Five Candidates Compete for Four At-Large Seats on City Council
By Ellen Putnam
In November's municipal election, five candidates will be competing for four seats on the City Council At Large: current city counilors Maya Jamaleddine and Ryan Williams, and newcomers Jason Chen, Dionysios Kaskarelis, and Elizabeth Kowal.
Historically, the number of candidates in this category has fluctuated widely: in 2023, ten candidates competed for the four seats, while in 2021, the race was uncontested.
All five candidates for City Council At Large are registered Democrats. (In Melrose as a whole, less than a quarter of voters are registered Democrats, while over 65% are unenrolled in any party - and those proportions are similar for voters statewide).
And all five candidates for City Council At Large have expressed their support for all three of the Proposition 2½ override questions that will be on the ballot.
But there are a number of policy differences among the five candidates, and each has their own perspective on increasing communication between City Hall and residents, planning for the future, and what it means to represent the city as a whole on the City Council.
We spoke with each candidate about their background, experience, approach, and goals. You can read our profiles of each candidate below.
Maya Jamaleddine
Maya Jamaleddine is running for a fourth term on the City Council to continue her goal representing the entire Melrose community and specifically groups of people in Melrose whom she believes are not otherwise represented in city government.
“When I first ran,” she said, “it was because I felt that a large segment of the population was not being represented on the City Council, and we needed to have a voice for underrepresented people on the Council. Now, looking at what’s going on at the local and the national level, it’s not the time to sit back and say, ‘other people will be able to represent us.’”
Ryan Williams is running for a third term on the City Council because, he said, “I really enjoy the work, I think that I have a lot to offer, and I don’t think my work is done yet.”
“We need a collaborative and functional group of people on the City Council who want to work together, and that’s what I’m there to do - I’m on the Council to work together as a team with the other councilors, to solve problems and make the city a better place.”
Jason Chen is running for City Council At Large because, he said, “I want to help keep Melrose on course for the short term and the long term.”
In particular, Chen intends to focus on ensuring that the $130 million Public Safety Buildings Project stays on budget and on time; pedestrian and traffic safety issues related to new housing developments; and, whether an override passes or not, “making sure we properly prioritize our spending and helping people understand how the money is being spent.”
Dionysios Kaskarelis (often known as ‘Dion’) is running for City Council At Large because, he said, “I love Melrose, I am invested in Melrose for the long term, and I want to see the city thrive.”
“I want to use the position of city councilor as a platform to give residents a voice and the ability to shape the future of our city,” he said. “And I believe in the power of government: going back to ancient Greek times, democracy literally translates from demos - people - and kratos - the state. It’s government by the people, for the people.”
Elizabeth Kowal is running for City Council At Large because, she said, “I love Melrose and I want to be part of its future, and I want to help it grow and develop and continue to be the fabulous place that it is today.”
“I have a unique skillset that lends itself to this type of work, and I think there are gaps that currently exist, which I have personally experienced, that I could help fill. I have been lucky enough to be involved with the city through my volunteer work on the Public Safety Facilities Advisory Committee and the Human Rights Commission, and I believe that there’s more that I can do for the city.”
