Q&A: District 2 City Councilor Brandon Ward 2025

Ward says he brings ‘the right set of experiences, temperament, and values to continue to move Framingham forward.’ He wants to continue being ‘a strong advocate when it comes to constituent concerns, and to complete a number of important projects that I see as imperative for our district.’ Election Day is Tuesday, November 4.
Brandon Ward
City Council
Elections
Government & Politics
Published

October 16, 2025

Brandon Ward

Brandon Ward

BRANDON WARD

Why are you running?

I am running for reelection because I care deeply about Framingham and District 2, and I think I bring the right set of experiences, temperament, and values to continue to move Framingham forward. For those who have watched City Council meetings over the past two years, they will know I’m someone who always shows up prepared having done his homework, who always looks to engage in constructive conversation based on the data and information that has been provided, and when necessary, who isn’t afraid to ask difficult questions and advocate for the values that I believe in, i.e. creating a Framingham that is inclusive, equitable, transparent, and affordable for all residents. I’m running for reelection to continue to bring that perspective and voice to the Council, to continue to be a strong advocate when it comes to constituent concerns, and to complete a number of important projects that I see as imperative for our district, most importantly the McGrath Square rebuild (aka the intersection of Concord, Elm, Central, & Water).

Please tell us about your qualifications and experience:

I bring significant municipal and Framingham community experience to this role, including serving as the current District 2 City Councilor, as a former School Committee Member for Keefe Tech from 2021-2024, as the Board President for Friends of Saxonville, as a Board Member for Downtown Framingham, Inc., and as an Advisory Board Member for the MetroWest Economic Research Center at Framingham State University. I also bring strong professional experience from my current role with Family Promise Metrowest, a homelessness prevention nonprofit and my past role as the Executive Director of Leadership MetroWest, a Framingham based nonprofit dedicated to providing leadership training to community leaders coming primarily from local nonprofits and municipal government. My career has also included stints in higher education at the Harvard Kennedy School and in the U.S. Senate as a congressional aide to Senator Joe Lieberman.

What are the top 3 issues you want to work on in the next City Council term?

  1. Investing in quality of life improvements, such as parks, trails, and improved roadways. Adding amenities to the Cochituate Rail Trail, finishing the rebuild of the Carol Getchell Nature Trail, and advocating for recreational upgrades to Reardon Park, Danforth Park, and Simpson Park. Making McGrath Square and central Saxonville more pedestrian and bike friendly. Fixing the Danforth Street intersection, increasing public parking options, and ensuring safe crosswalks.

  2. Supporting our public schools and ensuring a continued emphasis on equity, inclusivity, and belonging for all residents.

  3. Making Framingham more affordable for young families, new residents, and seniors hoping to age in place. This includes investing in affordable housing infrastructure, such as the establishment of an affordable housing trust.

Traffic congestion is a major issue for many neighborhood residents. What if anything can be done about it?

In my mind, there are two potential solutions: 1.) make our roads and intersections more efficient and effective, or 2.) find ways to take cars off of our roads through improved public transit and rail trail offerings. In terms of item one, this is why the McGrath Square rebuild project is such a priority for me, and not just putting lipstick on it (aka new pavement, new sidewalks, new lights, but ultimately moving forward with the same design), but instead fundamentally realigning the intersection with Danforth Street to allow for more efficient flow of traffic from Central onto Concord and vice versa, which I view as the main instigator of backup onto Water Street for commuters traveling east, and then down to School & Hamilton for commuters traveling north.

In terms of finding ways to remove cars from our roads, it’s why I’m such a strong proponent of making Saxonville more pedestrian and bike friendly, and funding improvements to our rail trail network through the Cochituate Rail Trail and the soon to come online Bruce Freeman Rail Trail. It’s also why I’ve been a frequent partner with the MetroWest Regional Transit Authority to find new and better ways to serve Framingham residents who are interested in utilizing public transit options.

If the Pinefield shopping center is rezoned and redeveloped, what if any role do you envision taking in that process as our District 2 City Councilor?

First, “rezoned” and “redeveloped” are separate questions for Pinefield. Under the current B-2 Zoning (Community Business Zoning), Pinefield is able to be redeveloped into a new commercial plaza by right or into a mixed-use development by Special Permit, which is currently overseen by the Planning Board. As District 2 City Councilor, my role is to be a convener and advocate to ensure that the district and adjacent neighborhoods have a voice at the table. I feel strongly that developers need to be held accountable, and that development needs to fit the character of the surrounding community. I would not support any development at Pinefield that isn’t right-sized and the product of community feedback.

