Linehan is an incumbent who is running unopposed to represent Ward 3. She was first elected to the City Council in 2019.
Amanda Linehan (Courtesy of Amanda Linehan)
MALDEN, MA — With the Malden Municipal Election scheduled for Nov. 7, Patch is profiling the candidates.
Here, we learn more about Amanda Linehan , who is running to represent Ward 3 on the Malden City Council. Linehan is an incumbent and running unopposed. She first was elected to the post in 2019.
Linehan has been the communications director for the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC) in Boston since 2008.
Candidates were sent questionnaires and filled out the answers.
Name
Amanda Linehan
How old will you be as of Election Day?
41
Campaign website
What city or town do you live in?
Malden, MA
What office are you seeking?
Malden City Council Ward 3
District
Ward 3
Please give us your party affiliation
Democrat
Education
Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and Jazz Music, The George Washington University in Washington, DC; Emerge Massachusetts Class of 2017; Interaction Institute for Social Change (IISC) Essential Facilitation Certificate, 2012
What is your occupation?
Communications director, Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC) in Boston, since 2008
Family
My husband Mark and I are the proud parents of Georgia, age 10, a student at Beebe School
Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?
No
Have you ever held a public office, whether appointive or elective?
Prior to my election to the Malden City Council in November 2019, I served five years on the Board of Directors for the Malden Redevelopment Authority (MRA, now the Office of Strategic Planning and Community Development) and the Asian Community Development Corporation (ACDC), which serves Chinatown, Quincy and Malden. I was also appointed to the Mayor’s Advisory Committee on Walkability by Gary Christenson in 2012, which created the Frank Stella-themed wayfinding signage visible to pedestrians around the city today.
Why are you seeking this office?
I’m running for re-election because I love serving Malden and we have so many exciting projects underway in Ward 3. Two that stand out are the long-awaited redevelopment of the former Malden Hospital campus into a behavioral health facility and brand new city park, and the proposal to turn our old District Courthouse into a Center for Arts and Culture on Summer Street.
Finding a home for our local creative workers to flourish has been a long-standing goal of mine and the mayor, as well as our local arts and culture organizations, and I think these two developments bookending our ward will be truly transformative for our neighborhood and the entire city.
More broadly, I love helping people, and I love being able to use my strong community engagement and communications skills to elevate resident ideas and open the doors of government to a broad array of constituents.
Please complete this statement: The single most pressing issue facing my constituents is _____ and this is what I intend to do about it.
The single most pressing issue facing my constituents is our city’s financial health. We are at a transitional point in our municipal finances, when the COVID recovery dollars will be falling off our balance sheet right at a time when our commercial tax base is struggling and housing prices continue to skyrocket.
It is more expensive than ever to live here in Malden, whether you rent or own, and we must find a way to protect our existing residents from displacement, while also strategically growing our commercial tax base in ways that meet the needs of our city’s future. Without smart strategies for handling future growth, we risk not being able to provide city services at the level residents expect.
What are the major differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?
I am currently running unopposed. What makes me stand out as a candidate every year is my work ethic, my dedication to effective communication, and my unwavering commitment to representing the vast diversity of folks who call Ward 3 home. With more than 8,500 residents in our ward, a growing youth population, and nearly half the voter base having moved into the city since the pandemic, finding ways to reach ALL residents is a bigger challenge than ever. I have proudly kept an “open door” to all who reach out to me, whether that’s by phone, email, social media or in person, and will continue to be responsive, respectful, and always listening.
What other issues do you intend to address during your campaign?
In addition to the two key development projects in my ward, this upcoming term I will be focused on implementing our affordable housing plans, fighting for safe streets for all users including youth and seniors, and making sure we keep up our strong pace of planning for the city’s climate resilience.
What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?
In Ward 3, our biggest paint point has always been the vacant and neglected former Malden Hospital property. When I first ran for office in 2019, I knew that getting back to the negotiating table with the property owners had to be priority #1, and I’m incredibly proud of the partnership we’ve built between Tufts and the city to bring a much-needed hospital focused on behavioral health to this site.
I’m also extremely proud of my track record on affordable housing. As chair of the committee overseeing our federal recovery dollars for housing, I’ve invested in a brand new, all-affordable townhome development at the former Salvation Army site on Main Street, I’ve devoted funds toward rehabilitating vacant and foreclosed properties around the city to turn them into permanent affordable ownership opportunities, and we are working hard to bring two additional affordable opportunities to Malden this year, in areas hardest hit by the legacy of redlining and segregation in our city. I work effectively with colleagues spanning a wide range of political viewpoints, and I know how to get things done collaboratively. “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.”
What is the best advice anyone ever gave you?
Before my swearing-in, I got great advice from a retiring councillor in a neighboring city. They told me it’s okay to be mad about someone’s position on an issue, but if you let yourself question their motives or intent, you start down a dangerous path. I’ve found that to be an overwhelmingly valuable viewpoint that has saved me a lot of time and aggravation. The other great piece of advice I’d share: find a mentor.
Is there anything else you would like voters to know about yourself and your positions?
If you call me with a question or idea, no matter what ward you live in, I will always, always call you back. I’m easy to reach by email at alinehan@cityofmalden.org, on my social media pages, and on my City Council cell phone, 781-873-9224. Please reach out! I’d love to get to know you.