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A1THESUN THURSDAY, OCTOBER31, 2013

ELECTION DAY — TUESDAY, NOV. 5, 2013

POLLS OPEN 7 A.M. UNTIL 8 P.M.

ELECTION DAY — TUESDAY, NOV. 5, 2013

POLLS OPEN 7 A.M. UNTIL 8 P.M.

A PUBLICATION

By Hiroko [email protected]

LOWELL — In the eyes ofLuis Mateo, a freshman atLowell High School, classsizes have a lot to do withwhat happens to the teensthereafter, includingwhether they go onto collegeor drop out of school.

That’s because teachersjust talk to a crowd in bigclasses, leaving behind thosewho need individual atten-tion to understand the sub-ject matters.

“You feel like an out-cast,” said Mateo, a partici-pant of the United TeenEquality Center’s Work-force Development Pro-gram, who dropped out ofLowell High at age 17.

Mateo said many youthsin the city who had similarstruggles in high school are

paying close attention tothe School Committee racein the city election on Tues-day.

Mateo said teens will votefor candidates who under-stand a simple rule of educa-tion: “Keep an eye on thekids that actually need helpinstead of just closing youreyes and ignoring it.”

In the meantime, BillTaupier, a former Lowellcity manager and formerSchool Committee member,is looking at what theSchool Committee incum-bents have done as electedofficials. Because all sevencandidates qualify for thejob, he said, he will choosecandidates by eliminatingone who has made the

fewest contributions to thecity, in his view.

With the Nov. 5 city elec-tion fast approaching, localvoters are weighing on eachcandidate’s positions onvarious issues. This year’sslate for the School Com-mittee race features all sixincumbents (the mayorserves as the seventh mem-ber) — David Conway,Robert Gignac, Jim Leary,Connie Martin, KristinRoss-Sitcawich and Kim-berly Scott — and one chal-lenger, former City Coun-cilor and current PlanningBoard member StephenGendron.

Many candidates arepledging to continue theschool district’s investment

in classroom technologies,improve the district’s com-munications with parents,and further develop commu-nity partnerships for educa-tional opportunities.

Some voters say renovat-ing the high school, or con-structing a new one, isimportant.

Hayley Cannon, a 17-year-old student in UTEC’sAlternative Diploma Pro-gram, said she found it diffi-cult to concentrate on study-ing in the large, aging LowellHigh School building, wherefoot traffic outside class-rooms is constant.

Mateo said he is con-cerned about educationalenvironment, particularly atthe freshman level, including

the physical setup and class-room teaching.

Cannon said bullying isalso a big issue in theschools.

Joe Hungler, executivedirector at Boys & Girls Clubof Greater Lowell, said it’simportant for candidates tounderstand how to help thedistrict address the needs ofdiverse population and socialissues that affect familylives.

Geoffrey Foster, directorof political action at UTEC,which recently hosted acandidates debate, saidUTEC hopes to receive fur-ther assistance from thedistrict in educating thosewho have dropped out ofhigh school.

Follow Hiroko Sato onTwitter and Tout @satolowell-sun.

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Councilor

JOHN LEAHY

Community Commitment

ServiceI’m proud to serve as your City Councilor.

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LOWELL ELECTION 2013

A lot of eyes on School Committee raceMany issues face six incumbents, one challenger

By Samantha [email protected]

TYNGSBORO — Thereare two races this Novemberfor three Lowell seats on theGreater Lowell TechnicalHigh School Committee, oneof them unopposed.

First, incumbents FredBahou and George O’Harewill face challenger BophaPeou in a race for two four-year seats on the committee.

O’Hare, 75, a retired Verizonadvertising executive who livesin Lowell, is seeking his fifthfourth-year term this Nov. 5.He takes some credit for ensur-ing that the district obtained alarge amount of outside fund-ing to pay for their $65 millionschool renovation, which offi-cially breaks ground Friday.

O’Hare said his overridinggoal is to ensure that studentshave a solid education and are

safe within the school’s walls.He added he’s also, in theshort term, concentrating onselecting a new superintend-ent. The committee is due tomake a final vote on threefinalist candidates Monday.

Bahou, 50, was the topvote-getter in 2009 and wonby a landslide vote then withmore than 7,100 votes for hisseat, as compared to O’Hare’s5,483. He is a cost-consciouscommittee member who ownsand operates the WindsorShoppe, a neighborhood con-venience store, in the High-lands. He’s a lifelong residentand graduated from LowellHigh School in 1981.

Bahou said major issueshe sees upcoming for the dis-trict include addressing theschool’s 400-student waiting

At Greater Lowell Tech,three seats up for grabs

Please see GLTHS/A3

By Lyle [email protected]

The field has been whit-tled from 22 candidates to18.

The string of debates andforums has concluded.

And on Tuesday, theremaining candidates willvie for nine seats on theCity Council for the newtwo-year term beginning inJanuary.

Voters will have thechance to choose betweenfamiliar and fresh faces.

Eight incumbent coun-cilors are seeking re-election,including Rita Mercier, Rod-ney Elliott and Bill Martin,who have each served atleast seven terms on thecouncil. They finished in thetop three places, respec-tively, in September’s pre-liminary election.

Joining them in the raceare Councilors Ed Kennedy(5th in the preliminary),John Leahy (8th), Marty Lor-rey (9th), Joseph Mendonca(10th) and Vesna Nuon(11th).

