I’ve known Katjana for over 20 years, dating from our involvement in political campaigns as members of PDS (Progressive Democrats of Somerville). I recruited Katjana to the Board of SCC (Somerville Community Corp.) on account of her experience as Project Director for Workforce Development at the JPNDC (Jamaica Plain Neighborhood Development Corp.), and our shared values and belief that making Somerville more affordable meant not only developing affordable housing, but also supporting Somerville residents young and old in acquiring the skills they would need to gain employment offering livable wages.
A successful Mayor builds a strong team and pays attention to their recommendations and the rationale for those recommendations; does their best to ensure that key decisions are based on the best information available, so as to make effective use of the city’s financial and staff resources; builds strong mutually beneficial relationships with
external partners; and governs with an awareness of both the short- and longer-term implications of their actions. Katjana is that kind of Mayor.
I strongly believe that Mayor Ballantyne has done an outstanding job as Mayor, taking on difficult challenges, supporting her staff and making informed decisions and prudent choices about how best to use the available resources to address the multiple and sometimes competing priorities, the chronic problems and the emergency needs, of our complex community of 81,000 residents, hundreds of businesses, and thousands of daily visitors.
