By Bella Timmerding
Incumbents Marylin Alexander and Leslie Straughan were re-elected and retired city planner John Driscoll won a seat on city council. Mayor Frank Friedman, who ran unopposed, was also elected.
The final vote count showed Alexander received 1,413 votes. Straughan received 1,303 votes. Driscoll received 1,148 votes. Friedman received 2,050 votes.
City election officials had counted ballots cast on Election Day and during early voting. They also had counted absentee ballots mailed from within the United States. They will finish counting absentee ballots that were mailed from abroad on Wednesday. Madeleine Robinson received 858 votes, not including the international absentee ballots.
“I am already working on something that has been a real passion of mine,” Alexander said in a phone interview Tuesday night. “It has to do with the lowest paid employees on the city payroll.”
Alexander said she wants to make sure that city workers earn a living wage. “This is a good time to do it now that we have some extra leftover in our budget to make that happen.”
Straughan said she’s excited. “I’m looking forward to having our strategic planning session in January so all of council is on the same page,” she said in a phone interview Tuesday night.
Driscoll said in a statement that he’s looking forward to working with council, the mayor and city manager. “I ran on a platform to increase opportunities to engage our residents, businesses and significant institutions in managing and chartering Lexington’s future,” he said.
Alexander, 71, who is the city’s vice mayor, ran on a platform that emphasized economic development and renovation of old buildings to combat the housing crisis.
“We want to encourage developers to look at Lexington, to invest in our city, to build more housing, including affordable housing,” Alexander said in an interview late last month. “We need to fill vacant spaces downtown with retail and commercial businesses that will enhance the vitality and survivability of Lexington being a destination.”
The Lexington native said city and business leaders need to push for more diversity in workplaces and throughout the community.
“We need to send an even stronger message that we strive to continue being a welcoming city where everyone is made to feel comfortable to live, work and play here,” she said.
Straughan, 58, the office manager for St. Patrick Catholic Church, ran on a platform that emphasized upgrades to city infrastructure.
“We are in the process of replacing or repairing most of our water and sewer lines,” Straughan said in an interview late last month. “In addition, the water treatment and sewage plants require major upgrades, as do our roads, our stormwater system, City Hall, the Public Works facility, the high school, the jail and the Department of Social Services building.”
Straughan said at a candidates’ forum in September that the city must work to correct the lack of housing and improve resources for Lexington residents.
“The city must continue to focus on allowing more housing options, supporting our excellent schools, improving amenities such as Jordan’s Point Park, and welcoming new businesses,” she said.
Driscoll, 72, who is a member of the planning commission, said in an interview in late October that he wanted to increase opportunities for residents to participate in council’s deliberations and decisions.
“As a city, we need better ways beyond public hearings for citizens to have a voice in local government and all its plans,” he said. “I have witnessed how we all benefit when a city engages its residents, businesses and significant institutions through a community-based planning process.”
Driscoll also said he supports investment in more affordable housing and improved social services.
Editor’s note: A previous version of this story included the incorrect age of Leslie Straughan. The corrected version is above. We regret the error.