Mayor Patrick Murphy isnot seeking re-election.

Among the familiar chal-lengers in the race are Zon-ing Board of Appeals mem-ber Corey Belanger, GreaterLowell Technical HighSchool Committee memberErik Gitschier, former MayorJames Milinazzo and formerLowell High School Head-master William Samaras.

In the preliminary, Mili-nazzo took 6th place, Sama-ras was 7th, Belanger was12th, and Gitschier finished13th.

The new faces in the raceare probation officer DanRourke (4th in the prelimi-nary), International Insti-

tute site director DerekMitchell (14th), MerrimackValley Small Business Cen-ter director Stacie Hargis(15th) and technical writerGenevieve Doyle (17th).

Van Pech, who serves asan alternate on the ZoningBoard of Appeals and hasrun for council once before,finished 16th in the prelimi-nary. Firebrand Fred Doyle,who has run in several previ-ous races and says he wouldonly serve one term ifelected, took 18th in the pre-liminary.

Among the issues the can-didates have debated inrecent weeks were how toaddress public-safety issues,

the future of Lowell HighSchool, and whether the nextcouncil should give CityManager Bernie Lynch anew contract when his cur-rent pact expires next sum-mer.

Some candidates haveexpressed strong opinionsabout whether the cityshould hire more police offi-cers or spend more money onpolice overtime to combat therecent spike in gun violenceand break-ins.

The city’s first prelimi-nary election since 1999eliminated four candidates,though turnout was low. Ofthe city’s 55,708 registeredvoters, 6,696 or just morethan 12 percent, cast ballotsin September. There are56,093 voters registered forthe election Nov. 5.

Lowell lawyer MichaelGallagher is helping lead aneffort to boost turnout in thegeneral election to at least12,000, an initiative called“Double the Vote.”

“This effort is beingdriven by the paltry turnout

numbers of the preliminaryelection,” Gallagher saidrecently. “We are simplyencouraging the city’s resi-dents to vote.”

In the 2011 general elec-tion, just under 10,000 of thecity’s more than 50,000 regis-tered voters cast ballots inthe city election.

Polls will be open Tues-day, from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.Voters can vote for up tonine candidates on theirballots.

There have been twochanges to polling locations.Voters who previously votedat the Masonic temple down-town will now vote at theTsongas Center at UMassLowell, at 300 Martin LutherKing Jr. Way.

Residents who previouslyvoted at the An Wang Schoolon West Meadow Road willnow vote at the Pawtuck-etville Memorial ElementarySchool at 425 West MeadowRoad. The schools are withinthe same complex.

Follow Lyle Moran onTwitter @lylemoran.


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SPECIALIZING IN OILTO GAS HEATINGCONVERSIONS

Since 1904MA Reg. No. 8481

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HERE’S HOW TO PLAY:Complete the grid so that every row, columnand 3x3 box contains every digit from 1 to 9inclusively.


18 City Council candidates seek nine seatsINSIDE

■ School Committee profiles/A4-A7■ City Council candidate profiles/A9-A14■ GLTHS Committee profiles/A15■ Sample ballot/A8■ Where to vote/A8

list and overseeing the multi-million-dollar renovation.

Peou, who could not bereached for comment by TheSun after repeated attempts,currently serves on the LowellHousing Authority. She wasappointed to her five-year seatby Lowell City Manager BernieLynch in January, though notwithout some discussion. Shewas reported then by The Sun asbeing a 48-year-old Cambodian-American resident working as ahousing counselor at Commu-nity Teamwork Inc.’s HousingConsumer Education Centerand as a real-estate agent.

In a separate race, currentcommittee member RayBoutin is running unopposedfor an abbreviated two-year

seat. Boutin was appointedjointly by the City Council andLowell School Committee lastNovember to fill a vacant seat.

Boutin, 47, owns a localreal-estate appraisal businessand was a former communitymember on the GLTHSSchool Council. He is activelyinvolved in youth baseball asPresident of the Pawtuck-etville Youth Organization.

Boutin said he would liketo focus on improving andbeefing up, so to speak, theacademic side of Greater Low-ell’s curriculum. He said thevocational component isstrong and with the recentfavorable MCAS score rank-ings, he’d like to focus moreon the school’s academic edu-cation.

GLTHS/From Page A2

3 GLTHS seats up for grabs

Make life a little easier just call978.459.1300

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or log onto www.lowellsun.com

and click on Subscriptions then on Change of Address

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Jim is a man of his word, and he turns those words into actions.Jim has always demonstrated the STRONG LEADERSHIP needed to find the best solutions for our city - and the character and integrity to stand behind them.Dedication, Experience and LeadershipNow, more than ever.

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Lowell Needs Jim MilinazzoJim Milinazzo has always fought to bring your voice to the Lowell City Council. He has been willing to stand up for the citizens of Lowell, even when he’s had to stand alone.

As Mayor, Jim had provided respected professional leadership to both the Lowell City Council and the School Committee during a time of challenging issues facing our community.

Jim Milinazzo has always set a high standard of performance.

Economic Development Initiatives:Supported the new home of the Lowell Community Health Center; andThe completion of the artist live/work space in the Appleton Mill Complex located in the Hamilton Canal District;The new and expanded Lowell General Hospital.

Public Education:Voted to fully fund the Lowell public schools.Strengthened partnerships with UMASS Lowell and Middlesex Community College.

