Brookline's First Woman Moderator Takes Podium For Town Meeting

BROOKLINE, MA — Kate Poverman took the podium at Brookline High School Wednesday night as the first woman to hold the role as moderator of the town's legislative branch.

"I'm delighted to be here, and delighted to be in this room of equals, and on the video chat with equals," she said as she opened the virtual meeting. "We represent what is best about Brookline, its diversity, its democracy, and its history of acceptance of each other and our different viewpoints town meeting as a place of debate and a place of mutual respect. It is where we come to deliberate on the future of Brookline, which is a heavy and important responsibility, but also a gratifying and joyful one. I look forward to working with all of you on this journey."

As the first woman moderator, Poverman said after some research she decided to mirror the formalities of the state legislature in how members should address her and each other.

"As the first female moderator in Brookline's history I am going to a long tradition of the State House, and the federal government and I would like to be addressed as madam moderator," she said.

The previous moderator, Sandy Gadsby, who held the position for nearly three decades, was referred to as "Mr. Moderator."

She said in that vein she would be referring to Town Meeting members by Mr. Ms, or Mrs, depending on their preference.

"The idea of this is to show that everyone is on equal standing with each other," she said.

Poverman, 63, who has been a member of Brookline's legislative body since 2015, was elected earlier this month to the role. She appointed Gadsby as her assistant for the meeting.

The moderator sets the order of the agenda and presides over Town Meeting. The moderator also appoints members of the Advisory Committee, the Committee on Town Organization and Structure and ad hoc committees authorized by Town Meeting. The moderator also declares the outcome of all voice votes.

Poverman has her law degree from University of Chicago and has been an attorney for the past 35 years. She's spent the bulk of that time in Brookline, where she and her husband Raphael Bueno raised their two daughters Gabrielle, 26, and Rebecca, 23.

In addition to being a member of Town Meeting, Poverman sat on the Zoning Board of Appeals and spent time with various boards and committees in town, including the Brookline Education Foundation, the Brookline High School Innovation Fund and the Brookline Community Mental Health Center and PAX.

Poverman said she hoped to restore a sense of civility to Town Meeting.

"My goal is to restore a sense of common purpose in Town Meeting, a feeling of being one community with many voices," she said during her campaign. "I hope to reach out to all our civic groups to talk about Town Meeting and how to make it more inclusive. And I will work with Town Meeting Members in an atmosphere of welcome and mutual respect that is so important to Town Meeting's effectiveness and to attracting new, diverse voices."