Transparency in governance is incredibly important. It’s not always required but when officials don’t reveal their truths publicly, constituents are left wondering how they feel about ordinances, or if they fully understand what they are voting on. It can break down trust and even raise questions about a conflict of interest.

Mayor Nicole Kalloch, who is running for a second term on Rockland’s City Council, seems to deeply care about our city, but as a leader, I worry that she has not been transparent on many important issues. Mayor Kalloch very rarely hands the gavel to another Council member so she can speak on ordinances, including proposals she herself has sponsored.

An example is Ordinance Amendment 24, a sweeping and controversial zoning change. As one constituent brought up at the October 10 candidates forum, Mayor Kalloch did not provide substantive reasons why she thought this ordinance would be the right approach to expand housing capacity when she presented it to Council. When asked at the forum why she failed to heed the advice of our experienced City Planner, the Planning Board, and the Comprehensive Planning Commission (all opposed the ordinance), Mayor Kalloch said she did consider their recommendations carefully but disagreed with them. Still, she didn’t explain why she disagreed with their findings. She did, however, acknowledge that there were, “many conversations going behind the scenes that, yeah, maybe people didn’t see between committee members and Council.”

I do appreciate the time Mayor Kalloch puts into this volunteer position, especially since she serves two roles, that of Mayor and a City Councilor. But for many constituents who aren’t privy to what’s discussed “behind the scenes” — particularly working people who don’t have time to schedule private meetings with Council members — City Council meetings are our best opportunity to engage with Councilors and hear why they choose to vote one way or another.

In contrast, the other candidate running for City Council, David Statman, has demonstrated thoughtful and transparent leadership.

As the President of Adas Yoshuron Synagogue, a member of the Rockland Energy and Sustainability Advisory Committee, and a board member for AIO Food and Energy Assistance and the Good Tern Co-op, David speaks openly about his ideas, listens to others, and helps people find resolution, even when navigating difficult issues. At the candidates forum, David was clear and direct in answering constituents’ questions and, while he is familiar with the big issues, he was willing to say when he felt he wasn’t knowledgeable enough to speak on lesser known topics.

David Statman is a proven leader who welcomes engagement and values transparency, which is why I believe he is the right choice to serve on Rockland’s City Council.

Jan Heimlich lives in Rockland