Public Safety:Voted to approve needed overtime dollars to assist in public safety efforts to curb downtown violence;Encouraged open and effective communication with all neighborhood groups.

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LOWELL ELECTION 2013/SCHOOL COMMITTEE


LOWELL — David Con-way feels assured that Low-ell High School graduatesunderstand the unfortunateconsequences of distracteddriving like some otherteenagers wouldn’t.

That’s because the Mass-achusetts Bar Associationhas been sending an attor-ney to the high school totalk about actual causes forsome years.

In the meantime, the U.S.Tennis Association hasrecently trained local middle-school physical-educationteachers and donated 450tennis rackets. And astro-naut Chris Cassidy hasagreed to visit Lowell nextspring to share with students

his experiences in space.After spearheading such

collaborations between theschool district and variousoutside organizations overthe years, Conway said hehopes to keep doing just thatas a School Committee mem-ber.

“There are initiatives Ihave been working on for afew years, and I want to see

them carried out and com-pleted,” Conway said.

Conway is seeking hisfourth term. Conway, whoused to serve as the highschool’s liaison to UMassLowell and Middlesex Com-munity College while work-ing as a housemaster at Low-ell High, said he haschampioned developing com-munity partnerships as a

committee member.His recent achievements

include establishing a grant-writer position, to be paid forby local businesses.

He is also working on a“sports-themed schools”project to provide variousphysical-education opportu-nities.

Conway said schoolsafety requires constantreview and bringing in addi-tional staff if necessary toensure secure and harass-ment- and bullying-freeenvironments.

He believes the districtshould fill open positionswith existing employeeswhenever possible and pro-mote better communicationsamong all grade levels to

keep each other informed ofneeds.

Each school level also hasits own facility needs. Con-way said the committeeshould gather as much infor-mation as possible, includingfinancing options.

“I see people jump to aconclusion” on the potentialhigh-school construction/ren-ovation, Conway said. “I’m acautious guy. We need to pri-oritize what we have to do.”

Conway grew up in Low-ell and received his bache-lor’s and master’s degrees inhistory from Salem StateUniversity.

Married with two daugh-ters and a grandchild, Con-way said he wants to use taxdollars wisely and keep thedistrict current on classroomtechnologies.

Conway wants to see initiatives carried outDavid Conway

Address: 528 Andover St.Age: 64Occupation: Retired Lowell High School housemaster.Income: Declined to provide.Affiliations: Past Conservation Commission member Why he should be elected: Proven leadership, includingsuccess in establishing partnerships with variousinstitutions to provide a wide range of educationalopportunities for local students.Priorities: Safe schools; prioritizing spending and makingsure classroom resources come first; providing advancement opportunitiesfor employees; community partnerships.


LOWELL — Robert Gignacbelieves teaching childrenabout healthy decision-mak-ing is the first line of defenseagainst crime in the city.

Before graduating fromLowell High School in 2007,Gignac saw some of his class-mates trade prescriptiondrugs, such as those intendedto treat attention deficit dis-order, and become addicted.Such addiction often leads toother substance-abuse prob-lems and then to thefts to payfor their addiction, he said.

As a School Committeemember, Gignac said, heworked with state Rep. Tom

Golden and local police tostart an opiate-abuse aware-ness program for all grade lev-els, bringing a motivationalspeaker to the high school.

As a recent graduate,Gignac said he has firsthandknowledge of the district’sneeds.

“I am running to makesure each and every student isgiven the best possible oppor-tunity for education,” he said.

Gignac is seeking his sec-ond term on the committee.He considers his work on thedistrict’s 10-year capital-improvement plan, andrestoring some teaching posi-tions and programs whilebalancing the budget, as his

biggest accomplishments.Delaying building mainte-

nance has a negative impacton students and teachers, hesaid.

“Nobody deserves to be ina classroom with broken win-dows and leaky ceilings,”Gignac said.

He said he intends to con-tinue enhancing school safetyfor the same reason, addingthat restoring the position ofa high-school guard whomonitors security cameraswas the first thing he did as acommittee member.

He also wants continuous

investments in school tech-nology.

Gignac said a potentialhigh-school renovation/reconstruction project will bebased on both an ongoingfacilities assessment and


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LOWELL — Steven Gendronbelieves Lowell is going through animportant transformation as a com-munity, and the time is now toinvest in the school system.

“The school system is the mostimportant institution in the city, andthe quality of school is directly tiedto property value,” Gendron said. “Ifwe truly want to impact the future ofLowell, then there is no better wayto do it than by impacting the nextgeneration.”

Gendron said that’s his reason forrunning for the School Committee. Heis aiming for a seat on the School Com-mittee against the six incumbents.

Gendron said strengthening the

collaborative relationships betweenthe district and UMass Lowell andMiddlesex Community College, aswell as with area businesses, is criti-cal to students’ success. It is an areain which his perspective as someonewith a career in the high-tech indus-try should come in handy, he said.

He also wants to spearhead aninitiative to teach students aboutcitizenship and help them becomecontributing members of the com-munity. Parental involvement is alsoimportant, Gendron said.

“We need to take every step possi-ble to bring parents into the schoolsand help them realize that this isn’ta situation where you just drop andpick up their children” and considerthem educated, Gendron said.

