact demands — private car ownership and use. The paving for parking alone threatens groundwater while West Shore Drive traffic will grind to a halt.
When officialdom couldn’t make the sale, they blamed their constituents. Mr. DiPiano filed a public records request (welcome to my world) to confirm claims about grant funding and faithfully reported the town’s response. “Misinformation!” shout the powers that be.
Bret Murray: Yes. In terms of the MBTA Communities Act, the Planning Board’s original proposal found three suitable locations to meet the state’s mandate and I still support that plan. Last year, the Select Board restructured the Fair Housing Committee and, in 2020, created the Housing Production Plan Implementation Committee. I think these two boards, in conjunction with other elected and appointed town boards, are best suited to address this issue.
Moses Grader: Yes, I plan to support the MBTA Act because of the local practical considerations of providing smaller units 1) for downsizing or entry-level housing options for seniors and young families and 2) to preserve state funding of grants which will be important for harbor resiliency in particular. Marblehead’s solid plan also allows ways to control impact. Having said that, Marblehead has sent a reasonable and clear message to the state. The state has imposed this law with more stick than carrot. They have also not made a compelling case that more inventory will ease skyrocketing housing prices, which have been driven by large international flows of money into the most desirable U.S. residential locations, the competition to homebuyers from hedge funds and large investment firms seeking inflation resistant investments, and the state’s mismanagement of transportation assets and planning to encourage commuting development in locations more distant from the Route 128 corridor.
Alexa Singer: Yes, I will support it. I think the proposal is great because it leverages the town’s existing density so there is minimal impact. The Planning Board worked together for months to design a plan that provided the best solutions for Marblehead. Marblehead has limited opportunity for new growth. We must look strategically at the housing stock in town to allow for more types of housing while keeping the character of the town. There are a set of strategies laid out in our Housing Production Plan and the solutions will come from executing the plan.
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Several town and school leaders have predicted the need for an override next year. Do you agree? What can the town do this year to improve its finances so any necessary override will be smaller?
Erin Noonan: I believe it has been well-articulated over the past several years that the town has been operating within an unsustainable structural deficit. Our operational expenses have exceeded our revenues for years and been offset by the use of “free cash” to balance the budget. We have depleted our free cash reserves to around 2.5% of the operating budget. The state and bond rating agencies recommend 5-10% of operating budgets be held in reserves. Our revenues grow annually at 2.5% plus new growth. Meanwhile, town employee salaries and wages increase 3-4% (cost of living 2%, plus contractual step and lane changes 1-2%). Benefits and health insurance costs rise at 8-10%, energy and utility increases are 10-20%, and the town’s pension assessments increased 8.6% last year. Additionally, our trash and recycling contract is ending and that cost is expected to rise by 20%. The town has reduced level-service budget requests for the last three years. The Select Board voted last month to declare the creation of a three-to-five year financial plan a top priority. I’m looking forward to this process getting underway next month so that we can present an override-contingent budget at next year’s Town Meeting. It will be for the residents to decide on the merits of an alternative budget or the cuts to services in a balanced budget.
Dan Fox: It is clear that the expenses of providing the services Marbleheaders expect are outpacing revenues and that there are limited options to address this problem other than a general override or significant cuts to municipal services. However, any override needs to be based in comprehensive, long-range financial planning. The Finance Committee, Select Board, CFO and Town Administrator have begun to take steps to maximize revenue and reduce costs through such actions as the meals and lodging taxes that were recently approved at Town Meeting. This needs to be the beginning of that process, not the end. We need to capture growth through better processes in our Building Department and Assessor’s Office so that we can maximize revenues. My strong financial skill set, first developed as an investment banker and refined by running multiple small businesses and serving on nonprofits, can help this town find creative, pragmatic solutions to minimize the tax impact on property owners.
Dan Albert: Prop 2 1/2 is a useful check on government bloat, but override is not a dirty word. Like debt and user fees, it is a tool to manage town finances. Why is this newspaper pretending it is something different? Why parrot the narrative of long-serving incumbents who claim the mantle of fiscal responsibility while underinvesting in the modernization of town services and using free cash to make up for their lack of political courage and childish approach to finances. Readers should review FinCom Chairman Alec Goolsby’s thorough explanation of our choices going forward. We manage our debt well, have cut services and sought new revenue. I’m ready for a grown-up conversation with voters.
Bret Murray: An override next year is inevitable. With the passage of a meals tax and a local room tax, the amount should decrease. Additionally, should the town pass the Planning Board’s MBTA Communities Act plan before the end of the year, this will allow Marblehead to take advantage of available state grants, providing further offset and reduce the need for higher taxes.
Moses Grader: We do not know yet, because we need to see the impact of new sources of tax revenue passed at town meeting, our success in sourcing grant and state funding due to staffing shifts, and the availability of more evident savings due to the rollout and superior controls of our new financial and budgeting software this past year.
Alexa Singer: I believe Marblehead voters are educated voters and know the importance of addressing the structural deficit. The sooner this is done, the more effective the solution. I advocated for proactive action to address the deficit after I joined the Select Board in 2021, and continue to do so. We held a Select Board retreat to set financial goals and priorities in 2023. Planning is essential in any situation relating to large financial implications and override requests. I will continue to advocate for creative solutions to decrease the burden on the taxpayer, such as proactively addressing capital projects, controlling energy costs, economic development, and access to grants. We have successfully implemented recommendations from the townwide financial audit and are working together to put forth a comprehensive multiyear plan. Throughout the year, we have searched and found opportunities to increase revenue but it is increasingly clear that we are exhausting those opportunities so we cannot take the option of an override off the table.
