The following was submitted by the candidate

Happy spring! My name is Bob Kelly and I am pleased to announce my candidacy for Park Commissioner. I am a Milton native and live in the heart of East Milton on Franklin Street along with my wife, Pilar, and our daughter, Grace. I am a member of the East Milton Neighborhood Association.

Having benefited from Milton’s recreation programs as a youth, I am thrilled to be back in town and again enjoying all of the town’s playgrounds and parks. Like thousands of others I learned how to skate at Ulin Rink through the Beginner’s Skating program. I also took up skiing through Milton Parks Department lessons at the Blue Hills. I look forward to passing onto another generation all of the fantastic recreation opportunities that Milton Parks & Recreation Department offers. As the uncle of nine nieces and nephews all in Milton, I am fortunate to regularly visit each and every park for games and practices.

I am running for Milton Park Commissioner because I want to ensure that the town’s recreation programs and facilities remain accessible to all. I also want to preserve and enhance Milton’s recreation experience to the extent possible in challenging fiscal times. Now more so than ever, our parks are vital to a healthy environment for all residents- children to seniors. The latest electronic technology is supposed to make all of our lives less hectic but often times the opposite is true. It is far too easy to continue swiping or clicking onto the next video instead of getting outdoors to exercise and enjoy fresh air.

I attended Milton Public Schools K through 8th grade and graduated from BC High. I earned degrees from Boston College and New England School of Law. My first job as a lawyer was as an Assistant District Attorney in Norfolk County. Currently, I work as a staff attorney for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in a regulatory capacity.

Please consider my candidacy on April 28. Thank you.