Dear Editor,
My name is Katherine Z. Bentrewicz, and I am running for Ward 4 City Council.
As the citizens of Westfield likely know, the ward candidates were not given the opportunity to have a debate or forum such as those awarded to both the at-large candidates, as well as the mayoral candidates. This puts the new ward candidates at a considerable disadvantage compared to seasoned incumbents. We have less of an opportunity to get our names, faces, and most importantly, our messages out to the public.
I have been knocking on doors for several months now but in no way will I be able to reach every door in my ward, so I am writing this letter in the hope of reaching those I have not yet had the good fortune to speak with face-to-face.
As I have been going from home to home, folks have been asking me what my platform is. Plain and simple: my platform is to listen to what the people of Ward 4 want and to represent them to the best of my ability.
I believe your job as an elected official is to be the voice of your constituents. You need to listen to what your residents say, really hear them, and go with what the majority of them want. You have to be a big enough person to realize that it isn’t all about you and your opinions. It’s about the people that voted for you, that trusted you to vote on their behalf at City Council. You need to do your absolute best to keep your ego out of it and vote for what is right for your residents- whether your buddies are voting for it or not. You can’t please all the people all the time, but my goal is to please the people of my ward most of the time.
In a nutshell, that’s my platform. My opinions are as follows:
1. We need better road maintenance in Ward 4. Our main roads are beyond neglected and many of our residential roads are, as well. We can’t keep filling potholes only to fill them again in the spring. It just isn’t prudent.
2. The children of our ward need to get back into Westfield and out of Russell. That being said, I am absolutely for the construction of the new school downtown.
3. I am for sewers in our ward and would like to see more progress in that lately stagnant area. In the long run it is financially beneficial to the city and the homeowner alike.
4. Western Avenue needs to be addressed in the way of road repair, sidewalks, some added turning lanes, and a possible bike trail connection to the Columbia Greenway rail trail.
5. Communication with the University could certainly be improved.
I can go on and on with my opinions and ideas. But as I’ve stated earlier, it really isn’t about me. It’s about what the ward wants. Most of the ideas I have listed above require funds to be allocated properly, but some only require better communication and relationships. I have the drive to get this done. I’m personable, I get along well with others, I don’t hold grudges, and I am willing to listen to the concerns of each and every resident of Ward 4 if that’s what it takes to get the job done correctly. I believe we need a change in our ward. I’m hoping on November 3rd you will cast your vote for that change.
Thank you for your time. If you have any questions or feedback, please reach me at your earliest convenience.
Sincerely,
Kat Bentrewicz
413-564-0749
[email protected]
Facebook.com/kat4westfield
