In historically low turnout, all town incumbents returned to office

UPDATED, April 2:  In the lowest turnout for a town election in years, 9.1 percent, all incumbents for main town offices won reelection on Saturday, March 28.

For Board of Assessors, Kevin P. Feeley (1,544) easily topped Stephen T. Harrington (844) for the three-year seat, according to unofficial returns with 21 of 21 precincts reporting.

For School Committee, Cindy Starks (1,693) and Jeffrey D. Thielman (1,564) won reelection over 20-year-old college student Alexis G. Moisand (986).

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At right, Jeff Thielman, Joe Curro and Cindy Starks celebrate on election night.

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For the Board of Selectmen, Joseph A. Curro Jr. (1,907) and Steven M. Byrne (1,807) were unopposed.

In a ballot question, voters also supported adding five all-alcohol licenses, from 15 to 20. The tally was 1,957 yes and 539 no.

Among Town Meeting members, one incumbent, Maria Romano, in Precinct 7, was not returned to office. A staunch opponent of the Mass. Ave. Corridor project, she had lost four tries to become a selectman.

In Precinct 2, despite not having attended Town Meeting since 2010, William A Carey Jr. retained his seat, with 73 votes.

In Precinct 3, Town Meeting member James Robillard did not make the cut.

In Precinct 4, voters did not return Michael Costa, but Patricia Costa was reelected. The Costas were included in a January YourArlington story about meeting attendance.

Unnoposed candidates Robert Greeley received 1,850 votes for a one-year seat on the Board of Assessors, and Joseph Daly got 1,838 votes for a five-year seat on the Housing Authority.

All candidates for key town or school offices have been asked to comment about the election results, or any issue.

School Committee winner Starks wrote March 29: “Thanks to the 2,000 or so who came out to vote! I look forward to serving another three years on the Arlington School Committee and three years on Town Meeting.”

Curro wrote March 29:

“I want to thank the Arlington voters who braved the unusual wintry weather and came out to vote on Saturday. The votes of confidence given to all incumbents seeking reelection to town-wide office can be interpreted as a sign of overall satisfaction with the way our Town and Schools are being managed and overseen.

“Nevertheless, we must always strive for continuous improvement, and It falls to us to earn our neighbors’ trust every day.

“Thank you, also, to the many Arlington residents who stepped up to run for Town Meeting. In doing so, you serve as guardians and guarantors of this treasured New England tradition.

“Finally, I must express my deepest gratitude and appreciation to my family, my supporters and volunteers, and my colleagues on the Board of Selectmen for the opportunity to serve for another three years and to navigate together the turns and challenges which surely await us on the road ahead.”

Thielman wrote March 29: “I’m pleased to be returning to the School Committee and am grateful to everyone who volunteered on this campaign for their time and hard work.

“I’m very thankful to each person who took the time to vote on Saturday. I look forward to working on the fiscal, facilities, Common Core conversion and other issues that we face in the Arlington Public Schools.”

As of April 2, the following main candidates for contested seats had not responded:

Stephen Harrington

Kevin Feeley

Steve Byrne

Alexis Moisand

Lowest in history?

Selectman Kevin Greeley, elected chairman on March 30, said at the meeting that he believes this town election turnout was the lowest in town history. The clerk’s office was asked about that, and no one could confirm it. Jankice Weber, of that office, did provide turnout results going back to 1990.

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OPINION: What do the low-turnout numbers mean?

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Summary from town website, including Town Meeting members >>

Wes Beal’s election numbers, including write-ins >>

ACMi election broadcasts: Candidate profiles are presented back-to-back, followed by the School Committee debate on ACMi’s Government Channel (Comcast 22, RCN 15 and Verizon 26).

ACMi covered the League of Women Voters candidates’ night, at Town Hall, live March 19. Watch the video on demand here >>

Read a summary here >>

On Election Day, March 28, ACMi will chronicle the ballot returns. Tune in starting at 7:30 p.m.

