City Councilors Alan Lobovits and Rena Getz — the two new at-large Councilors this year — have launched a Listening Tour across all eight wards of the city. Since the focus of these meetings is on their listening, these City Councilors (and other elected officials who attend) will not be presenting or offering opinions or proposed solutions. At each stop, they will invite residents and other stakeholders (such as business owners) to speak in response to these questions:
- If you could change Newton into the Newton where you would be most content, what would that Newton be like? In other words, what is your vision for your best version of Newton (within the realm of reality, of course)?
- What do you like about Newton? What would you like to see done, specifically, to maintain or have more of whatever it is that you like about Newton? (Please mention more than one, if you have several to share.)
- What do you dislike about Newton? What would you like to see done, specifically, to alleviate or eliminate whatever it is that you don’t like about Newton? (Please mention more than one, if you have several to share.)
- Are there any local, state, or federal policies in Newton about which you have views you’d like to express? Do you want change in any of those policies? If so, what do you want changed, and in what way?
- How can City Councilors help you?
The first Listening Tour session was held on March 3 at the New Art Center in Ward 2.
The next two sessions are:
- March 10, 3PM-4:30PM at the Auburndale Community Library (375 Auburn Street, Auburndale) in Ward 4. Building is accessible to all. Restroom is, unfortunately, not an accessible one. Parking on Auburn Street in front of the shops and across from the shops.
- March 17, 3PM-4:30PM at the Newton Community Farm Barn (303 Nahanton Street) in Ward 8. Meeting room and restroom are accessible to all. Parking is on street on Winchester Street or on Nahanton Street.
Those who cannot attend in person may email their responses to these questions to rgetz@newtonma.gov and alobovits@newtonma.gov.
