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Date: 4/6/2021
NORTHAMPTON – With both city councilor at-large positions up for grabs during the upcoming election season, local attorney and Planning Board Vice Chair Marissa Elkins announced she would be running for one of the open positions.
Elkins said running for City Council is an opportunity to become even more involved in the community.
“I have been involved in the community in a few different ways and when these seats came open for City Council, I saw it was an opportunity to jump in and get more involved. I am ready to do the work, it has been fascinating to work on the Planning Board and see how things can move toward change,” she said.
One of the reasons Elkins said she originally moved to Northampton was because the community shares the values her family has.
“I have been a resident in Northampton since 2004 and we chose to live here because my wife and I saw a community that is really trying to build up with values we share so that really resonates with us,’ she said.
As an attorney, Elkins said she works directly with people that are impacted by city government and legislation.
“It is really my wheelhouse to be thinking about due process, civil rights, and how government institutions are interacting in the daily lives of citizens. From that perspective I am always thinking through how a proposed legislation or change will really play out in reality,” she said. “I think as a lawyer I will be able to bring real thoughts about how legislation will achieve what its proponents want to achieve.”
With the Planning Board, Elkins said one of her interests is deeper discussion about zoning laws and city planning.
“The part of the job that has stoked my imagination are our discussions about zoning law changes and city planning that really get to deeper policy issues. It is sort of where the rubber meets the road in terms of Northampton’s stated goals of sustainability, increasing diversity, and achieving social equity,” she said.
While the council has already passed some zoning changes in terms of housing, Elkins said she is interested in more changes and properly spending city money if she is elected.
“The City Council has already passed changes in zoning that go toward increasing diversity in our housing stock at different levels. As a general matter that is going to be a focus, we have big decisions in front of us in terms of how the city spends its money, we got a significant amount of money passed federally,” she said.
Along with zoning and economic decisions, Elkins said her experience as a defense attorney will give her a unique perspective in changes to the police budget.
“There are discussions that need to be had about the police budget, where we are going with that, and how and if you implement the recommendations of the recent commission. That is an area where being a defense attorney will be relevant and I think I will bring some insight and perspective into that conversation,” she said.
One of the ways she wants to make a bigger impact at City Hall is helping to foster potential community leaders from more diverse backgrounds.
“I think there are opportunities at city hall to listen and foster the development of leaders in our community that represents the entirety of us. My hope would be to play a role in making sure that we bring to the table and hear from everyone in the city that wants to be heard. I also want to empower folks to be a part of our local leadership that have not always been well represented,” she said.
While she is originally from Texas, Elkins said she is officially part of a New England family now that her daughter plays hockey.
“I’m a Texas expat, I often say, and my heart will always be there. I am a hockey mom now and I feel like that really has cemented us as true New Englanders even if deeply and thoroughly through our daughter’s foundation here,” she said.