Candidate profiles on demand. Watch now:

Stephen Harrington

Alexis Moisand

Cindy Starks

Jeff Thielman

Joseph Curro

Steven Byrne

Debate

School Committee candidates

 

Candidates’ night, sponsored by Arlington Vision 2020 and the League of Women Voters of Arlington, was held Thursday, March 19, at Town Hall.

The evening provided the community with an opportunity to learn about the candidates for main town offices.

Each candidate will present a two-minute opening speech. After all the candidates have spoken, each will answer questions presented by the moderator.

Cards will be available at the back of Town Hall for you to suggest questions to ask the candidates. The questions presented to the candidates will be selected by a nonpartisan three-member committee of members of the League of Women Voters of Arlington and Vision 2020. None of the candidates will have prior knowledge of these questions before taking the stage, the LWV says.

Procedures for Screening Questions For Candidates Night

Source: League of Women Voters’ guide

1. Questions are asked of all the candidates and should not single out certain individuals.
2. Questions of policy should pertain to the specific powers of the office sought and the level of government it is in.
3. Questions should be direct, clear and avoid language that introduces a bias or unduly narrows the scope of the question.
4. Questions of competence and character should be general enough so that a range of experiences could reasonably be cited as evidence.
5. Questions of opinion should be relevant to important issues of public policy likely to come up for someone elected to the position sought.

Questions selected will include those asked numerous times — as an indication of general interest — provided they meet the other criteria and have not already been covered in the voters’ guide or other well-known sources. The words of the questioner will be preferred even when shortening or editing is needed.

Official ballot position for the Town of Arlington

* = Incumbent

Board of Selectmen

(for three years; vote for not more than two)

Steven M. Byrne *

Joseph A. Curro Jr. *

Board of Assessors

(for three years; vote for not more than one)

Stephen T. Harrington

Kevin P. Feeley *

Board of Assessors

(for one year to fill a vacancy; vote for not more than one)

Robert E. Greeley *

School Committee

(for three years; vote for not more than two)

Jeffrey D. Thielman *

Cindy Starks *

Alexis G. Moisand

Arlington Housing Authority

(for five years; vote for not more than one)

Joseph S. Daly

Town Meeting members

* = Candidate for reelection

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Opinion: Don’t vote this year?

An overview of Town Meeting candidates

Run for those open seats, Leone urges

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Precinct 1 
(for three years; vote for not more than four)

Kevin M. Mills *

Stephen A. Revilak

Gregory D. Dennis

Deanna Lyn Healy *

Elizabeth McGaffigan *

Precinct 1

(for two years, to fill a vacancy; vote for not more than one)

Charles K. Hartshorne

Precinct 2

(for three years; vote for not more than four)

William A. Carey Jr. *

Richard J. Corredera

Mark W. McCabe *

Elsie C. Fiore *

Stephen W. DeCourcey *

Precinct 3

(for three years; vote for not more than four)

Anne K. Thompson *

Robin M. Dratch *

Adam Auster *

James F. Robillard *

John K. Hoppe

Precinct 4

(for three years; vote for not more than four)

Patricia A. Costa *

Aimee L. Taberner

George Laite *

Clarissa Rowe *

Michael R. Costa *
Precinct 5

(for three years; vote for not more than four)

Nanci L. Ortwein *

Scott B. Smith *

No candidate filed

No candidate filed

Precinct 6

(for three years; vote for not more than four)

Theodore L. Peluso *

William H. Kaplan *

Andrew S. Fischer *

Lesley A. Waxman

Precinct 6

(for two years, to fill a vacancy; vote for not more than one)

No candidate filed

Precinct 7

(for three years; vote for not more than four)

Maria A. Romano *

Joseph M. Connors *

Lisa A. Pedulla *

Linda Hanson *

Thomas S. Michelman

Precinct 8

(for three years; vote for not more than four)

Joshua Lobel *

Cindy Starks

Irwin S. Grossman *

Patricia B. Worden *

Precinct 9

(for three years; vote for not more than four)

Robert E. Herlihy *

Paul Schlichtman *

Debra A. Edelstein *

Barbara Ann Boltz *

Precinct 10

(for three years; vote for not more than four)