If Pinefield were to be rezoned, my goal would be for that rezoning to put clear limits on height, setbacks, and architectural features to ensure that any potential future development is limited in terms of scale and would match the historic facades and character of the Mill and the Concord Street corridor.

A lot of area residents were unhappy with the way the MBTA Communities Act zoning compliance process played out. Any thoughts on that?

I would agree that the process left much to be desired, though in the end, I think the outcome (aka no changes to any zoning in the city) was rather favorable. Conversations held at the Planning Board throughout 2024 drew limited community input, and frankly, it felt to me like the most contentious parcels were added at the last possible moment. The proposal that ultimately came to the City Council, which included the Nobscot parcel between Edgell, Edmands, and Livoli, was a nonstarter. During my 2023 campaign, throughout the MBTA Communities Act process, and during this campaign, I’m been staunchly opposed to rezoning in Nobscot – and that won’t change. Now that we’re in compliance with the state mandated MBTA Communities Act, I look forward to continuing a broader community conversation around how zoning, especially in Saxonville, can be done at the community level in order to preempt any future development and ensure that it would right-sized for the district.

McGrath Square continues to be a dangerous pedestrian environment, with people dashing across 3 lanes of traffic from the city parking lot to Saxonville Mills; and the new CVS in Nobscot is an unwelcoming streetscape if you’re on foot. Does the City Council have a role in making Saxonville and Nobscot more friendly to pedestrians and bicyclists?

100%, and not to sound like a broken record, but that’s why the McGrath Square rebuild project remains at the top of my priority list. I will continue to be a vocal and fierce advocate for this project, and hold the mayor’s feet to the fire to ensure it is funded and completed. In terms of broadly making Saxonville and Nobscot more pedestrian and bike-friendly, they are priorities of mine, and it’s why I’ve been an avid proponent of the Bruce Freeman Rail Trail, the Cochituate Rail Trail, and finding safe, continuous connections between the two, such as the rebuilding of the Carol Getchell Nature Trail and making access improvements to the Weston Aqueduct.

A key opportunity to use the old McAuliffe branch library to enhance the neighborhood (as was called for in a city planning document) was squandered when that building was turned into DPW overflow offices. Should our City Councilor advocate for more city services for adults in this area of Framingham, given that city government offices, the Callahan Center, adult education (Keefe Tech), the police station, and the planned community center are all south of Rte 9? Or are those close enough for people to access?

Just to clarify on timeline given that it wasn’t specified in the question, the decision to use the old McAuliffe library as the main office for the city’s Facilities Department was made prior to my election and involvement in city government, so I didn’t have a voice in that process. I do support having a robust community conversation around what gaps District 2 residents are feeling when it comes to accessing city services, and if that means finding a more community-facing use for that building/property, I’m all for it. With that said, the building as currently constructed is limited in size and capability, which as many will know, is how we ended up with the new McAuliffe Library on Water Street.

How would you plan to keep in touch with voters and inform them what you’ve been doing?

I regularly update residents about City meetings and conversations via Facebook, both on my own page, via the District 2 community groups, and on the Friends of Saxonville social media channels. Over the past two years, I have also partnered with Friends of Saxonville to facilitate numerous community conversations around everything from zoning and the MBTA Communities Act to McGrath Square and open space/trails projects. I will continue this work. I’m available for 1v1 conversations with residents via my office hours or via phone. My personal cell phone (508-314-2449) is on my campaign website and on my official City Council page, and I encourage residents to be in touch with any questions.

What else would you like to tell District 2 voters?

If reelected to represent District 2, I will continue to fight every day to make a positive difference in our city and community. I will continue to lead with authenticity, courage, and compassion, and I will remain a collaborative voice with fresh ideas, a thoughtful perspective, and a critical but constructive lens on the issues that matter.

I promise to help others be positive change-agents within our city for the issues and causes they care about. And perhaps most importantly, I will continue to advocate for a Framingham that is transparent, and encourages (not discourages) community members to get involved. I hope to have your support and vote on November 4th.

How can voters find out more about you (website, social media, email, etc.)?

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