HomeMy WebLinkAbout1981 11-11 Maida ready for council duties THE REVIEW Maida ready for council auTies
By JONATHON CLYDE GLASS paigning have reconfirmed that op- questions. I'll call up anybody and
Staff Writer timism, a sentiment that will be helpful everybody to get information."
when she takes on the responsibilities and
Victory was finally certain about 10 tough decisions of being on the city Maida is accustomed to thinking out
p.m. election day, Nov. 3, for MaryLee council. loud. She is willing to experiment with t.
Maida, who will soon be Maplewood's various ideas,trying them on for size,and
newest city council member. The voting While not having extensive government seeking other peoples' opinions without
results from individual precincts began to experience,Maida is accustomed to being hesitation.This is a style she may have to
trickle in about 3:20 p.m. Not until she in the public eye. After returning to restrain somewhat,she acknowledges, as 'N�
learned of her 50 vote margin over in- college in 1972, she graduated this sum- she learns to work with the rest of the \
cumbent Earl Nelson in her home mer from the College of St.Catherine's in council and city staff. --%
precinct, the southernmost portion of St. Paul with training in chemical Maida is strongly concerned about the
Maplewood, was she sure she had won. dependency treatment.She has worked in increased cost of buying a home and
Maida, 45, 2322 Highwood Ave., the field of employee development, living in Maplewood.After going door-to-
emerges from the election with an en- having implemented in-service door throughout the city,she realizes the
thusiasm for city government and the educational programs with corporations number of households with both adults
local residents she met going door-to-door and government agencies. employed is even higher than she had
during the campaign. Maida is not currently employed, but thought. If she went out campaigning
"I wish everyone could have the ex- she is seeking full-time work and expects before 3 p.m.,she found someone home in
perience of running for office and win- to find a job in her field of specialization. only one out of eight households, she
ning. It's a great high," she says. With Her lack of direct government ex- estimates.
one or two exceptions, the hundreds of perience does not trouble Maida. She While it is good for husbands and wives
people she has met have been friendly and learns quickly and is willing to ask a lot of to have more options in regard to em-
receptive. questions, she explains. ployment and child-raising, it creates
"Newcomer,"she says,"that word has strains, Maida observes. The citymight
"I'VE ALWAYS BEEN an optimist always had a positive ring for me be able to respond to some of these
about the human race," notes this per- politically. through recreational programs and
sonable and articulate woman. Thehousing policies, she says.
people she encountered while cam- "I'VE NEVER BEEN afraid to ask "People in my age bracket,in the seats
of decision, have got to take into con-
sideration people 25 years younger than
One way to do so could be through the
construction of more multiple dwellings,
bringing housing within the price range of
younger people, she says. The pattern of
x the single-family home construction may
" ,� be in for some big changes, she adds.
MAIDA WILL WORK to preserve open
. � land in southern Maplewood where the
s-7 , t" environment is relatively untouched, she
says. But the council may have to allow
' denser housing construction in some parts
of the city, she notes.
Maida and her husband Raymond, a
,,,,,,,-.• �x y mechanical engineer, own a home on
almost nine acres in southern Maplewood.
s Their living room windows open onto an
'1\1',*4 '4:,.-1 ' .'4 y I expansive view of the fields in front of„ ,,
E`� ` �s • their home. Maida is an outdoors en-
'NI,
n-
,,, .„ . thusiast. She enjoys cross country skiing
and keeps close tabs on area deer and
t47:�� birds, including a pair of redtail hawks.
• Maida is a mother of four.Her youngest
' :'' , child Matthew, 17, is a senior at Hill-
Murray High School. She is an active
member of the Transfiguration Catholic
�� ' Church.
Maplewood's newest council member
” has about two months before she actually
,4'
assumes office. In the interim, she will
„ continue to attend council meetings and
> study city government.She looks forward
' ''''''' '„,, ,,,,..,,,,,,, ,1'''"
-', , - -- ---,,,,i, to her duties with self-confidence.41
•
"I've always carried through on similar
projects in the past," she says. "I'm not
'I'M ASKING THE COMMUNITY to be very vocal," says MaryLee Maida, the type who burns out and drops out."
4aplewood's newest city council member.Maida,2322 Highwood Ave., won with an Instead,she thrives on new challenges.
4 vote margin over incumbent Earl Nelson.She will take office in January. She will certainly have her chance.