Mustafa Varoglu *

Danuta M. Forbes *

Barbara M. Costa *

Christian MacQuarrie Klein *

Precinct 11

(for three years; vote for not more than four)

Christine C. Carney *

Thomas Caccavaro Jr. *

Mary Ellen Bilafer *

Carroll E. Schwartz

Precinct 11

(for two years, to fill a vacancy; vote for not more than one)

Christopher J. Heigham

Precinct 12

(for three years; vote for not more than four)

Lisa A. Bielefeld

Marc Dohan *

Robert J. Jefferson *

Jeffrey D. Thielman *

Alexis G. Moisand

Precinct 12

(for two years, to fill a vacancy; vote for not more than one)

Benjamin B. Ames

Precinct 13

(for three years; vote for not more than four)

Marie A. Krepelka *

Stephen J. Gilligan *

Victoria Craine Cohen

Nancy M. Gilligan *

DeAnne Dupont

Precinct 14

(for three years; vote for not more than four)

Adam E. Pachter *

Joseph C. Tully *

Alan H. Jones *

Guillermo E. Bahamon *

Precinct 15

(for three years; vote for not more than four)

Joseph A. Curro Jr. * 
Annie LaCourt *

Nancy A. Mara *

Richard C. Fanning *

Precinct 16

(for three years; vote for not more than four)

Allen W. Reedy *

Mark J. Ontkush

Judith Ann Phelps *

Barbara Thornton

Holly Czapski *

Precinct 17

(for three years; vote for not more than four)

Joseph J. Monju *

Sarah L. Burks

Ann L. Smith *

Ann V. Fitzgerald *

Precinct 18

(for three years; vote for not more than four)

Jon Gersh

John V. Belskis *

William J. Ford *

Shirley M. Canniff *

Precinct 19

(for three years; vote for not more than four)

James M. O’Conor *

Brian P. Foran

Edward D. Trembly *

Christine P. Deshler *

Precinct 19

(for two years, to fill a vacancy; vote for not more than one)

Flynn C. Monks

Precinct 20

(for three years; vote for not more than four)

Peter T. Fuller *

Dean E. Carman *

Robert L. Tosi Jr. *

No candidate filed

Precinct 20

(for two years, to fill a vacancy; vote for not more than one)

No candidate filed

Precinct 21

(for three years; vote for not more than four)

John W. May

M. Pamela Hallett

Jeffrey K. Boudreau *

Janice A. Weber *

John T. Canaday *

Ballot question: all-alcohol license

Question: Shall the Board of Selectmen be authorized to grant an additional 5 licenses for a total of 20 licenses in the Town of Arlington for the sale of all-alcoholic beverages by restaurants and function rooms having a seating capacity of not less than 50 persons?

YES

NO

Summary of Question: At the request of the Board of Selectmen, the 2014 Annual Town Meeting voted to ask the Legislature to authorize placement of this question on the 2015 annual election ballot, which the legislature did. This ballot question asks the electorate to authorize the Board of Selectmen to issue up to 5 additional licenses (for a maximum total of 20) for the sale of all alcoholic beverages to be consumed on the premises in restaurants or function rooms that can seat at least 50 people.

Currently, the Board of Selectmen is authorized to issue up to 15 licenses, and to date, all 15 of these licenses have been issued. A “yes” vote on this ballot question would authorize, but not require, the Board of Selectmen to issue up to 5 additional licenses for a maximum of 20 total licenses for the sale of alcoholic beverages to be consumed on the premises in restaurants or function rooms that can seat at least 50 people. A “no” vote would make no change in existing licensing of sales of alcoholic beverages for consumption on the premises. This question does not affect package stores.

Information about candidates for key town office

(Source: League of Women Voters’ guide)

SELECTMAN FOR THREE YEARS Vote for NOT MORE THAN TWO

Stephen Byrne
77 Appleton St.
Candidate for reelection

Occupation: Staff Director, Massachusetts House of Representatives

Qualifications: Over the past three years, I have enjoyed working with my colleagues on the Board, Town Employees, and Residents to move our community forward. I am excited to continue listening to your concerns and acting on your behalf to make Arlington an even better place than it alreadyis!