A sixth-generation Lowell native,Gendron has a keen interest in thepotential renovation/reconstructionof Lowell High School. The circa-1922 structure is deficient in manyways, including classroom, library,science labs and cafeterias that areall too small for today’s standards,as pointed out in a city report, Gen-dron said.

There are also safety issues, withexamples being the narrow and wind-ing corridors that could not be moni-tored through cameras, he added.

The committee should conduct a“complete needs analysis and a fea-sibility study” on the high-schoolbuilding, including where the appro-priate site is and how much the proj-ect will cost, he said.

Gendron: Now is time to invest in schoolsStephen GendronAddress: 20 Clark RoadAge: 51Occupation: Accountexecutive for CadenceDesign SystemsIncome: Declined toprovide.Affiliations: PlanningBoard; former city councilor(1994-1998); president of

the Pollard Memorial Library board of trustees;Friends of Lowell High School; founder and formerpresident of Spindle City Corps; former lector ofImmaculate Conception Church.Why he should be elected: Unique perspectiveas a father of four children, three of whom havegraduated from LHS. As a graduate, has experiencethat will be valuable to the School Committee.Priorities: Further fostering the partnership withthe community; finding ways to help childrenbecome better citizens; starting discussionsabout rebuilding the high school.

Gignac: Addiction one of biggest problems students face

Robert GignacAddress: 21 Albert St.Age: 24Occupation: Staff accountant at Career Center ofGreater LowellIncome: $42,000Affiliations: Board of directors of LowellTelecommunications Corp; Immigration AssistanceCommission; Lowell Youth Development Collaborative.Why he should be elected: Confident he knows what’sworking in the School Department and what isn’t; hasideas of what he can bring forward to provide students

with a quality 21st-century education.Priorities: Continuing to increase security and safety districtwide; ensuringthe district has a responsible and balanced budget; providing students withresources they need to succeed.

Please see GIGNAC/A6


Jim Leary believes theongoing analysis of facilityimprovement needs for theentire school district willhelp the School Committeemake various decisions.

Depending on how muchspace is available in certainbuildings, it may or may notmake sense to consider consoli-dating preschool classes in onelocation or making elementaryschools K-5 instead of K-4,Leary said. The study will alsolook at options for high-schoolbuilding improvements, rang-ing from renovations to poten-tial new sites for reconstruc-tion to financing methods.

It was important for him,as a School Committee mem-ber, to propose such a studybecause its outcome willlikely affect future genera-tions of the city, he said.

“I would really like to bepart of that, at least for thenext two years,” Leary said.

Leary is aiming for a fifthterm on the committee. Hesaid Lowell Public Schoolsshould not just try to be thebest “urban” district butshould strive to be the best oneamong all districts in the state.

He believes the district

must also try to look at char-ter schools as its competition,and provide rigorous pro-grams. That’s why he pushedfor investment in classroomtechnologies some years ago,from smartboards to mobilecomputers, and the districtneeds to continuouslyupgrade them, Leary said.

The district also needs to

prepare its students not onlyfor competitive colleges butalso for entering the regionalworkforce, he said.

Leary said he, as chair-man of the finance subcom-mittee, has taken a lead rolein a $20 million budgetreduction over four years.

“It's kind of sad to call itan achievement, but we sur-vived it,” Leary said. “Wesaved the system.”

A father of two children,ages 22 and 6, Leary said he isworking to bring an interdisci-plinary physical-educationprogram to give local studentsa chance to participate in suchactivities as wall-climbing.

Leary, a Lowell resident for17 years, holds a bachelor’sdegree in political science fromWestfield State University.

He said he wants peopleto understand that having aquality educational systemhelps all residents, whetheror not they are parents.

“If schools are failing, therest of the city cannot be suc-cessful,” Leary said.

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I am very proud of the direction the City of Lowell is going in:Fiscal stability, tremendous strides to upkeep LHS, middle and elementary schools, more accepted streets for service to them, infrastructure improvements, a better bond rating, capital projects taking shape, taxes stable and increased use of park services. These are just a few of the issues I have supported.

- Rita M. MercierLowell City Council

On Tuesday, November 5th

Please allow me one of your 9 votes. I am #7

P A I D P O L I T I C A L A D V E R T I S E M E N T

My job...

...is to help make this a better city.

“

“

P A I D F O R B Y T H E C O M M I T T E E T O E L E C T R I TA M E R C I E R , 2 2 1 B U R N H A M R D . , L O W E L L , M A

P A I D P O L I T I C A L A D V E R T I S E M E N T P A I D P O L I T I C A L A D V E R T I S E M E N T


public input. The SchoolDepartment and its consult-ant for the district’s 10-yearcapital plan will hold a vari-ety of public forums, hesaid, adding that the SchoolDepartment has been intouch with the state build-ing authority to inquireabout funding issues.

Gignac, who holds abachelor’s degree in politi-cal science from UMassLowell, said the committeehas reviewed the superin-tendent’s budget requestline by line to find money torestore positions that arecritical to helping schoolsimprove their academic per-formance. He said he hasmade it a point to talkdirectly with teachers andstudents on a regular basisto identify the district’sneeds and bring them tocommittee meetings.

