Newton City Council Ward 1 Candidate Profile: John Oliver

NEWTON, MA — Newton will have two contested races in this spring's Special Election. Among the candidates vying to replace the late Newton City Councilor Jay Ciccone in Ward 1, is John Oliver. No, not that John Oliver.

This Oliver, 52, has lived in Newton for the past 18 years with his wife, and together they're raising their 15-year-old son Griffin.

Oliver got his Bachelor of Science from Michigan State University in industrial, organizational psychology and has been a marketing consultant for the past 25 years.

This is the first time he's run for city office, but was previously appointed as a board member for Newton Community Education.

Oliver is facing off against Madeline Ranalli for the seat in the March 16 election.

Patch asked candidates in the contested races to answer questions about their campaigns and will be publishing candidate profiles as election day draws near.

Here's what Oliver had to say:

Why are you seeking elective office?

I believe that I bring a professional skill set to the City Council that can help Newton define our challenges better. That helps to inform our decision-making in ways that lead to better outcomes.
In my professional life, I work with companies to identify large, complex challenges - to break them down into components and then find solutions for each. This requires a lot of consensus building - something that I think we need in Newton.

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

A lack of transparency, clarity and collaboration.

I will work to make data and information easier to find on our website; encourage information sharing using visuals (graphs, charts). We must focus on critical metrics that measure progress to our goals; examples include % of each Climate Action Plan (CAP) goal attained this year/ month, trees planted this year, meals served by our food pantries, reduction in traffic accidents.

I will solicit more feedback from our residents on topics ranging from housing developments to schools, qualify of life issues and to capture overall satisfaction in a question like : "Would you recommend Newton to a friend?"

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

We need city councilors that are focused on Newton and the solutions WE NEED NOW. My entire resume is focused on this community. Schools, youth sports, community education and our open spaces and athletic fields. Making Newton better every day.

In terms of development I do not support eliminating single family zoning, and I believe I would be more willing and likely to push back on private developers to yield more benefits for the public such as affordable units or environmental sustainability.

I believe that Newton is a great place to live; that Newton has more things RIGHT than we do WRONG. I want to build from this foundation as we improve, grow and modernize.

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

This seat is an open seat, there is no incumbent.

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

Overall, Newton's reaction to and handling of the pandemic was well managed. Two exceptions are our public schools and support of our local businesses.

With our schools, we did not acknowledge the data, science or expertise that showed we could have been open much earlier, for much more in-person learning than we currently are. I believe that our school leadership fell way short of expectations this school year.

I also believe we could have focused more energy our local businesses. Our neighboring towns closed lanes and streets to traffic to accommodate outdoor dining, waived licensing fees. Newton should be investigating options like these for the near future as the weather warms up.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform.

Newton can and should focus on becoming a safer community for everyone. From our police department to biking across town, from our roads to providing safe learning environments in our schools, I want to see Newton to continue to be committed to leading in all areas.

As we consider our housing policy and implementing zoning to create affordable housing opportunities in Newton, I will champion efforts to include our residents in the process. This has the potential to affect everyone across the city, and as such, I believe it is critical that our decisions reflect everyone's input.

Our open spaces and athletic fields require attention. Newton needs to commit to investments in our green spaces so that everyone can enjoy them for years to come. We have the funds already set aside in our CPA fund - we simply need to generate a plan to maintain and modernize and fund it.

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

In 2019, the City announced their intention to build our new senior center on Albemarle field; this did not sound like a smart decision to me. I began working with a group of friends and neighbors to protect the park - and to find a location even better suited to the needs of our seniors.

The best advice ever shared with me was:

I am not sure if he ever used these words, but my dad taught me that we have two ears and one voice; that it's important to listen twice as much as we speak.
I work every day to make sure that I listen before I speak.

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

I am interested in focusing on Newton. We have state and federal legislators to deal with issues at these levels. I believe our City Council should be primarily focused on what we can control - the quality of life in Newton: our environment, roads, schools, senior center, parks, fields, trees.

Campaign website
www.johnoliver4newton.org

More on John Oliver:

John Oliver Is Running For Newton City Council

NewTV interview: