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Brookline Town Meeting - Pct 05 - Three Years {_getChooseLabel(this.selections.length)}

Town Meeting is Brookline s Legislative arm of government. It consists of 255 elected Town Meeting Members plus the members of the Select Board, and any state representative or state senator who resides in Brookline. In addition, the Town Moderator, who presides over Town Meeting, and the elected Town Clerk, who acts as secretary, are voting members. The 255 membersare elected by precinct, with 15 members elected from each of the Town s seventeen precincts. The members are elected for staggered, 3-year terms so that 5 members are elected from each precinct each year in the May annual town election. Depending on vacancies some precincts will have more members to be elected.Town Meeting is responsible for passing a balanced annual town budget and enacts all town by-laws. An Annual Town Meeting is held in the spring to enact the following year s budget, plus whatever other matters are placed on the Town Meeting Warrant, either by the Select Board or by citizen petition. The Annual Town Meeting is usually held the last week in May or the first week in June. A Special Town Meeting is held each fall, usually in November, to deal with any budget changes, zoning by-law amendments or other matters placed on the warrant. (No salary; no health insurance.)‘*’ following a candidate name indicates an Incumbent.For Incumbent Town Meeting Candidates, Attendance Record for the last three years is shown.(NPE) is the party for all candidates. The Brookline Municipal Election is a Non-Partisan Election.

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    Perry Grossman*
    (NPE)

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    William E. Reyelt*
    (NPE)

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    Ariel Gruzman
    (NPE)

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    Jessica Maria Milhem
    (NPE)

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    Paul Richard O'Leary
    (NPE)

Biographical Information

Biographical Data:

What three issues are most important to your constituents, and how would you address and/or resolve them?

Campaign Phone 617-383-9061
Attendance 30 of 30
Brookline resident since 2000. Town Meeting member P5, since 2022. Advisory Committee member since 2023. Married, with two kids (Oldest is a Lincoln School and BHS graduate, and is now a sophomore at BU. Youngest is a Lincoln School graduate and is now attending a private high school) B.A. Sociology, McGill University, PhD. Sociology, New York University, MBA. Finance, Boston University. Assistant Registrar. Boston University School of Dental Medicine. I was previously a member of the Brookline Bicycle Advisory Committee (BAC), the Brookline Safe Routes to School Taskforce (SRTS), and a member of the Board of Advisors for the Charles River Watershed Association (CRWA). Past coach for Brookline Recreation Soccer and Brookline Youth Hockey.
Cost of living issues are a primary concern for constituents. Housing affordability is a key issue, I support balancing the need for increased affordable housing along with the preservation of historic homes, town character, and green space. Recent BHA and BCDC developments and plans consider equity and energy issues as climate issues affect cost and quality of life.

We need to address Town and School finances, delivering quality services, while addressing our structural deficit. Operating overrides are needed, but we need to increase our tax base without driving people from their homes. Increasing our commercial base will help; and through a Municipal Empowerment Act, we can increase taxation options.
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Campaign Phone 857-200-5184
Attendance Not Incumbent Town Meeting Member
Jessica Maria Milhem, Precinct Five. December 31, 1976, 18 Roberts Street - 02445 jessica_milhem@yahoo.com, Born in Worcester, Massachusetts. I Moved to Boston 2011; my daughter and I moved to Brookline July 2020. Zahara is in 4th Grade at The Lincoln School. We are blessed to be here. Employed at a medical center in Boston since 2011, starting off as a unit coordinator on an ICU. 2013 - outpatient care - current role scheduling administrator in primary care. Lesley University Distance Student, dual degree program bachelor's degree in business with a focus in Wellness, target graduation summer 25. Masters in business administration, target graduation May 26. GPA 4.0. Baptized - Syrian Orthodox. Spiritually - Interbeing.
1. Affordable Housing near public transportation. Review the information that has been provided to the town and do my own research regarding these plans and how others viewed and used these systems paying attention to successful outcomes, challenges, wellness for the parties involved. Brining my thoughts to conversation. As a single mother who made the choice to take my car off the road to pay rent, affordable housing and wellness are close to my heart. 2. Inclusivity: Remaining an open community to ALL who enter. ALL are welcome here. I believe a functioning progressive society all ages, religions, families, humans are welcome. 3. DPW - Climate Change Action, teaching, awareness, working towards a Green Brookline, think global act local.
I was born and raised in Brookline Mass. I attended Sewell school, Lincoln school and graduated from Brookline High school in 1984. 1)Graduated from University of Massachusetts at Amherst with BAS degree with minor in Sociology 1991 2) Enrolled in University of Massachusetts at Boston and graduated Magna Cum Laude with a BAS in Nursing 1997. 3) I am a former Brookline Police officer and in 2000 I relocated to Miami Florida to pursue a career in healthcare. As a nurse, I worked as a pediatric ICU nurse, Trauma nurse, medical flight nurse. 4) A former firefighter/Paramedic of 13 yrs for Palm Beach County Fire Recue. 5)I returned to Brookline 3 yrs ago to help my family and to raise my daughter whom will be attending Lincoln in the fall.
1)The increasing high tax rate in the town 2) The lack of affordable housing 3)Providing excellent services (school,police,fire,parks ,DPW) for an increasing populous and the costs involved. As a new town meeting member my responsibilities would be to learn more about the controversial issues. I would attend meetings such as the advisory board , the board of selectman and fellow town meeting members. One of my greatest concerns is the potential lack of federal funding that Brookline will not receive from the government and how it will effect Brooklines budget.