Alderman Lisle Baker Baker Alderman for Ward 7
 

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Michael Slater's introduction to Lisle's Campaign Announcement

and Lisle's Response - May 3, 2009

"Welcome to our home. We are honored that you are all here. Neither of us grew up here. We moved here 11 years ago after we got married and have grown to love and care passionately about Newton . It's a wonderful place. No matter where we individually stand on different issues we all share this love for our city and all share in the desire to make Newton the best it can be.

Which brings me to my friend Lisle Baker. He works as hard, selflessly and with as great a love for our City as anyone I know.

My experience with Lisle is fairly recent. My children are young, and Lisle was there for us when we needed a stop sign to slow cars down on our street, to keep a crossing guard to get to the Ward School more safely, and to add sidewalks on the way to Bigelow School. He holds regular office hours at City Hall. He provides superior constituent service.

But when my questions turned to learning more about fiscal and management issues affecting Newton Lisle was there for me as well. He introduced me to key city employees. He told me about the Citizen Advisory Group and got me their reports and analysis to read. He's very patient!

And while I learned a lot about our city I learned more about Lisle. I saw how hard he worked to insure that the work of the CAG was paid attention to so that their report wouldn't just be another tree falling in a large empty forest. I saw how he developed a new show on NewTV to explain the work of the Board of Aldermen and city government. Lisle truly cares that our city government be as transparent as possible and the best that it can be... and he works tirelessly for this.

I think the last thing I want to say is my observation about how Lisle works. He is a gentleman who respects and tries to work well with everyone he encounters. Yet, he has many projects going on at the same time and is always working to move these forward. He is excellent at coalition building. He truly understands how to make things happen.

So, in this year where everything is changing... the Mayor, the Superintendent of Schools, leadership on the School Committee... I think it's critically important that in this time of new beginnings, we especially need to retain experienced leadership to help maintain and enhance our community. That's why it's important that Lisle be returned to the Board of Aldermen as our Alderman. We need and benefit from his vision, his experience, and his very hard work! I'll do everything I can to help re-elect Lisle, and I hope you will to. Newton needs him, especially now."

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Lisle's Response

In responding to Michael Slater's introduction, Lisle spoke briefly outlining his desire to continue his role as the Ward Seven Ward Alderman in providing service to constituents, colleagues, and the community. Lisle gave examples of each, like responding to constituents asking for help in preserving the Durant-Kenrick homestead on Waverley Avenue, to working with aldermanic colleagues in creating the Aldermanic Long Range Planning Committee, to reaching out to the larger community in co-appointing the members of the Citizen Advisory Group on the City's finances.

The gathering included many of Lisle's supporters from Ward Seven and across the City. Also, during the course of the gathering of Lisle's supporters from Ward Seven and other parts of the City, the party was joined by a number of Lisle's colleagues from the Board of Aldermen, including Aldermen Danberg, Fischman, Hess-Mahan, Linsky, Lennon, Merrill and Vance, as well as School Committee Chair, Marc Laredo, State Senator Cynthia Creem, Representative Kay Khan, as well as three of the four mayoral candidates after the TAB sponsored debate, Representative Ruth Balser, Alderman Paul Colleti, and Alderman Ken Parker. Citizen Advisory Group members Malcolm Salter, Ruthanne Fuller and George Foord also came, along with School Committee candidate Sue Flicop, and Democratic City Committee Co-Chair, Martina Jackson.


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