WESTFORD — WestfordCAT reached out to each candidate running in the Annual Town Election. Candidates were given the same exact questions and were encouraged to answer them how they saw fit.
Angela Harkness is running for reelection for Town Moderator.
Experience and Education
Harkness has operated a law practice in Westford between 1994 to 2021.
Harkness has a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Boston University and a Juris Doctorate in Law from New England Law.
“Being a retired attorney gives me a good bit of relevant experience with regard to the running of Town Meeting,” she told WestfordCAT.
Past/Present Municipal Experience
Harkness served on the Westford School Committee, the Permanent School Building Committee, the 1991 Master Plan Committee and the Master Plan Implementation Committee.
Harkness has served as Town Moderator since 2020.
Volunteer Participation/Community Involvement
Harkness has regularly attended Town Meeting and has served in “various other town volunteer capacities.”
What should voters know about you?
“I have greatly enjoyed my last three years as Moderator including my focus on making Town Meeting informative, comfortable and easy for people to attend,” she said.
Why do you believe voters should choose you?
“During my first term we have ramped up the information available to voters prior to the meeting, instituted free transportation and free child care, made lunch food trucks a regular feature, moved the meetings to a location with more space and better parking, and generally tried to afford Town Meeting it’s rightful place as a central and essential part of Town Government,” she said.
If (re)elected, what impact do you hope to make?
“My number one priority if elected would be to increase attendance at Town Meeting,” she said. “Open Town Meeting is the most basic form of democracy and it works best when the greatest number of people participate.”
She continued, “I believe it is the Moderator’s job to increase awareness of the importance of Town Meeting votes and by doing so encourage more people to take part. Accomplishing this requires public education on issues and process, establishing supports that make the Meetings comfortable and easy to attend and explaining the things going on at the meetings so they are clear to every voter in the room.”
Candidate’s Minute
Candidates were offered the opportunity to record a two to five minute Candidate’s Minute with WestfordCAT.