Question: The Proposed Master Plan suggests a tension between providing more housing and retaining the nature of town. How do you balance the current needs of our residential town with economic development?

I do not believe that the Master Plan suggests a tension between providing more housing and retaining the nature of the town, but rather, I believe the Master Plan offers an opportunity to build off of our storied history and develop a community that will continue to excel in the future.
We need to focus our efforts on smart growth initiatives throughout our business corridors. This includes mixed use development, where we can increase our density by creating new residential and commercial space above our street level retail shops. This smart growth should aim to enhance walkability and create distinctive, attractive areas that foster a strong sense of pride for all Arlingtonians.
This will not be easy, but the Master Plan process has laid the groundwork for success. We will need to reevaluate our zoning bylaw and make certain that it is structured in a way that allows our vision to become a reality. It is vital that the Town continues working with residents, property and business owners, and town meeting members during this process.

Joseph A. Curro Jr.
21 Millett St.
Candidate for reelection

Occupation: Developer, Content Systems (Massachusetts Medical Society/ NEJM Group)

Qualifications: Selectman (2012-present); School Committee (2008-2012); Human Rights Commission (2006-2008); Symmes Neighborhood Advisory Committee (2006-2007); Town Meeting Member (First elected 1999); Budget and Revenue Task Force; Corporator, Arlington Boys and Girls Club; State and Federal experience; Graduate degree, International Economics and Finance; Homeowner; Married father of two Ottoson students.

Question: The Proposed Master Plan suggests a tension between providing more housing and retaining the nature of town. How do you balance the current needs of our residential town with economic development?

The Master Plan acknowledges the special character of Arlington’s many neighborhoods and special places. We are blessed to have parks, playgrounds and schools within walking distance of most residential areas, and we must preserve them.
The plan properly focuses on the Massachusetts Avenue corridor as holding the key to Arlington’s future economic development and affordable housing opportunities. This finding is driven in part by Mass. Ave.’s already vibrant collection of businesses and other amenities, ready access to public transportation, and a renewed commitment to improving bicycle and pedestrian accessibility.
One key element of the Master Plan is revision of our zoning code to encourage and enable mixed use development along Mass. Ave., Broadway and Medford Street, with ground floor commercial space and housing on upper levels. Like many of the more than 85 recommended actions contained in the plan, Town Meeting will need to weigh in before any such change can become a reality.
Many Master Plan recommendations require action by the Board of Selectmen, and much is already in progress, including Arlington Center parking improvements, Community Preservation Act implementation, and safe travel initiatives.

I look forward to continuing this and other work in the coming years.

ASSESSOR FOR THREE YEARS Vote for NOT MORE THAN ONE

(Candidates are limited to 200 words for their answer to the question.)
Stephen Harrington

74 Columbia Road
Occupation: Investment Manager
Qualifications: The candidate states that his biographical information can be viewed on the following website: http://truepersons.com/2012/01/27/biography/

Question: How would you resolve any disparities in the ways similar properties are evaluated for assessment purposes?
Arlington has a real issue with large disparities in assessments for similar properties from decades of favors, handouts to developers, reliance on antiquated software and opaque treatment of commercial property and apartment buildings. I intend to use modern tools from the data sciences to bring the office of the Assessor into the 21st century including better use of GIS, valuation techniques used in machine learning and best practices as regularly employed by neighboring cities and towns.

Kevin P. Feeley
25 Baker Road
Candidate for reelection

Occupation: Assessor

Qualifications: As an attorney with 50 years of experience I possess the knowledge and skills to appropriately interpret the laws and regulations regarding the valuation of properties. My former service as Selectman and as Commissioner qualifies me to fully understand the workings of government and the interface with the Assessor’s office.

Question: How would you resolve any disparities in the ways similar properties are evaluated for assessment purposes?

