Matt Wally

Worcester’s Wally to announce City Council candidacy  

Worcester Magazine

 

Written by Walter Bird Jr.  ·  05/05/2015  ·  8:22 pm

 

This year's municipal election in Worcester has one of the largest crop of City Council and School Committee candidates in recent memory. On the at-large side, there about 21 potential candidates. Lifelong Worcester resident Matthew Wally is among them and is expected to formally announce his candidacy next week. He had already pulled out nomination papers.

In an emailed press release on Tuesday, May 5 Wally's campaign said he will make the announcement at a campaign kickoff Thursday, May 14 at Fiddler's Green on Temple Street. The event is scheduled for 5:30 p.m.

In the press release, which listed Wally's decision to run at-large as based on improving the qualify of life in Worcester, the married Wally bemoaned the choice of young families to "opt out" of the city.

"After going through the repetitive exercise of trying to convince family and friends to stay in Worcester, only to watch them flee to the suburbs, I began to think there must be a more effective strategy," said Wally, the son of retired Worcester Public School educators. "I believe that strategy is to put myself in a position to help make the policy and budgetary decisions that directly impact the quality of life in Worcester. Supporting public safety initiatives that protect our neighborhoods, ensuring the Worcester Public Schools have enough funding for excellence in the classrooms and cpaital improvements to the buildings, and backing initiatives that create a welcoming environment for private businesses to invest their capital are three areas that should be a priority."   

The press releases lists Wally as a director of the Greater Worcester Community Foundation (GWCF), a trustee associate for the Nativity School of Worcester, a Steering Committee member for the Worcester Tree Initiative, a member of the Holy Cross Club of Greater Worcester, chair of the Massachusetts Banking Council, clerk for Matthew 25 and a director for Pay It Forward Inc. The press release also lists several past involvements, including Preservation Worcester's Endangered Structures Committee.

He works for TD Bank.

Wally's candidacy received a boost from a former mayor, according to the press release.

"I was very excited when Matt informed me he was running for Worcester City Councilor At-Large," said Tim Cooney, who served on City Council from 1980-1999. "Matt's lifelong commitment to the city ... has always been evident in his words and his actions. Based on his involvement in the many causes that have a profound impact on the quality of life in Worcester, I am confident that Matt will make a tremendous public servant."

All incumbent councilors have declared their intention to run, and one district councilor, Phil Palmieri in District 2, is making the jump into the at-large race.