Tell us about yourself
I was born and raised in Missouri, one of seven children. Although I didn’t attend college, I did a lot of on-the-job learning with employment in a dentist office while in high school. In 1973, I moved to Iowa where I met and eventually married Eric Baur. We moved to MA in 1983, first to Framingham and then with a growing family to Marlborough in 1989. We have 2 children-Jason & Rebecca. Both of them are graduates of Marlborough Public Schools K-12 and then went on to graduate from college. While serving on the Marlborough School Committee for 16 years, I was also a stay-at-home mom until 2004, when I took a job at Kennedy’s Market until 2014. I am a member of the Marlborough Junior Woman’s Club, a local club of the General Federation of Women’s Clubs, an international women’s organization dedicated to community improvement through volunteer service. I serve as the treasurer for GFWC MA and as chair of GFWC Juniors’ Special Program: Advocates for Children.
What are the biggest issues facing the city?
Maintaining a balance of new commercial and housing properties so that we have new growth in the city to offset the residential and commercial property taxes and keep them at a steady and predictable rate; not enough funds to fix our roads and bridges; dealing with the influx of immigrants housed in our hotels, their impact on student enrollment, and dealing with language barriers for students and adults; and facing the reality of climate change.
As a city councilor, how would you approach issues regarding traffic, public safety and speeding?
As a councilor, I have attend the monthly Traffic Commission meetings, occasionally submitting or bringing up issues that constituents have brought to my attention. Traffic, public safety and speeding are all issues discussed at these meetings and under its prevue. Marlborough’s Police Chief Giorgi is trying to keep a detail dedicated to these issues, but with staffing shortages, it is hard to do. The council recently approved an order to allow retired police officers to become Traffic Constables where they can be employed at traffic details and help with public safety at construction sites. The council continues to fund positions in the police department, but they are still under-employed. We also fund the equipment that can count traffic and mark the speed of drivers as they travel the roads; this is used to inform residents of traffic counts as well as speeds of drivers.
Do you think the city is on the right track in relation to residential and commercial development?
I do think the city has been on the right track but there needs to be an assessment of future residential and commercial development. Commercial development gives the city new growth to assist in keeping taxes low, provides funds as it goes through site plan and building/sewer fees and is a steady tax base when completed. Most multi-family housing that has been approved under special permits has not created a substantial increase in the number of school age children and will also provide a steady tax base. The council has several proposals before it for housing, both non-age restricted and also age restricted that also include a zoning component that needs serious discussion. We have also had a few small subdivisions approved by the Planning Board as people either inherit and decide to sell, or are aging and decide to sell even small amounts of land. The Planning Board has done an incredible job of working with developers to approve Open Space Subdivisions that keeps land available for wildlife and protects our water shed areas.
A series of zoning changes were vetoed by Mayor Arthur Vigeant earlier this year. Now, there are proposed changes in the Village District’s zoning. How would these changes improve the district?
As a current councilor and chair of the Urban Affairs & Housing Committee I was involved in developing the language of the order the mayor vetoed. Working with the council members, we agreed to reduce the percentage of affordable housing that was an issue for the mayor. At the same time, I drafted the proposed changes to the zoning that were then modified at three meetings. The changes improve the district by clarifying the Area Median Income for affordable units and making them affordable in perpetuity, includes Downtown Village where affordable housing is required w/new development, reduces the height of buildings thus decreasing unit counts and cars, mixed-use development requires a special permit vs by-right, and it changes the ability to “buy” public parking spaces instead of providing onsite parking. While not a done deal yet, these changes are the culmination of hours of discussion by city councilors.
Currently, there are several vacancies on Main Street, in addition to the vacant lot next to Welly’s. As a councilor, how would you support downtown revitalization?
The city council created a funding mechanism for the Marlborough Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) and continues to support its budget requests each year. MEDC can offer business owners grants and signage help. MEDC received grants for the Pop-up shops located at the Weed Street parking area which allows them to “test the market” and grants to hold the Annual Food Truck downtown which brings visitors to the city. They could offer other incentive grants, but ultimately, it is the right of owners of property on Main Street to rent to tenants of their choice so they have money to pay their mortgage.
The council had hoped that the changes to zoning with the addition of the Downtown Village Zoning in 2014/2015 would help jumpstart development. Unfortunately that has not occurred. I am hopeful a new mayor will take a serious look at the Walker Building as a resource for revitalization and the council can support it.
What skills and experience do you have to prepare you to be a member of the city council?
I spent 16 years on Marlborough’s School Committee reviewing budgets, approving contracts, hiring superintendents, being a member of 2 school building committees, and serving on the board of Massachusetts Association of School Committees and its president in 2010. During my 12 years as a Councilor at-Large, I have served on many committees including vice-chair of the Finance Committee and chair of the Urban Affairs & Housing Committee. I also serve as Vice-President of the Council and represent Marlborough on the MW Regional Collaborative. I have experience reviewing the mayor’s budget to become the final budget through reductions, or not; setting the tax rate to fund the budget; grant and gift acceptance; Tax Increment Financing approval; transfers; and the City Code, especially zoning, special permits and signs. I try to attend Site Plan, Traffic Commission, Conservation Commission, Zoning Board of Appeals and License Board meetings. I attend training offered by MA Municipal Assoc. and other organizations to keep up to date.
