Candidate Profile: Jennifer Susse, Arlington Select Board

ARLINGTON, MA — Jennifer Susse is one of three candidates running for two open spots on the Select Board April 10. There are contested races for Select Board, Board of Assessors and Housing Authority in the 2021 Town Election.

Arlington Patch asked candidates to answer questions about their campaigns and will be publishing candidate profiles over the coming weeks.

Susse served on the School Committee for six years and is a current Town Meeting member. She faces the incumbent John Hurd and Eric Helmuth.

Susse, a former professor, now works as a bookkeeper/accountant.

Are you running for office in Arlington? Contact Alex Newman at alex.newman@patch.com for information on being featured in a candidate profile and submitting campaign announcements to Arlington Patch.

Jennifer Susse

Age (as of Election Day)

52

Position Sought

Arlington Select Board

Party Affiliation

Democrat

Family

Jonathan Shapiro, loving husband, and two children: Miles (age 20, at college in CA), and Tessa (age 17, a Junior at Arlington High School)

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

Not in Arlington. I have one brother-in-law who works at the Governor's office in Illinois and another brother-in-law who worked in the Obama administration and will likely work in the Biden administration.

Education

B.A. from Macalester College; Ph.D. in Philosophy from UMass, Amherst

Occupation

I was a professor many years ago. For the last three years I have worked as a Bookkeeper/Accountant.

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office

Arlington School Committee from 2014-2020, Arlington Town Meeting from 2010-present

Campaign website

https://www.susseforselectboar...

Why are you seeking elective office?

Over the past few years I became interested in issues that went beyond education, especially issues related to the environment and housing. On Environmental issues I am proud to live in a town with an Energy Coordinator, Ken Pruit, and a progressive Net Zero Action Plan. On housing issues our town has further to go. I see echoes of my work on the School Committee in housing issues, addressing related issues of structural inequality and necessitating the same robust community engagement in the development of solutions. I also see a role for greater transparency in the work of the Select Board, something I was successful in doing when I was on the School Committee.

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

There are several areas of community concern right now: upcoming zoning reform; diversity, equity and inclusion issues; and the effects of the global pandemic on our residents and businesses. With respect to the first issue Arlington needs to engage in a robust community conversation about our current trends and whether our zoning best reflects our community's values. With respect to the second issue we need to create institutional structures where DEI work is part of the core functions of our town. With respect to the third issue we need to continue to support vulnerable residents and help the the business and arts community with innovative uses of outdoor spaces. However, as the global pandemic has made clear to us, it is likely that there will be further pressing issues in the future that are unknown to us today.

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

The other candidate have similar, though not identical, views. Where I would differs is in my committment to creating discussions around housing issues at the Select Board level, and in my focus on transparent decision making, greater communication, and robust community engagement.

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

I have nothing but respect for the current office holder.

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

Arlington has stepped up during this crisis with clear communication from the Town Manager through its web site, phone calls, and video messages. The town and Select Board have also stepped up with outreach to local businesses whose economic prospects suddenly changed overnight, and to help citizens facing food insecurity, housing instability, and other crises brought on by the effects of the global pandemic. Arlington is also well served by its excellent Health and Human Services department and its Director, Christine Bongiorno. I am especially proud that we took the initiative to contract trace Arlington residents who have had Covid diagnoses at a time when the State had given up on that effort.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform.

As I talk to people across town several additional issues have emerged: 1) Frustration that there isn't a maintenance plan for our parks and public open space resources, 2) Frustration with the slowness of bike and pedestrian safety improvements, and 3) Frustration with parking issues in certain parts of East Arlington. 4) Frustration that the Senior exemption amounts are too low. I am rolling out ideas for addressing each of these issues over the coming weeks on my website - https://www.susseforselectboar...

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

I served on Town Meeting for 11 years, the School Committee for six years, Long-Range Planning for four years, and the Election Modernization Committee for two years. From this experience I learned how to be a collaborative and effective board member. I have also had leadership roles in several debt exclusion and operating override campaigns, was one of the founders of the Thompson Community Card, and have worked with many advocacy groups in town, including Equitable Arlington, EALS, and Mothers Out Front. I have also done my share of volunteer work at my local park, several school PTOs, and a local children's theatre. From this experience I have made connections to many people across town.

The best advice ever shared with me was:

My former School Committee colleague Cindy Starks was the first to impress on me the importance of the liaison relationship to the community that board members play.

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

I enjoy cooking, yoga, biking, and kayaking. I also have two adorable cats, Monty and Willow, and an especially cute dog, Iggy