Amanda como
Hello Westfield!
My name is Amanda Como and I am running to be your next Councilwoman in Ward 1. Election Day is fast approaching and I hope you will cast your vote for me.
I am Jersey born and raised, and after living up and down the East Coast, my husband Brad and I planted roots here in December 2007.
We have two children and a Miniature Schnauzer named Winston. Our son attends Westfield High School and our daughter is a student at Roosevelt Intermediate School.
Like you, we fell in love with Westfield’s great school district and charming downtown. Fast forward fourteen years and a lot has changed! Over the past few years, extreme partisan politics from the national political scene have trickled down into our town. It’s apparent on our social media, and from having conversations with friends and neighbors, that our community is fractured.
I believe in the diversity of thought, ideas and approach, and those all started to feel stifled to me. That is not the type of town I moved to, nor one I want my children to grow up in. I decided to run for office to try and do something about it.
I’ve spent most of my years here in Westfield volunteering in various capacities. First as a fundraising chair at the Westfield Welcome Club, then as class parent for the Westfield Y preschool and kindergarten and Franklin Elementary. I am currently sitting on the PTO board at Roosevelt Intermediate. From kindergarten through 5th grade I had a leadership role in my daughter’s Girl Scout troop and, for the past seven years, I’ve coached her sports teams.
Over time, I have gotten to know many of you, each with varying backgrounds, opinions and approaches. Having this awareness gives me a better pulse on what residents - especially those with children - want to see in Westfield.
Prior to becoming a mom, I led customer service and sales teams for various brands in four different states. I have over 30 years of experience managing and working with people. I am now an entrepreneur and a small business owner, the proprietress of Amanda Bradford Home LLC, a decorating service in Westfield, since 2011.
As your councilwoman, I am committed to fostering civic friendships with those I may not always agree with. Bipartisanship, the acceptance and tolerance of those whose beliefs and opinions differ from my own, is the best and only way to approach local governance. I will focus on the ways Westfield residents are alike rather than different, working to remove labels and stereotypes separating “us” and “them”. At the end of the day, we all want the same thing: for Westfield to be the best version of itself.
Here are my positions on just a few issues Westfield is facing:
* FOR protecting Brightwood Park to remain a passive nature park
- FOR historic preservation while advocating for historic homeowner autonomy
- FOR removing ordinances restricting certain types of businesses from operating on the ground level downtown
- FOR respectful and responsible field development and improvement
* FOR community policing and partnering with law enforcement to improve neighborhood safety through education, encouragement and empowerment
My philosophy towards community leadership is PEOPLE over politics.
My goal is to restore unity in our community.
It’s time to put the “WE” back in Westfield!
If you want a Councilwoman that is authentic, approachable, compassionate, empathetic, thoughtful and an active listener, I am that person.
I hope I earn your vote on November 2nd.
