It appears that Ed Duffy who is up for re-election to the Planning Board will not be running an uncontested race.  Cheryl Tougias, of 660 Canton Ave, has filed papers with the Town Clerk to be placed on the ballot for a seat on the Milton Planning Board.

Tougias is no stranger to the Planning Board. She was one of 4 at large members appointed to the Temple Advisory Committee by the Planning Board. The Advisory Committee was tasked with assisting in the identification and evaluation of options relative to the potential redevelopment/rezoning of the Temple Shalom property.

Her decision to run will present voters with a distinct alternative to the incumbent, Mr. Duffy. Mr. Duffy was steadfast in his opposition to the zoning overlay proposal for the Temple Shalom property. Ms. Tougias at Special Town Meeting rose and spoke in support of the article regarding the zoning overlay.

Ms. Tougias, a registered architect and principal of Spalding Tougias Architects, Inc.,  holds a Bachelors in Architecture from the University of Arizona and a MS in Architecture from Columbia University.  She is a member of the Urban Land Institute, New England Women In Real Estate and the U.S. Green Building Council and past commissioner of a local historic district and a former board member of a local youth-serving non-profit organization.  Currently, Tougias serves on a Boston Redevelopment Authority Impact Advisory Group.

With over 25 years of experience, Ms. Tougias has led design teams with civil, traffic, environmental and geotechnical engineers and has participated in community and government review processes for a range of project types.  Tougias considers herself skilled at synthesizing diverse interests into solutions that elicit broad support, and seeks the opportunity to bring her experience to Milton’s planning effort. About her candidacy, Tougias says, “Over the last decade, I have watched the Planning Board take a more prominent role in shaping the future of the town.  I love living here in Milton and I am thrilled to add my considerable experience as an architect, my commitment to historic preservation and my interest in sustainable design to the mix of skills on this very critical town board, ” said Ms. Tougias.

She has identified four goals to accomplish as a member of the Planning Board:

• Offer thoughtful, proactive decision-making informed by land use analysis, design and real estate experience
• Balance diverse interests for a common town agenda
• Bring experience and passion on issues of historic preservation and environmental awareness to the process of planning for Milton’s future
• Assess the town’s real estate assets for greatest utilization and efficiency

Tougias lives in Milton with her husband, George, and two children who attend the Cunningham Elementary School, where Mrs. Tougias is an active volunteer.

People interested in learning more about Cheryl’s campaign can email Milton4Tougias@gmail.com. Contributions are gratefully accepted.  Checks can be made out to Committee to Elect Cheryl Tougias, 660 Canton Avenue, Milton 02186.