GIGNAC/From Page A5

Gignac keyson addiction

Leary: Study will determine directionJim Leary

Address: 449 Parker St.Age: 46Occupation: Insurance consultantIncome: Declined to provide.Affiliations: Lowell Elks Club; Eastern Club; LowellYouth Soccer; Highland Athletic Association.Why he should be elected: Brings talents to lead thedistrict into the next decade; able to work with all andtake the best out of folks to make things better; wantsto improve school performance for all students,

including his own child in the first grade.Priorities: Bringing technology back into school; improving facilities for allgrade levels; making sure finances are in order so the teachers can receivethe resources they need; reducing class sizes; providing online services forparents to keep track of their children’s academic activities andperformances.


Connie Martin remembers providing every teacher with acomputer was just a goal for the Lowell Public Schools onlyseveral years ago.

Even after the district purchased iPads and all the equip-ment, they sat in storage because teachers needed training onhow to use them, Martin said. Lowell’s schools have come along way since then, Martin, and she wants to help make surethe district remains current on classroom technology.

“The quality of life is absolutely tied to the quality of edu-cation,” Martin said. “Every investment we make will deter-mine the economic and overall future of the community overthe next few decades.”

Martin is seeking her eighth term on the School Committee.She believes her experience on the board will help the commit-tee make important decisions. She said she applies her workethic to committee business and that she has the ability and

Martin: Quality of lifeis tied to education

Please see MARTIN/A7


LOWELL — KimberlyScott believes it takes anentire city to raise its children.

With so many local stu-

dents suffering from poverty,schools cannot educate themalone. The district must part-ner with all sorts of human-services organizations, fromthose in the mental-healthfield to those with experience

in early intervention for chil-dren with developmental dis-abilities, Scott said.

“We need to make sure wehave some kind of master coor-dination for school,” Scott said.

Scott is seeking her secondterm on the School Committeeand hopes to continue workingtoward providing more sup-port for the city’s children. Sheconsiders as one of her biggestaccomplishments successfullypushing for $1 million for anelementary-school tutor pro-gram to help failing studentscatch up with their classmatesby the time they become third-graders.

As a member of the cur-riculum subcommittee, she

said she also helped imple-ment high-school courseworkfor accelerated students anda science fair at the middleschool, among other schoolactivities.

Also, she said she spear-headed the district’s use ofsocial media to better com-municate with parents.


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commitment to work withothers to accomplish goals.

Schools across the stateare required to switch to thenational curriculum frame-work, which is less rigorousthan the state frameworkthat has been used, accordingto Martin. Retaining compet-itiveness while implementingthe new framework is one ofthe most important issuesfacing the district, she added.

Making the most of tax dol-lars to educate local studentsis also important, she said.She wants to make sure the $4million investment for tech-nology upgrades is be wasted.

Like any other urban dis-trict, Lowell has familiesthat have many challenges,

and the district must be ableto work with them to educatethe students the best it can,Martin said. As a committeemember, she needs to do allthe homework and stayabreast of what goes on inthe community, she said.

Martin, a Lowell nativewho received a bachelor'sdegree in English and a mas-ter's in education with a focuson administration, said shepersonally believes it’s impor-tant for the high school toremain in the downtown,where people from differentneighborhoods come together.

“Coming into the highschool was when I really metthe city I grew up in. It's whenI felt the sense of ownership ofthe downtown,” Martin said.

MARTIN/From Page A6

Scott fought for $1M in elementary-school tutor funds

Connie MartinAddress: 17 Summit St.Age: 46Occupation: Associate executive director of energyand community resources at Community Teamwork Inc.Income: $82,000.Affiliations: N/AWhy she should be elected: After years of helping thedistrict make strides toward excellence, she wants tocontinue the efforts and be part of the team that pursuesbetter opportunities for local students and families.

Priorities: Quality of education in classroom; ensuring the district uses fundsin a way to get the biggest impact; seeing implementation of teacher-evaluationplan beginning this year.


Kristin Ross-Sitcawichwants to improve the city’sprekindergarten program andmake it more accessible to localfamilies by providing the serv-ice out of one central location.

The district could increasethe number of available slotsand offer more services if it puttogether all the resources inone site and streamlined theservice, Ross-Sitcawich said.

She also hopes the districtwill offer online student reg-istration so parents will nolonger have to stand in linesto register their children.

Improving academic per-formances districtwide isanother priority, as well.

“At the end of the day, I notonly need to answer to the tax-payers but also have to answerto my two children if we SchoolCommittee members imple-mented policies that are noteffective,” Ross-Sitcawich saidabout her role as a mother anda committee member.

Ross-Sitcawich is seeking

her second term on the LowellSchool Committee. She saidinvestment in early-learningand enrichment programs iscritical to building a healthyeconomic base for the city. Shealso believes in investment indata-driven initiatives.

Ross-Sitcawich, who haslived in Lowell for 22 years,said she has worked to providebetter support for militaryfamilies and homeless childrenby connecting the district withcommunity resources. She alsowants to continue helping fel-

low committee members drafta 10-year plan for the district,including the realignment ofalternative school programs.

All schools in the districtshould meet state perform-ance benchmarks, she said.

“The community deservesthe best school we can givethem,” Ross-Sitcawich said.

On the issue of the highschool, she said the committeewill evaluate improvementneeds and options, includingwhether it needs to be reno-vated or reconstructed.

