Melrose Candidate Profile: Ward Hamilton For City Council

MELROSE, MA — With the Melrose Municipal Election scheduled for Nov. 7, Patch is profiling the candidates.

Here, we learn more about Ward Hamilton, who is running to become a councilor-at-large on the Melrose City Council.

Hamilton is a mason who currently serves as an elected representative on the Northeast Metro Tech School Committee.

Candidates were sent questionnaires and filled out the answers.

Name

Ward Hamilton

How old will you be as of Election Day?

51

Campaign website

https://www.wardhamiltonforcit...

What city or town do you live in?

Melrose

What office are you seeking?

City Councilor at-large

Education

MSc

Occupation

Mason

Family

Wife, Andrea, married 29 years. Five children: Hannah, Joseph, Grace, Johanna, and Seth.

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

No

Have you ever held a public office, whether appointive or elective?

Yes. Currently elected to represent Melrose on the Northeast Metro Tech School Committee. Selected by peers on the school board to serve as treasurer.

Why are you seeking this office?

To help restore financial stability to the City of Melrose.

Please complete this statement: The single most pressing issue facing my constituents is ______ and this is what I intend to do about it.

Budget ... we will provide a balanced budget going forward, without a built-in deficit that relies on so-called "free cash."

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

My long record of public service.

If you are challenging an incumbent, in what way has the current officeholder failed the community?

The two incumbents I'm facing approved a FY24 budget with a $3m deficit built into it, hoping that "free cash" will be there in March of 2024. They have created exposure to receivership with the Massachusetts Department of Revenue.

What other issues do you intend to address during your campaign?

We will focus on caring for our aging infrastructure (buildings, streets, sewers, water lines) and find ways to bolster existing and create new sustainable revenue streams. We will improve and increase access to affordable housing for our seniors.

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

I own and operate a local business and serve as treasurer of the regional vocational school committee where a $317 million building project is underway. I am also the vice president of the board of directors at Congregational Retirement Homes, the largest private nonprofit provider of affordable housing to seniors in Melrose.

What is the best advice anyone ever gave you?

Be of service to others.

Is there anything else you would like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

Good government is about good stewardship. The people of Melrose deserve to be represented by elected officials who will follow best practices in allocating and overseeing the city's resources. As some in the community vie to advance special interests and promote their own agendas, I remain laser-focused on being fiscally responsible, caring for our aging infrastructure, and delivering services to our residents.