03/05/2017
On Monday, March 6th, I am running for re-election to Town Meeting from Precinct 7. Here is a statement I prepared for the League of Women Voters' Candidates Night.
If you live in Precinct 7, I ask for your vote this coming Monday, March 6th.
Regards,
-- Harry Forsdick
Statement for Lexington League of Women Voters Candidates Night
2/15/2017
Harry Forsdick
Town Meeting Member
Precinct 7
46 Burlington St.
Lexington, MA 02420
(781) 799-6002
I am a relatively new Town Meeting Member, having served for one session of Town Meeting, last fall. I have, however lived in Lexington for almost 40 years. My wife Marsha Baker has been a Town Meeting Member for almost 30 years.
Many of you may know my name because in 2002 I set up the Lexington List and built it from a list with 10 members to one that currently has almost 1600 members. Along with a sibling list, the Lexington Politics-Religion list a wide variety of subjects are discussed from the mundane to the profound. After 15 years I am still happy to be running and moderating these lists that have become a grassroots forum for residents of Lexington to engage in civil discourse.
Over the last 11 years since I retired, have been involved in a number of Town Organizations including LexMedia, where I was Chairman of the Board for about 5 years. During that time, we transformed LexMedia to it’s current innovative digital infrastructure with live broadcast and on-demand program transmission. I worked with LexMedia Staff and Board members to write a proposal to the Town for a contract that has insured LexMedia’s financial well-being for a 10 year period.
I left LexMedia to become a member of the Selectmen’s ad hoc Community Center Advisory Committee, spending the next two years planning and designing how the Mason’s property purchased by the Town would transformed into the Lexington Community Center. In serving on this Committee, I learned a lot about how the Town works -- the Town Committee process, the possibilities and limitations of budgets for capital improvement projects, as well as the diversity of opinions, needs and ideas of Lexington residents.
In answer to the League’s question about whether or not I support increasing the number of two family houses allowed in various zoning districts.
I do believe the residents of Lexington would benefit if more two-family dwellings were allowed in town, as long as provision is made for parking the cars of the owners. There is currently a shortage of smaller houses in Lexington: Indeed, when Marsha and I looked around last fall to see how we might downsize to a smaller dwelling, we were struck by the relative high price of properties that were much less of a house than we currently occupy. We decided to stay put.
This is crazy. There ought to be an easy way for people who no longer need a large house to downsize, stay in Lexington, and use just what they need for comfortable living.
So, I am in favor of increasing the number of areas in town where two-family houses can be created.
I thank you for listening to my statement and I ask for your vote on Monday March 6th.
