|
Other Peabody News:
School officials plan to train volunteers to staff elementary school
libraries
School board OKs reserves to offset fee hikes
More new faces join race
for City Council
Mayor explains reason for private chat during recess
by John Castelluccio
PEABODY – In recent weeks several others have joined the fray with
bids for local office this November.
On Monday, Bradford Road resident William Aylward, 38, pulled nomination
papers for one of five At-Large Councilor seats, Lowell Street resident
Jeffrey Grayson, 46, took out papers last Wednesday to challenge long
time Ward 4 Councilor Robert Driscoll, and Ronald Sheehan, 52, who also
lives on Lowell Street, looks to overturn Barry Sinewitz in Ward 6. Sheehan
pulled his papers on June 16.
Rico Mello has ended speculation he planned a mayoral bid this fall, taking
out papers to keep his Ward 3 seat for a fourth term last Thursday.
Union Street resident Tony Vidinha aims to take Ward 3 from Mello. Vidinha,
who has run for office in the past (including Mayor and Ward 3 Councilor),
pulled papers last month.
Most incumbents have already made the trek down to the City Clerk’s
office, including Mayor Michael Bonfanti, who is seeking his fifth term
in the corner office, Ward 2 Councilor Arthur Athas, Ward 5 Councilor
David Gamache, Driscoll, Sinewitz and At-Large Councilors Edward Bettencourt
Jr., Michael Garabedian, James Liacos, David Gravel and Anne Manning.
Barry Osborne is facing two first-time contenders, Robert Forti and Anthony
Carli, for his Ward 1 seat.
The School Committee race, on the other hand, has remained quiet, despite
bids for two of the three seats up for grabs. Jarrod Hochman, who ran
in 2007, and Neil Papamechail, who pulled papers twice before for City
Council but never filed them, both pulled nomination papers in March.
And on June 12, incumbent Michael Moutsoulas announced he would not seek
reelection this fall. Thus far, Moutsoulas’ decision guarantees
either Hochman or Papamechail a seat on the School Committee if they file
their papers with 50 signatures by Aug. 4 to get on the ballot.
Incumbents Beverley Griffin Dunne and Edward Nizwantowski had not pulled
papers as of Monday.
Dunne originally said she planned to seek a third term, but when asked
recently about rumors she may challenge Bonfanti or whether she intends
to keep her seat, Dunne said she hadn’t discussed it with her family
yet, adding that budget talks consumed much of her time. Nizwantowski
has not indicated his plans.
Lynnfield Street resident Anne Quinn pulled papers last month for Library
Trustee. The only other so far to do so is Richard Shruhan.
Incumbent Light Commissioners Thomas Paras and Robert Wheatley have pulled
papers, and are being challenged by Charles Bonfanti (younger brother
to the mayor) and Fred Chancey.
|