The Board of Assessors utilizes a mass appraisal system to arrive at the value of the 14,000 real estate parcels in Arlington. This system utilizes at least 24 data elements to describe the land and the buildings of each parcel. The data elements describing the characteristics include building style, neighborhood location, area of lot, size, grade and condition of the buildings, finished area, siding, interior walls, type of heating, roofing and number of rooms. The system calculates the value and the department reviews the value for consistency and fairness. Due to the number of variables that are calculated in the system it is hardly unlikely that any two properties would contain the exact same ratings in every category. If this did occur then the system would issue the same value for both properties. A potential disparity can happen where the two properties are very similar, but not exactly similar. In these cases the department would use a number of analytical tools including comparative analysis reports to resolve the disparities. 
If an owner is not satisfied with the results the law provides for an appeal of the value to the Board of Assessors and eventually to the State Appellate Tax Board.

ASSESSOR FOR ONE YEAR Vote for NOT MORE THAN ONE

(Candidates are limited to 200 words for their answer to the question.)

Robert E. Greeley
38 Edgehill Road
Occupation: Qualifications:
Question: How would you resolve any disparities in the ways similar properties are evaluated for assessment purposes?

CANADIDATE DID NOT RESPOND

SCHOOL COMMITTEE FOR THREE YEARS Vote for NOT MORE THAN THREE

(Candidates are limited to 200 words for their answer to the question.)

Jeff Thielman
37 Coolidge Road
Candidate for reelection

Occupation: President, Cristo Rey Boston High School

Qualifications: 12 years of service on the Arlington School Committee. Past Chair, served as chair and member of each subcommittee, current Facilities Subcommittee Chair. Thompson School Rebuild Liaison, Long Range Planning Committee, past representative to Permanent Town Building Committee. Town Meeting Member since 2001. 20+ years of experience in education.

Question: The schools are facing three facility issues: the need to bring the Stratton School facility to the level of other schools in the district, increasing enrollment (particularly at the Ottoson), and accreditation issues based on substandard facilities at Arlington High. How would you resolve these issues?

As Chair of the Facilities Subcommittee, I look forward to collaborating with town leaders to address space and enrollment needs. I support the Capital Planning Committee proposal to rebuild Stratton by using the exempt bond capacity remaining from the 2000 Debt Exclusion, nonexempt bonds from the capital budget, and the potential sale of town assets we no longer use to finance the Stratton project.

The rebuild of Stratton will necessitate the purchase and lease of portable classrooms that can be placed at several schools, including the Ottoson. Once Stratton students move back to their rebuilt school, some portable classrooms can remain at Ottoson for several years, which will alleviate overcrowding.

We need to resubmit the Statement of Interest to the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) and hopefully win permission to begin a feasibility study for Arlington High School. I gained experience working with the MSBA as the committee’s liaison to the Thompson rebuild and hope to be helpful with the high school. Finally, we are currently working with the district’s leadership to analyze our long-term enrollment projections to ensure we have a plan to accommodate future growth.

Cindy Starks
1 Monadnock Road
Candidate for reelection

Occupation: 6th-grade public school teacher 2009 to present

Qualifications: School Committee Member 2009 to present; Budget Chair for 3 years, instrumental in securing increased funding to meet enrollment demands; 2 children who attended Arlington Public Schools K-12; Co-founder of the Ottoson Afterschool Program in 2006.

Question: The schools are facing three facility issues: the need to bring the Stratton School facility to the level of other schools in the district, increasing enrollment (particularly at the Ottoson), and accreditation issues based on substandard facilities at Arlington High. How would you resolve these issues?

I served on the planning committee for the Stratton refurbishment and happy to report that it is already well underway. It has been accepted by the town’s capital planning committee and the budget for it is slated to be voted on at this year’s town meeting. If all goes well, work will begin as early as June of 2015, with the school reopening in August of 2016.

Ottoson enrollment issues are being addressed in this year’s budget by adding several teachers for next year. The superintendent and the facilities sub-committee have already started planning for additional space needs for the short term as we assess long-term enrollment numbers. We have space for the incoming students for the next 2 years, but have to decide if the student enrollment numbers after that require a short-term or a longer-term solution.

