Ryan Cox is making his first run at city government this upcoming election with his campaign to represent Ward 6 in the City Council. After getting involved in a housing development in his neighborhood, he realized he wanted to be more than just a citizen with a voice.
The 37-year-old Peabody High School Class of 2005 graduate has called the city home his entire life. He and his wife, Suzanne Jobski, are currently raising their 10-month-old daughter. He works as a pipefitter with Pipefitters Local 357 and also makes pipe-accented furniture out of his home with his business, North Shore Reclaimed Furniture. Cox’s trade background segues into one important task he would like to handle if elected.
With the city in need of a new high school, Cox would like to see more diverse trade opportunities return to the curriculum.
“Right now, kids are going to Essex Tech before going on to college,” Cox said. “So a lot of kids are using Essex Tech as their high school because Peabody doesn’t have a strong high school… We used to have a vocational program, but they don’t offer plumbing, electrical, carpentry, auto-body, stuff like that.”
Following along with what inspired him to run in the first place, Cox wants to take a close look at the amount of housing developments going on in Ward 6 and the city as a whole.
“They’re trying to build everywhere,” Cox said. “I was just at a Zoning Board of Appeals meeting Monday for another parcel of land at the top of Winona Street where they are looking to build a 55-plus community on 4.8 acres of land, when 25 is required.”
He believes overdevelopment could create public-safety issues such as high traffic volume and school overcrowding.
An affordable development catered to the elderly community is something Cox feels the city needs. He expressed his regret that the recently completed Birch Hill Estates did not fall into that category.
Some other ideal outcomes for Cox include improving city sidewalks and revamping downtown in the same vein as Lynnfield’s MarketStreet. Cox has been endorsed by his union, Local 537, North Shore Building Trades, and the North Shore Labor Council.