Ross-Sitcawich: Central locationwill make pre-K more accessible

Kristin Ross-SitcawichAddress: 31 Elene St.Age: 42Occupation: Director of homeless prevention forCommunity Teamwork, Inc.’s Homeownership Program.Income: $61,000Affiliations: Lowell Housing Authority board ofcommissioners; boards of directors of LowellCommunity Health Center, Lowell Wish Project, LowellCanal Cleaners, Lowell Transitional Living Center.Why she should be elected: Being a parent of a

seventh- and eighth-grader in the Lowell school system and working in thehuman-services field provide a unique lens through which to view the schoolsystem, its policies and how to make the system more accountable to thestakeholders.Priorities: Increasing parent access and improve customer service; improvingschool safety; continuing to focus on capital improvements/maintenance andbring more technologies into classroom; improving performances at all schools.

Martin: Frameworks big issue

Kimberly ScottAddress: 27 Commonwealth Ave.Age: 42Occupation: SalesAffiliations: Past treasurer of Pyne Arts School PTO;past treasurer of Citywide Parents Council; pastmember of the city Recycling Committee.Why she should be elected: A hard worker who puts ina lot of time for public schools. Dedicated to makingsure the district is going in the right direction for allstudents, including her own children.

Priorities: Reducing class sizes; expanding the early-education program;increasing after-school opportunities.Income: Declined to provide.

Please see SCOTT/A9

LOWELL — All polling loca-tions will be open 7 a.m. to8 p.m., on Tuesday.

Ward OnePrecinct 1: Firehouse, 198High St.Precinct 2: Reilly School,115 Douglas RoadPrecinct 3: Reilly School,115 Douglas Road

Ward TwoPrecinct 1: Tsongas Center,300 Martin Luther King Jr. WayPrecinct 2: Tsongas Center,300 Martin Luther King Jr. WayPrecinct 3: Tsongas Center,300 Martin Luther King Jr. Way

Ward ThreePrecinct 1: Bailey School,175 Campbell DrivePrecinct 2: Bailey School,175 Campbell DrivePrecinct 3: More School,114 Pine St.

Ward FourPrecinct 1: Morey School,114 Pine St.Precinct 2: Veterans of For-eign Wars, 190 Plain St.Precinct 3: Rogers School,43 Highland St.

Ward FivePrecinct 1: McAvinnueSchool, 117 Mammoth RoadPrecinct 2: Polish AmericanVeterans Hall, 201 Coburn St.Precinct 3: GreenhalgeSchool, 149 Ennell St.

Ward SixPrecinct 1: McAvinnueSchool, 117 Mammoth RoadPrecinct 2: PawtucketvilleMemorial School, 425 WestMeadow RoadPrecinct 3: Lowell Lodge ofElks, 40 Old Ferry Road

Ward SevenPrecinct 1: Senior Center,276 Broadway St.Precinct 2: Senior Center,276 Broadway St.Precinct 3: Senior Center,276 Broadway St.

Ward EightPrecinct 1: Firehouse, 273Pine St.Precinct 2: James DaleySchool, 150 Fleming St.Precinct 3: James DaleySchool, 150 Fleming St.

Ward NinePrecinct 1: Polish AmericanVeterans Club, 201 Coburn St.Precinct 2: RobinsonSchool, 110 June St.Precinct 3: RobinsonSchool, 110 June St.

Ward TenPrecinct 1: Veterans of For-eign Wars, 19 Plain St.Precinct 2: Firehouse, 741-743 Lawrence St.Precinct 3: St. Anthony’sParish Hall, 920 Central St.

Ward ElevenPrecinct 1: ShaughnessySchool, 1170 Gorham St.Precinct 2: J.G. PyneSchool, 145 Boylston St.Precinct 3: J.G. PyneSchool, 145 Boylston St.

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LOWELL ELECTION 2013/CITY COUNCIL

Among the most pressingissues the district faces, shesaid, is class-size reductions.The district had more studentsenrolled in preschool than ithad expected, pushing theclass size to 29 students per

teacher. The district hiredadditional teachers to alleviatethe situation, but class sizesremain her concern, Scott said.

The state uses enrollmentas of Oct. 1 as the official schoolpopulation figure for each dis-trict. In Lowell, the number ofstudents can unexpectedly

spike or drop throughout theyear, thanks to the city’s tran-sient population. That meansthe district may not have themoney in the budget to educateadditional students, Scott said.

“If they come on Oct. 2,we’ve got nothing, and it hap-pens a lot,” Scott said.

That’s why she wants theSchool Committee to ask locallegislators to help with fund-ing issues. She also wants tocontinue her work on the dis-trict’s hiring policies regard-ing nepotism and diversity.

Scott, who has a bachelor’sdegree in business adminis-

tration with a concentrationon finance, has lived in Lowellfor 18 years and has two chil-dren who are in the third andfourth grades.

She said she will not knowwhether Lowell needs a newhigh school until a feasibilitystudy is completed.

SCOTT/From Page A7


Genevieve Doyle’s Fisher Streethome has been shot at twice in drive-bys in recent years. Her car was broken

into about a year agowhile she was inside her house recoveringfrom surgery. Nearby is a park dubbed the“glass park” because beer bottles and brokenglass are strewn in bunches, and panhan-dling activity in the area has picked up.

Overall, Doyle said her neighborhood hasgotten “rougher.”

And what she has seen in Centralville, aswell as elsewhere in the city, has prompted

Doyle to launch her first run for City Council with a focus onboosting the city’s neighborhoods.

“I have noticed, over the past few years, a decline in mainte-nance and general upkeep of the neighborhoods,” said Doyle ,36. “And rather than being a spectator, I’ve decided to run inorder to have an impact.”

