Medford Councilor Nicole Morell Running For Re-Election

MEDFORD, MA — Medford City Councilor Nicole Morell is running for re-election in November. Morell announced her candidacy Tuesday, describing her first term as "like no one could have imagined."

"I've stayed true to my values and represented the city's residents, pushed for progress, and made headway on some longstanding issues over a truly tumultuous year and a half," Morell said in a statement.

In her first month on the Council, Morell introduced a resolution to expand the eligibility for the senior tax deferral program. She also pushed for a key campaign focus of multi-modal Medford, advocating for Safe Routes to School and pedestrian, bike, and public transportation support as part of the Council’s zoning recodification process.

"Building a Medford that supports multi-modal transportation continues to be a big focus of mine, and there are many ways to make sure this happens, from smart changes to zoning, to pushing for safety improvements for anyone who walks, bikes, rolls or takes public transportation throughout the city," said Morell, who serves as the Council representative on the Green Line Extension Working Group.

Another focus of Morell's first term has been ensuring residents feel a sense of inclusion and belonging. She pushed for a line item in the city budget for translation services to ensure city communications are accessible to everyone in the community and co-sponsored the City Council resolution declaring systemic racism a public health crisis.

"We need to name the challenges we’re facing, so we can tackle them head on," said Morell. "And we as a city are facing issues the whole country is facing, and I’m ready to do the work to address them."

Morell voted in favor of the city charter review and continues to push for finalizing the ordinance to establish the city's proposed Gender Equity Commission. She also believes strategic zoning changes can support a more vibrant Medford, advocating for and voting in favor of the change to the city zoning to permit breweries in Medford.

Morell said she supports an inclusive and future-focused Medford, with a special focus on safe transportation in the city, preservation and access to open space, support for vibrant squares, fully funded public schools and the continued efforts to thoughtfully revamp city zoning in a way that works for residents and businesses.

Morell is a communications specialist in MIT's Office of Sustainability and also serves on Medford's Energy and Environment Committee. She lives in West Medford with her husband Jeff and rescue dog Greta.

More information can be found about Morell at her website: nicolemorell.com.