Select Board meets with State Rep. Simon Cataldo
State Representative Simon Cataldo attended the Carlisle Select Board (SB) meeting on January 31 after holding public “office hours” at Town Hall earlier in the day. Cataldo said that it “is an honor to be representing Carlisle and its residents” and that one of his goals as a new Representative is to build relationships in the House so that when he talks about issues of importance to Carlisle, he will have the necessary support to push bills through the Legislature.
From: Carlisle Mosquito
Excerpt:
Since he took office on January 4, Cataldo has filed 24 bills on behalf of the 14th Middlesex District, primarily co-sponsoring bills in collaboration with other representatives. “I view my role as a collaborative one with town officials, residents, and other actors in the state government including Senator Mike Barrett.” Cataldo said that he is already working on some of the issues that are important to him, including environmental protection, public education, mental health care in the workforce, workforce development, public infrastructure, and personal freedoms like voting and reproductive rights.
SB member David Model asked Cataldo about the concept of regionalization in light of the financial challenges small towns face. While Cataldo said there is not much legislation in the pipeline that addresses regionalization, he asked the board to advise him on the types of roles Carlisle would like to share so that he could look into state agencies that might provide partnership opportunities.
SB member Travis Snell asked what resources are available for infrastructure improvements, specifically the bridge on Route 225 between Carlisle and Bedford. Snell said that the weight limit on the bridge is currently so low that Carlisle’s fire truck needs a special dispensation to be able to cross. Cataldo agreed that the issue is critical, and noted that it is also a regional issue because of the proximity to Bedford. He said that historically Carlisle has not received its “fair share of funding” through Chapter 90 and believes there may be state grant options to cover repairs.
