I am writing to endorse Councilwoman Emily Root for Ward 1. Emily was unanimously appointed by our Town Council in April to fill a vacant seat, and I have had the pleasure of working with her as a colleague for almost seven months now.

Emily is smart, thoughtful, compassionate, dedicated and engaged, and I could not be more excited to continue to work with her representing Ward 1.

Emily understands that being a member of Westfield’s Town Council is not just simply acting as a sounding board for incoming complaints from residents. The job requires a careful balance of listening, informing, educating, deliberating. It necessitates teamwork with the council members, town employees, local business owners and residents to find the common ground on which we can all work for a stronger economic and community-centric future for our town — in the short and long term. The job does not always win you popularity contests.

Emily brings significant experience and noticeable drive to her job on the Council. She has lived in Westfield for 22 years, engaging with residents over the years as a speech pathologist, professor, small business owner, neighbor and stepmom of two.

Her impressive professional and personal history with the town has now been augmented by on-the-job experience working as a council member — chairing our Public Safety committee’s review of our crossing guard program, acting as a liaison to the DWC, and engaging on the Public Works committee.

In all three of these roles she has been impactful and intentional, investing the time necessary to make informed decisions, and driving forward the important priorities of our town — to improve pedestrian safety, reinforce the foundations and vibrancy of our downtown, and invest in the people and equipment we need to deliver the services Westfielders expect.

Vote on November 8 for the candidate for Ward 1 who is already working for Westfield, and whose commitment and dedication will consistently deliver results to each and every one of us.