Doyle said she supports efforts to envision the city's future,such as the Lowell Plan’s Lowell 2020, but she wants to makesure the neighborhoods are part of them. She said sometimesthey are the element that is forgotten.

One way to help the neighborhoods would be to increase com-munity policing, Doyle said. If elected, she also said she wouldalso push for a beefed-up police force.


Corey Belanger is nonewcomer to the inner

workings ofcity govern-ment.

Thoughhe hasnever beenelected to aCity Coun-cil seat, hecurrently

serves as vice chairman ofthe city’s Zoning Board ofAppeals, which he has beena member of for the lastdecade. Two years ago, heran unsuccessfully for acouncil seat, but he’s deter-

mined to try again, recog-nizing that if elected, he willhave to forgo his ZBA seat.

Belanger, 44, is currentlythe owner and operator ofMajors Pub and Lounge onMarket Street, which he hasrun for the last 12 years. Hebelieves this makes him awell-rounded candidate forthe council.

“I’m running to be thesmall-business leader of thecouncil,” he said, adding that

he has experience in manag-ing and making a budget.

“I know what it’s like tobudget in hard times,” hesaid. “I know what it’s liketo meet a payroll everyweek, and you know, thenumbers are far smallerthan a city budget, but Istill know. As far as all thecandidates, I’m one of themost qualified.”

Belanger said he doesn’tbelieve there is representa-tion of the city business com-munity on the council todayand would fill that gap.

“I’m very pleased in thecity but concerned aboutthe direction it’s heading,”he said.

Belanger well-versed in cityCorey Belanger

Age: 44Address: 200 Rogers St.Occupation: Owner of MajorsPub and Lounge.


Frederick Doyle has runeight times for City Council

and consid-ers himselfan under-dog in therace.

“I’m theguy every-body talksabout butnever wins,”

he said. “I run when I seesomething wrong and I don’tlike it. That’s why I get in.”

Doyle, a former devel-oper in Lowell, said he’srunning to continue whathe started two years ago —an investigation into theLowell Housing Authority,

particularly its $6 millionNorth Common Village ren-ovations.

A federal audit recentlyrevealed that the LHAmayhave to repay the federal gov-ernment more than $11 mil-lion because the agencyimproperly executed buildingprojects and procurements.

In July, Doyle announcedhe would launch yet anothercampaign for a council seat,saying City Manager BernieLynch is a nontransparentleader. He alleged Lynchhides information from the

public, claiming Lynchfailed to tell councilorsabout an ongoing project atNorth Common Village inwhich the LHA renovated132 units without theproper permits or inspec-tions. The LHA had to spendmore than $500,000 to rec-tify the violations.

Asked what he couldbring to the table this timearound, Doyle said he’slooking to hold public offi-cials accountable for theiractions and give people analternative on the ballot.He has also pledged to high-light his frustration withhigher taxes and fees,including the rising sewerrate experienced duringLynch’s tenure.

Fred Doyle: Hold officials accountableFrederick J. DoyleAge: 74Address: 27 Lincoln ParkwayOccupation: Retired

Scott fought for $1M in elementary-school tutor funds

Genevieve Doyle: Crimeis top issue in the city

Genevieve DoyleAge: 36Address: 24 Fisher St.Occupation: Technicalwriter for RCM Technologies

By Grant [email protected]

Vesna Nuon is running for a second term onthe City Council because, he said, after his firstyear he realized he had unfinished work he’dneed to continue.

“There’s always work to do,” the 45-year-oldsaid, adding that the city needs to be madesafer, more recreational programs need to be

put in place, and the tax rate needs to be stabilized.Nuon worked with then-Middlesex District Attorney Tom

Nuon: Still work to do

Please see NUON/A14

By Katie [email protected]

Anative of Detroit educatedin Florida, City Council hope-ful Stacie Hargis first came toLowell in 2006, falling in lovewith a city she’d thought wouldjust be a temporary stop.

“I didn’t know anythingabout Lowell and (came) to goto school,” she said. “Had you

told me I would stayhere for the rest of mylife, at that time, Inever would havethought that. But theprogram I went to atUMass Lowell, one ofthe best things theydid was root us in thecommunity.”

A first-time candidate,Hargis said it’s time for freshfaces in municipal govern-ment. Though she hasn’t runbefore, she has worked onpolitical campaigns and saidshe has a strong backgroundin economic development.

After working as a graphicdesigner, Hargis enrolled in aregional economic and socialdevelopment master’s pro-gram at UMass Lowell. She isnow director of the MerrimackValley Small Business Center

at Community Teamwork Inc.Hargis wants to see the city

work on fostering its smallbusinesses and attracting new,larger ones to locate here. Shesaid the city needs to marketits affordable, convenient loca-tion and diverse, skilled work-force. “Families are sufferingfrom a lack of jobs, or they’vedrained all their savings,” shesaid. “So many traditionallyhard-working Lowell familiesare still struggling, and that’swhy I’m running.”

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PAID POLITICAL ADVERTISEMENT PAID POLITICAL ADVERTISEMENT PAID POLITICAL ADVERTISEMENT

Re-Elect

Joe MendonçaLowell City Council

Prudent Leadership: Result: City’s Strong Financial Condition

Committed Leadership: Result: Improved Infrastructure, Roads, Sidewalks, and Schools

Experienced Leadership: City Council, School Committee, and Neighborhood Leader

Keep Joe working for Lowell’s future.Give Joe one of your nine votes on November 5th.

