Nearby towns such as Watertown and Lexington have curbside food waste composting programs that are funded and/or in some manner supported by the municipal government. With food waste accounting for 30% of the average household’s waste and a source of methane gas (a greenhouse gas more potent than CO2), composting is a solution that meets multiple goals in waste diversion and climate. Would you support greater municipal involvement to expand access to food waste composting in Melrose? What would that look like, and what types of services or support would you like to see the City implement? What have you seen other municipalities do to increase food waste composting that you would like to implement in Melrose?

A new synthetic turf field has been proposed to replace a grass field next to Ell Pond. The cost of the project would be significant, with an estimated cost of $1-3 million to install and ongoing maintenance costs for turf replacement and disposal. While synthetic playing fields allow continuous and longer use of high-demand playing fields, there is also serious concern about the risk of heat exposure on the field and the negative effects of ingredients such as microplastics, toxic chemicals, and heavy metals on the health of users and the greater environment. Please share how you would approach the analysis of a natural grass vs synthetic turf decision, and how you would address the concerns. If you have already come to a decision about whether or not to support an artificial turf field next to Ell Pond, please share your decision and the supporting rationale.

Many communities face increasing costs in trash and recycling services due to the realities of the labor market, global commodities markets, fuel costs, and more. When Melrose’s contract with Republic (formerly JRM) is up for renewal in 2024, the City will likely be faced with hard choices about how to prioritize trash and recycling services and how to fund the increased cost of services from City budgets and/or fees for residents. A new contract is also an opportunity to review and re-think the scope of waste services provided, the costs paid by residents (flat fee vs. usage-based fee, overall cost of services to residents), incentives for waste reduction, and more. What would be your objectives and priorities if you are asked to develop or approve the next trash and recycling contract for the City of Melrose?

An increasing portion of Melrose residents are in multiunit dwellings not served by the City’s curbside recycling program. One of the most common questions asked at Zero Waste Melrose outreach events is, “How do I get recycling at my apartment building?” Many landlords opt to not provide recycling services at all. MA has waste bans on glass, metal, plastic, and cardboard/paper. Many of these buildings are in violation of MA waste bans because no recycling services are offered. If elected, what actions would you propose the City take to make recycling services more accessible to a larger portion of Melrose residents? Please limit your answer to initiatives and approaches that are possible at the city level.

Governor Healey signed an executive order in September 2023 to make Massachusetts the first state to ban the purchase of single-use plastic bottles by state agencies. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts buys about 100,000 of the plastic water bottles each year. The order bars all executive offices and agencies in Massachusetts from purchasing any single-use plastic bottles under 21 fluid ounces except in cases of emergency. In addition to the environmental impact and waste generated, single-use plastic water bottles are a very expensive way to buy water, costing about 300 times more than tap water. Would you support a similar ban on purchasing single-use plastic bottles by the City of Melrose, and why or why not?

Decisions as an elected official are often informed by day-to-day experience in the community. Please share your personal/household habits as it relates to waste reduction. What are you doing to reduce waste at home or work? What do you find to be your biggest challenges / unmet needs related to waste reduction? What is your favorite Melrose DPW Saturday Recycling event and why?

Local communities (Lexington MA is an example) are adopting Zero Waste Resolutions and making formal Zero Waste Plans to significantly improve the amount of waste generated and diverted from the trash. These plans support local climate goals, and can also reduce waste disposal costs. Would you support a formal Zero Waste Plan and aggressive waste reduction goal in Melrose? How would you approach implementation of the Zero Waste plan in terms of staffing, budgets, and other resources? Please limit your answer to initiatives and approaches that are possible at the city level.