Although the High School was not chosen last year to enter the MSBA (Massachusetts School Building Authority) rebuild program, we are already actively working on revamping and resubmitting our SoI (statement of intent) to the MSBA for this year. I am optimistic that this year we will be chosen and the planning for the rebuild can proceed.

Alexis G. Moisand
31 Hawthorne Ave.

Occupation: Youth Enrichment Administrator

Qualifications: As a recent graduate of Arlington Public Schools, I bring a fresh and intimate perspective on the student body, the faculty and the facilities of our schools. I actively work with the youth of Arlington and if elected I will bring my experience as a student representative to the fore.

Question: The schools are facing three facility issues: the need to bring the Stratton School facility to the level of other schools in the district, increasing enrollment (particularly at the Ottoson), and accreditation issues based on substandard facilities at Arlington High. How would you resolve these issues?

While our current School Committee brings an array of skills and talents to the table with regards to all of these projects, what I can uniquely contribute is my recent knowledge and deep connection to the school system.

I can accurately represent the needs of the student body. Not only do I work with youth from across the town’s schools, but I was one of them not so long ago. I had the pleasure of knowing many of our current faculty as teachers and mentors. I will call upon those connections to help advise in all of these facilities issues. Furthermore, I spent hundreds of hours inside the very facilities we are working on. That close first-hand knowledge is irreplaceable as we move forward with each of these issues.

I strongly believe that if we are to successfully rebuild the physical foundation of our school system, we need to do so in a way that directly applies and advocates for the most important stakeholders in the process – the student body, current and future. If elected, that is the perspective I will bring to the table as we work to guarantee the future success of our schools.

ARLINGTON HOUSING AUTHORITY FOR FIVE YEARS Vote for NOT MORE THAN ONE

(Candidates are limited to 200 words for their answer to the question.)

Joseph Daly
37 Drake Road

Occupation: Retired

Qualifications: Town Meeting Member 30 years; Arlington State Representative 1973-1975; Social Worker Cambridge Housing Authority; Tenant Representative on the Arlington Housing Authority Grievance Panel; Korean War Veteran; American Legion Chaplain; Numerous Town Committees; Inducted into the Arlington High School Hall of Fame; A lifetime of public service on numerous town committees.

Question: What opportunities exist for tenants to be involved setting or changing policies, procedures and rules? What kinds of changes would you like to see happen?

Many of the procedures and rules followed by the housing authority are governed by regulation from the Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) CMR 760. Section 6.09 of the regulations encourage and set the guidelines for tenant involvement in local housing authorities (LHA). 
Participation by tenants through tenant organizations is beneficial to the administration of public housing. Cooperative working relationships enhance housing programs and benefit both the LHA and residents. The regulations encourage the formation of representative organizations and provide such organizations with the opportunity to be heard on and participate in matters affecting the interests of the residents. There are currently four tenant organizations that have active involvement in the budgets, capital improvement plans and provide input into policies set by the housing authority board. Each tenant association president meets monthly with the staff of the housing authority to provide input and suggestions on creating a better living environment. There is Grievance Panel to hear from residents if they feel that a policy or rule was not handled appropriately.

I have served as the tenant representative on the Grievance Panel for the past five years and wish

Where to vote

What precinct do you live in? Precinct index by street >> 

Precinct map >>

Where does your precinct vote? Polling locations >> 

Do you need a ride?

The League of Women Voters of Arlington will provide rides to the polls from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Call Phyllis Maddox at 781-354-0907 the week before the election.

Drivers Needed: If you can work a shift as a driver, Call or email Phyllis Maddox at PVMaddox [at] rcn.com.

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Election links

Town election site >>

March 23, 2015: Candidates night’ summary
Feb. 11, 2015: Harrington seeking 3-year assessor seat; school incumbents face challenge
Jan. 24, 2015: Moderator considers bylaw to encourage meeting attendance

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This page was published Thursday, March 5, 2015, and updated April 2.