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Another common theme in town is the “us vs. them” friction between the town and school district. How do you see that relationship? Are there more ways the Select Board and School Committee can work together to benefit students and taxpayers?
Erin Noonan: I have a long track record of working collaboratively with others. In budget discussions we refer to the school and town side in regards to accounting procedures. We are truly one town and each side impacts the other.
Dan Fox: We are all Marbleheaders and need to find common ground. It seems that much of the current friction is based on past grievances. It is essential for everyone to focus on moving forward to build a strong school system. Great schools will benefit our entire town. We need strong leadership from the Select Board, open lines of effective communication and a willingness of all parties to make concessions for the common good. We should stop distinguishing between the “town” and the “schools.” We are ONE town and no one succeeds unless we all succeed.
Dan Albert: This School Committee has a friend in me, as do the teachers and their unions. I find Moses Grader’s sneering complaint that the schools took “our” money both embarrassing and unhelpful. I’m disappointed Erin and Sarah cannot agree on the disposition of the Coffin School property. We voted out the folks who handed an unprecedented five-year contract to a guy who, as should now be abundantly clear, did a terrible job. Good riddance.
We’re not saving money on education but cutting the budget. We’re shifting costs to families and millions of dollars are spent on activity fees, outside tutors and mental health support. Like Ben Franklin and Horace Mann, I support public education full stop.
Bret Murray: There is no question that the Select Board and School Committee have had differences over the years. Leading up to Town Meeting this year, the Finance Committee, Town Finance Director and School Business and Finance Office worked very well together. I have no doubt this close working relationship will continue into next year as we address a general override. Will we continue to differ from time to time? Yes. But that does not mean that we will not work through those differences to ensure our town has the best schools and services our citizens deserve.
Moses Grader: The friction is a function of many years of perverse incentives, in which the town has been held accountable for school spending over which the town has no control and, until recently, no meaningful transparency. School spending has historically been the driver of the need for overrides. This Select Board has recently sought to align incentives in several ways: i) transforming the financial technology of the entire town, bringing complete transparency to all school finances, too, (ii) allocating all costs associated with school discretion into the school’s chart of accounts and under school budget responsibility. The next steps to encourage mutual accountability are to (iii) split the tax levy between schools and town to fixed amounts based on the latest budget allocations and (iv) allow the town and the schools to change the split by advocating their separate overrides at Town Meeting. In this way, both town and schools will advocate directly for the budgets they fully control at town meeting — creating more direct accountability to taxpayers, removing the core basis to “fight the town” or “us vs. them” stance, and encouraging the credibility of both school and town leaders to properly explain the spending they control independently.
Alexa Singer: Marblehead is one town and we need to ensure all departments are fully functional with the support they require. With the town’s new financial accountability tools, I am optimistic we will be able to move forward with productive fiscal planning and a cohesive environment with all our departments. The School Department is transitioning leadership and the Select Board will continue to support them as the school department stabilizes the new professional team.
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How would you address concerns that the town needs new volunteers with fresh ideas?
Erin Noonan: I am grateful for all of the volunteers currently serving the town. We have incredibly dedicated volunteers with passion and diverse backgrounds. There is always a need to ensure volunteer boards evolve over time and represent a healthy mix of institutional knowledge, newer members and new members. One of the changes the Board has made is to solicit and receive letters of interest throughout the year, not just when there is a vacancy on a committee or board. We continue to look for ways to improve the opportunities to engage new volunteers.
Dan Fox: As a Select Board we need to get more people involved. That starts by creating an environment where people can feel safe in expressing their ideas and beliefs. This doesn’t mean we should all agree. We just need to respect differences in opinion and find common ground. I believe that we need to look at our appointment process for town boards and committees. Long-term volunteers should be commended for their service and we should not make change for change’s sake alone. However, new blood and fresh perspectives are essential and we must find a way to ensure our volunteer positions are filled with a balanced mix of perspectives, experience and expertise.
Dan Albert: Another lame premise that serves the incumbents’ narrative. From citizens petitions to charity organizations and special interest groups, Marbleheader volunteerism is strong. The key is to shrink the government — eliminate “official” committees — and return power to the people.
Bret Murray: Marblehead is lucky to have so many great people willing to step up and give back to this town. Unfortunately, there is not enough organic turnover leaving too many sitting on the sidelines, waiting years for an opening. My hope is that those who have served for many years on the same board or committee will voluntarily decline reappointment this year, allowing new members to have their turn. Absent that, as I stated at Town Meeting this year, I believe I have no other choice but to vote against many reappointments to ensure turnover occurs on our volunteer boards.
Moses Grader: Fresh ideas from volunteers and an open forum to discuss and temper them with reality are literally the basis of our municipal democracy. Committees and boards flourish when there is a mix of experienced and new volunteers who can bring ideas forward effectively. Voters choose elected committee members. The Select Board chooses appointed committee members, which are largely left to self-manage. The critique of this traditional approach is that the chairs of the appointed committees effectively control the turnover of their members and the openings for new members. I think that we should continue with this approach, but encourage the chairs to create standards such as attendance and get volunteers to think about creating openings for new members. The Select Board should discuss with appointed committee chairs the best way to do that.
Alexa Singer: There are so many qualified, amazing volunteers in Marblehead. I am blown away by the talent and compassion of our town. Appointing new members to any of our boards and committees can be one of the most challenging things we face. This is an important process and one we should not take lightly. In June 2023, the Board spent the summer revisiting its current policies on appointments. We will continue to look to create more opportunities for new volunteers to serve in meaningful ways.
