Lissette for Mayor of Malden Campaign Introduces Platform Initiative #1 – Creation of an Office of Public Engagement

(Editor’s Note: This story was  submitted by the candidate Lissette Alvarado for publication)

The Committee to Elect Lissette Alvarado for Mayor is pleased to announce the release of its first Platform Initiative – the creation of an Office of Public Engagement. Transparency and collaboration are the cornerstones of Lissette’s campaign for Mayor of Malden. With this foundation, the tough conversations can be had that will lead us to a better and brighter Malden.

As Mayor, Lissette will achieve this with the creation of an Office of Public Engagement (OPE). This office would be bold in its work to create deeper relationships with our diverse and varied communities. City Hall’s main purpose is to make sure that all residents can access city services.

This means fully engaging our non-English speaking residents, immigrant, and underserved populations, but also our disabled, teen, faith-based, LGBTQIA+, senior, and veteran communities on a daily basis. OPE would provide a two-way street that would focus on ensuring access to city services for all Malden residents, while also interacting with our communities on a daily basis to really understand their needs, wants, accomplishments, and issues. It will initially begin with staffers hired for their connections and understanding of our communities, and will grow into an office structure overseeing:

• Quarterly town halls in various languages/issue areas.
• Continue language translation and access services.
• Create a rule that all publicly advertised meetings (per State Open Meeting Law) held within City Hall must be zoomed and recorded for transparency and public viewing.
• Facilitate meetings between communities and City Hall departments.
• Event planning and coordination.

  This office will not be a buffer to meeting with the Mayor. All current community stakeholder meetings will continue, while OPE systematically increases access across all communities to the Mayor’s office.

This is not a performative office or set of positions. OPE is the tool by which we will fully integrate all of our services into resident-friendly initiatives and proactive relationship-building within our communities with community leaders.

Increasing access benefits everyone by making sure that every Malden resident has a seat at the table. We have been divided for far too long. Working together, even through differences, will help us work towards a more prosperous and united Malden. We need to gather, talk, and learn from one another so that the best solutions and ideas for Malden come from the community itself.