Elizabeth “Betsy” Shane seeks Town Council Precinct 3 seat

Special to the Transcript 

Betsy Shane has announced her intent to seek the Precinct 3 Council seat. The following is her statement:

“With the encouragement of friends and other community members, I have decided to run for the open Town Council Precinct 3 seat.  

After working as Executive Director of the Winthrop Chamber of Commerce for the past 12 years, I would like to continue giving back to the community representing Precinct 3 on the Town Council.

We are a small family town with several issues that we need to deal with to move forward.  We have climate and resiliency, health and public safety, transportation, business sustainability, schools, and infrastructure issues just to name a few.  Our relationships with Massport and the MWRA are critical to our community.  I would like to work to strategize and plan for our town’s future.

As the former Executive Director of the Chamber of Commerce, I worked closely with all the Town Departments, Speaker of the House Robert DeLeo, Representative Jeffrey Turco, and State Senators Anthony Petruccelli, Joseph Boncore and Lydia Edwards.  In 2013, when I started at the Chamber, I went to most of the Town’s meetings to learn and to work with various boards on issues that impacted the business community.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, my main goal was to take care of the immediate needs of Winthrop residents and businesses.  At the beginning, I worked with town employee Matt Rodes to coordinate getting food deliveries from our businesses to the Winthrop Community Food Pantry.  Working with the Town Council and Board of Health, I was able to advocate for outdoor seating for the restaurants, allowing each of them the opportunity to keep their doors open.  I am proud to say that not a single business closed due to COVID.  

At the same time, the Town also had the Center Infrastructure Project in full swing.  Working closely with town government and the construction company, the Chamber was able to help mitigate many of the issues affecting the businesses and the community trying to navigate Winthrop Center.  When I began at the Chamber, I didn’t know everything, yet through time, research and discussions, I built relationships and worked on issues to help keep our businesses growing.

I grew up in a small town on the water.  My dad ran his own small business.  My mom worked in education and public service.  My grandmother, a great influence on me, was also involved with education and public service.  They all impacted my life and career.

I moved to Winthrop 28 years ago in the late 1990’s.  When my husband passed away a few years after we moved here, I had to decide, ‘Do I stay in a community where I don’t know many people, or Do I move?’  I decided to stay, but I knew I had to meet people and get involved with the community.  I joined the Chamber of Commerce and volunteered for several committees. It changed everything. I met people, some of whom are my closest friends today. I got to know the community and some of our leaders, and I got to make Winthrop my home.  I now want to continue to work to support its growth and health.

As a Town Councilor, I will approach my role as I did at the Chamber of Commerce. I will listen and learn. I will do my research, talk with people and look at the opportunities to have this wonderful town have a future that will let kids grow and have the best possibilities, have the residents continue to have their properties grow in value, and allow businesses to open and grow.  

Prior to working at the Chamber, I worked with the ICMA (International City and County Management Association) delivering workshops to City and County Managers throughout the country teaching leadership Team Development skills. I worked with communities like Leesburg, Virginia coaching department heads in the Planning and Development Department through the development of a Master Plan for the community. In addition, I worked with neighborhoods in New Orleans after Katrina discussing what the community wanted the city’s redevelopment to look like.

We are in a moment to meet our challenges with a vision for the future. But what does our future look like?  Representing you, I want to be a part of the decision to determine that future. I look forward to the opportunity to gain the support of the voters of Precinct 3 in my campaign for the Town Council.”