Meet the Candidates for District 3’s Seat on the Framingham City Council

FRAMINGHAM - Mary Kate Feeney and Ken Weiss will be the pair of City Council nominees on the ballot for District 3 voters during this November’s municipal election in Framingham.

The position is being left open by the current District 3 City Councilor Adam Steiner, who announced in April that he would not be running for reelection after serving in the role for four terms. November’s election will determine who will be the first person besides Steiner to represent District 3 on the board since Framingham became a city at the start of 2018.

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2025 does not mark the first time that Mary Kate Feeney has entered the race for the District 3 City Council seat.

Back in 2021, she and Steiner were a part of a close election—one that involved a recount of the initial votes that resulted in a tie, courtroom deliberations, and a special election in January of 2022. Steiner eventually ended up winning that second round of voting, but Feeney told The Frame that her first bid for the role a few years ago inspired her to continue “serving the community.”

Feeney, the founder of the marketing and digital media consulting agency Dockside Media, has been a part of the city’s Strategic Initiatives and Financial Oversight Committee alongside a number of local groups—including Friends of Framingham Trails, an outdoor trail advocacy organization that she co-founded in 2023. She is also the creator of The Ham’er, a weekly online newsletter that features updates on local government and events.

She believes those experiences make her an ideal choice to represent District 3 if she is elected in the fall.

“I have a very unique background and combination of grassroots organizing, policy expertise, and actual community leadership…I think that’s the energy that’s really needed on the council,” Feeney said in an interview with The Frame.

Among Feeney’s top priorities are economic development, as she thinks that growth in Framingham has been stagnant in recent times. She has stated that she wants to boost small businesses while turning downtown Framingham into a “regional destination.” Feeney also explained that she wants to foster more community input amid development proposals in District 3, including at the parcel of land at Edmands Road and Edgell Road within the Nobscot area.

“This is about strategic planning so that we’re doing things that we need to do about housing and we’re doing it strategically,” Feeney continued, “where the community is bought in and we’re all part of that plan so that things like Nobscot doesn’t happen again.”

Additional campaign pillars outlined by Feeney include accountability, as she called upon the local government to be accountable and transparent with residents through practices such as making municipal documents more accessible. She has expressed support for a new school on Framingham’s south side as well as the expansion of early education services.

Feeney pointed to her environmental stances as well, adding that Framingham should aim for carbon neutrality by 2035 by protecting natural resources locally while expanding electric vehicle charging and solar energy resources. She mentioned that she is in agreement with her opponent on environmental issues along with matters regarding potential Nobscot developments.

Leading into November’s election, Feeney thinks she can be the candidate who ensures that Framingham is “more intentional with what we do” moving forward.

“It’s about having a councilor who’s with you every step of the way regarding what’s going on in your neighborhood...I am one of you, and I am there to be on the council to support what we’re doing in District 3 and throughout the entire city.”

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Ken Weiss, a Senior Engineering Manager by trade, was previously an active member within Framingham’s Town Meeting structure.

He told The Frame about his efforts in proposing environmental legislation locally, including a ban on single-use plastic bags in 2016 and a divestment from fossil fuels in 2014. Since then, he’s been a part of environmentally-focused groups Keep Framingham Beautiful and Energize Framingham.

Weiss said he decided to run upon learning of Steiner down in order to make a direct change within the city, as he’s stressed his desire to run a “grassroots” campaign without major donors.

“We do have public participation, but I think it’s a bit harder to get change as a citizen, and you really have to be involved and be a City Councilor to do that,” Weiss told The Frame.

If elected, Weiss said he wants to promote his ideas and, from there, smooth out the process of local politics in order to see how changes within the government can be made efficiently.

Environmental issues remain an important part of Weiss’ focus. He explained he would look to promote additional clean energy initiatives while moving Framingham away from fossil fuels. He said he’d like to place more solar panels on municipal buildings; he is in favor of the state’s Municipal Specialized Opt-In Energy Code, which sets standards for newly constructed buildings that prioritize eco-friendly practices.

Weiss would want to protect open spaces within District 3 and limit developments as well.

“I will absolutely try to slow down, as much as I can, those types of developments—including the ones in Nobscot,” Weiss continued.

“This is my number one priority. But, I’m not opposed to apartment buildings, I’m not opposed to development. It just has to happen closer to train stations, it just has to happen where it makes sense.”

Equitable housing options—ones that make it more affordable to live in the city—and additional transparency through technology that bolsters the voice of residents were other priorities that Weiss highlighted in his conversation with The Frame.

Weiss commended his opponent as a candidate, adding that he’d be “happy” to have Feeney represent District 3. He has expressed a similar desire to “reimagine” the downtown area in order to give a boost to small businesses.

Still, he thinks his environmental and housing development pillars are what make him the proper candidate for the job.

“I want to preserve our beautiful landscape, I want to be able to walk and run around Callahan State Park without worrying about another housing development happening there, “Weiss said.

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The citywide election will be held on Tuesday, November 4. The deadline to register to vote in Framingham is Saturday, October 25.

For more local voting information, visit the city’s official website by clicking here.