A Record Of Service That Sets The Standard

Almost a decade ago, the members of the Watertown Republican Town Committee chose new leadership. They turned to Steve Aylward and asked him to take on the responsibility of charting a new direction for the RTC. Steve was the obvious choice for Town Committee Chair because of the servant leadership he displayed as School Committee President.

When Steve took over the Watertown RTC, he inherited a small group of wonderful people, who believed in the cause -- but were not activists. However, through patients, hard work, and a wise recruiting strategy, Steve brought new energy to the Town Committee. Now that virtually every voting seat is filled, the committee is taking on junior members. Most importantly the Town Committee is full of activists.

Steve wants to see that happen throughout the State. That is why he working with great people like Jim Dixon (former candidate for State Rep. in 10th Middlesex) to re-organize the City Committee in Waltham. He's also working hand in hand with Tomi Olson (chair of the Belmont RTC). The Belmont and Watertown Town Committees are starting to sponsor events together, coordinate campaign activity, share resources and combine manpower in order to promote Republican candidates and issues.

Servant Leadership Produces Leaders

Steve realizes that one person can't do it all, nor should he. Steve has always been about working for the cause rather than building a personal sphere of influence. And this is evident by the initiative taken be the various members of the Watertown Republican Town Committee with his assistance, support, and encouragement. Over the last decade the Watertown RTC or its members have lead the following efforts.

1) We've elected and re-elected members to the Watertown School Committee.

2) In 2005 the RTC combined efforts with the Watertown Citizens for Common Sense Government and defeated a proposed Property Tax surcharge being promoted by the ultra Liberals. In the process, a record number of voters turned out, and the citizens of Watertown unseated the most Liberal members of Watertown Council.

3) In 2006, the RTC ran the first Republican for State Rep in the 29th Middlesex in 40 years. And it wasn't a simple matter of putting a name on the ballot. Keith Mercurio ran a full-scale campaign on a shoestring budget. The effort included over 200 lawn sign locations (in a 4 square mile area), weekly visibilities, a local cable T.V. ad buy, and a state of the art phone bank. Keith will be the first to acknowledge that without the help of Steve Aylward and the members of the Watertown RTC, none of this would have been possible.

4) In 2007, members of the Republican Town Committee took direct action in shaping public policy and standing up for the Armenian Community in Watertown, Belmont and beyond. Both Watertown and Belmont had adopted a program called No Place For Hate that was sponsored by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL). On the surface the program seemed harmless enough, except that it was more Politically Correct "Big Brother" indoctrination. But when members of the RTC were informed that ADL was working with the Turkish Government to suppress Congressional passage of an Armenian Genocide Resolution, they were outraged and took action. One RTC member, John DiMascio wrote a series of articles on the subject in the local papers. Other RTC members joined with their Armenian neighbors and would not let the Watertown Town Council rest until the program was dropped from the Public Schools and Watertown left the program entirely. RTC members went on to work with the Armenian Community by attending and speaking at various hearings in other towns like Belmont and Needham.

7) In 2009, members of the Watertown RTC and their friends came out full force to elect Scott Brown. Countless man-hours were spent on the phone and on the streets by Watertown Republicans to help elect Scott Brown. And RTC members also opened up their wallets in this effort. Many others helped raise money online through social media.

6) In 2010, the Watertown RTC was one of the most active in the entire Massachusetts 7th Congressional District. Daily visibilities in Watertown Square were the norm for Dr. Gerry Dembrowski, who presented the first serious challenge to Ed Markey in decades. Those RTC members who were unable to participate in visibilities, made phone calls or otherwise did their part for the Dembrowski Campaign. In this same year the Watertown RTC helped Jim Dixon's in his run in the 10th Middlesex district against Peter Koutoujian. Some RTC members worked on Sean Bielat's campaign against Barney Frank. And this goes without saying, the RTC and its members made financial contributions to all these candidates as well as the Question 3 ballot measure, which would have cut the MA sales tax in half.

7) In the Spring of 2011, Peter Koutoujian resigned as State Representative in the 10th Middlesex. Steve Aylward and Watertown RTC members immediately started recruiting Jim Dixon to run again for the open seat. Again, the RTC mobilized; first to help Jim get the requisite signatures, then to do whatever the Dixon Campaign asked.

Out of this effort, a strong alliance with the Greater Waltham Tea Party was forged. Watertown RTC members encouraged Waltham Tea Partiers to get involved in municipal races and to register as Republicans so as to be able to help Jim Dixon re-organize the Waltham City Committee.

This kind of individual activism by Republicans in Watertown is at least in part due to Steve Aylward's servant leadership. Steve doesn't have to be the one leading the charge and getting the credit. He inspires others to do their part as he does his.