Ed Cameron Announces Run For Ward 4 City Council

ED CAMERON

4 Newburyport City Council

Contact Person: Ed Cameron

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 2, 2007

Email Address: edcameronNBPT@gmail.com

Ed Cameron Announces Run For Ward 4 City Council

Local resident seeks to strengthen Newburyport

NEWBURYPORT, MA - Monday, April 2, 2007 – Newburyport resident Ed Cameron today announced that he will be running for Newburyport City Council to represent the people of Ward 4.

“Newburyport is at a crossroads in many ways and our citizens expect their City Councilors to provide solutions,” Cameron said. “The issues before us require strong, pragmatic leadership from our elected officials – leadership to identify common interests and agree on a way forward rather than passivity in the face of real challenges.

“I’ve never run for office before but I believe that I have the qualifications, energy, and creativity to make a significant contribution. I look forward to a positive grassroots campaign, listening and learning from the residents of Ward 4 over the coming months.”

Cameron outlined three quality of life issues he will focus on:

• Development (within the neighborhoods of the Ward, on the waterfront, and downtown)
• Education
• Property Tax Relief

“The interests of Ward 4 residents don’t stop at the borders of the Ward,” Cameron said.

Cameron believes that citizens have repeatedly expressed their desired outcomes about development, education, and City services and that the elected representatives of the people need to do their best to translate that input into reality.

“We need leadership that will ensure that private interests don’t run rampant over public values,” Cameron stated. “In terms of neighborhood, downtown, and waterfront development, we need to preserve what is good about Newburyport while we seek to make changes that will reinvigorate local businesses and improve quality of life.”

Cameron believes that the City Council and the School Committee and the Mayor need to demand excellence in our schools and push for reforms and cost-efficiencies at all times, not just during budget crises.

Cameron added, “We need the wise expenditure of our property tax and local aid dollars. At the same time, we need to preserve the ability of seniors to live in the community they have called home their entire lives. I will support efforts by our State elected officials to increase the senior tax exemption and at the local level work to educate seniors to take advantage of this exemption.”

Cameron currently serves as Associate Executive Director of Housing and Homeless Services at Community Teamwork, Inc in Lowell, MA assisting low and moderate income people in the Merrimack Valley find and maintain housing stability. He oversees a staff of 50 full time employees and a budget of $26 million.

In his 20 years of nonprofit and government experience, he served as Director of Policy and Advocacy for Horizons for Homeless Children in Boston leading a successful advocacy effort to improve services for homeless children in Massachusetts; he served under Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino in that City’s Emergency Shelter Commission; and he worked at the Pine Street Inn overseeing operations at a large shelter for homeless men.

In addition to his work experience, Cameron has a Masters in Business Administration (MBA) in Public and Nonprofit Management from Boston University and a BA in Government from Clark University in Worcester. In 2006, he volunteered as co-coordinator for the Deval Patrick campaign in Newburyport.

Cameron has been a resident of Newburyport since 2002 and lives on Oakland Street with his wife Susanne, daughter Anna, dog Maya, and cats Theo and Boras. He is a lifelong Red Sox fan and it is no coincidence he is announcing his candidacy for City Council on a day when hope springs eternal: Opening Day for the Boston Red Sox.

Ward Four extends from Jefferson Street to the Merrimac River to Carter Street to High Street to Toppan’s Lane to Low Street to North Atkinson Street to High Street back to Jefferson Street.

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For additional information, contact Ed Cameron, cell 617-518-0786, email edcameronNBPT@gmail.com