Candidate – Bill Hanley

whanley1@gmail.com

617/594-2188

Waltham has been my only home and our city\’s future is uncertain. Recent Lexington developments are putting Ward 3 neighborhoods and homes at risk and the open spaces off Trapelo Road need attention. Constituent service will be my top priority and I will be accessible and keep people informed. My guiding principle is to make sure Waltham is where my sons want to make their home.

My parents bought their first home in Ward 3 on Seminole Ave after renting. I attended MacArthur Elementary and Kennedy Middle Schools and graduated from Waltham High in 1992. Shortly after graduating from Purdue University, I met my wife Kristie, the library teacher at Waltham’s Whittemore Elementary School. We rented a small apartment on the south side and scraped and saved enough to buy a fixer upper. Using eighteen years' worth of sweat equity, we bought our forever home and haven’t looked back. We have been Waltham homeowners and taxpayers since 2002.

Our son Billy graduated from Waltham High in 2022 and will be a sophomore at the University of New Hampshire. Our son Michael is going to be a senior at Waltham High School. Our family unit grew recently when Kristie's mother moved in with us. My parents, grandmothers, my siblings and their families and many aunts, uncles and cousins all chose Waltham as their home. Many in Ward 3. We are invested in Waltham.

Waltham is a great city to live, work and play. I have always worked to improve Waltham and our quality of life, whether it be coaching or organizing youth sports, fundraising, organizing parades, volunteering on non-profit boards or selection committees or my seventeen years serving on the board of health. I now want to take it a step further and serve and represent Ward 3 on the city council.

I love Waltham and all the opportunity it has to offer. I want to stand up for our neighborhoods with an active forward-thinking voice. We need common sense decisions on local issues. I will be an effective and active city councillor and my votes will count. I ask for your support and consideration to make Waltham an even better place to live, work and play.

What do you love most about Waltham?

Waltham is a city that is preparing my sons for the real world. They get exposed to everything that proves the American dream is still attainable through hard work, education, and family values. They are receiving a top-notch education and live in a diverse city with a mix of blue- and white-collar businesses, history, an active community, and safe neighborhoods. They had every opportunity to participate in athletics, school groups, part time jobs, social and civic events. Taking advantage of what Waltham offers has set them up for success.

What would you change if you could?

I would like to see changes in how Waltham manages and maintains public and private ways. This is an issue that has been kicked down the line for as long as I can remember. There is no tax payment difference for residents if you live on a public versus a private way and most people do not know the nuances and history of this subject.

What is one burning issue you plan to address if elected?

Filling the gap of constituent service and traffic and pedestrian safety improvements. The Trapelo Road traffic corridor needs analysis and attention. Trapelo extends the full length of the city from Lincoln, over 128/95, to Belmont. Speed is a problem, and we need additional safety features at the crosswalks. Graverson Park, Mackerel Hill/Met State, Wellington Farm and the park and amenities being built at the Fernald will require better traffic and pedestrian safety.