Authorized by Joseph Mendonca, 41 Veritas Ave, Lowell, MA www.mendonca.org


By John [email protected]

Rodney Elliott said in the last 16years on the City Council, he has

tried to be a num-bers-consciousadvocate for thetaxpayer. Elliottsaid he is seeking another term on the councilto continue that approach of keeping the tax-payers’ interests at the forefront of his mind.

“I’m a numbers person who wants to con-tinue to keep the fight up to hold the line ontax increases,” Elliott said.

Last year, Elliott filed a motion to request that the citymanager produce a budget with no local tax increase.

He said he plans to maintain his willingness to seek infor-mation from the city administration and ask tough questionswhen necessary. He draws on his council experience and edu-cation, including a master’s degree in public management.

“I want to continue to ask informed questions of the citymanager and administration each week at City Councilmeetings,” Elliott said. “I file motions and ask questions tomake sure that we’re spending our tax dollars wisely.”

Elliott added that he is poised to keep making sure city gov-ernment is transparent and accountable to the City Council.

“I do my homework, am prepared for meetings, and I’mnot a rubber-stamp,” Elliott said. “That’s how I’m going toproceed with my ninth term, if re-elected — to continue tomake our city government more open and more transparent,reminding everyone our city manager works for us, not theother way around.”

Elliott wants to keepfighting for taxpayer

Rodney ElliottAge: 53Address: 15 Cresta DriveOccupation: Congressionalliaison, EnvironmentalProtection Agency(Boston office).


Erik Gitschier wants to shine a spotlight onongoing city problem that cannot be termed

Lowell’s “dirty little secret.”That’s because it’s no secret

that the city is way too dirty ingeneral, Gitschier said.

“I’m the only candidatewho’s been talking about thecleanliness of the city in thiscampaign,” said Gitschier,42, who currently serves onthe Greater Lowell Technical

High School Committee.Gitschier also is pushing for more police

officers on the streets to help reduce crime.As superintendent of Lexington’s Water &

Sewer Division, Gitschier would bring 24

years of munici-pal managementexperience to thecouncil table.

“I know whatthe people want.Every day I’m lis-tening to what people want done with theirtax money," Gitschier said.

In addition to putting his professional expe-rience to work in tidying up the city, Gitschiersaid he would prove himself equally competentin holding the line on taxes. He also plans tochallenge the city’s commercial tax rate.

“We’re in the top 25 in state when it comesto taxing businesses, and it’s hurting our eco-nomic development,” Gitschier said. “It’shard to lure people in ... when you have sur-rounding communities offering a better deal.”

Gitschier: Grime, crime are issuesErik Gitschier

Age: 42Address: 34 Livingston Ave.Occupation: Lexington Water &Sewer Division superintendent

Hargis: It’s time for fresh facesStacie Hargis

Age: 36Address: 265 Dutton St.Occupation: Directorof Community Team-work Inc.’s MerrimackValley Small BusinessCenter

By Grant [email protected]

As a probation officer, Dan Rourke is usedto taking information from various sources —a victim, a defendant, a prosecutor, a judge —and using that information to form a decision.

That experience will make him a greatcity councilor, he said.

Rourke: Experience a plus

Please see ROURKE/A14


As your City Councillor I will work hard to restore our quality of life and safety in our neighborhoods

I will work to restore the 27 police officers to our neighborhoods that have been cut since fiscal year 2008.

A safe city is one that will grow economically.

I will support local businesses and economic growth of our city.

I believe that if we are going to give new companies a tax break it should also be extended to our local established businesses.

Dedicated to being a voice for the people.


Elect Erik GitschierLowell City Council

Paid for by the Committee to Elect Erik Gitschier34 Livingston Ave, Lowell


By Katie [email protected]

Incumbent Councilor Ed Kennedysees a clear choice facing voters.

It’s up to residents to decide, hesaid, between acouncil that will rub-ber-stamp the citymanager’s initia-tives or one “that isgoing to be engaged,is going to challengethe city manger, askquestions and push

on economic development, publicsafety and lower taxes.”

Kennedy, 62, sees himself as apart of the latter group. He’s runningfor what would be his sixth term,having first taken a seat on the coun-cil in 1977 at the age of 26 and serv-ing through 1985, before runningagain, and winning, in 2011.

Inspired to enter public serviceafter the city saw the highest tax-rate increase in its history, he servedfour terms during the years that saw

Wang Labo-ratories andthe NationalHistoricalPark come toLowell.

Kennedyran againtwo years ago and thinks economicdevelopment should be a prioritynow, too, particularly in the area ofJackson, Appleton and Middlesexstreets. He said the city should focuson bringing in life-sciences busi-nesses, a sector that remainedstrong despite the recession andwhere programs at UMass Lowellprovide a natural link.

The main proponent of the city’smunicipal tax-lien auction program,Kennedy also cited the revenue thosesales have brought in as one of hisaccomplishments.

“That’s extra money the city hasnot been used to,” he said.

Follow Katie Lannan on Twitterand Tout @katielannan.

By Robert [email protected]

City Councilor John Leahy doesmost of his work as a self-employedpainting contractor in the city, so he

has a lot of opportu-nities to see andhear about what isgoing on in Lowell’sneighborhoods.

Leahy said whathe hears and seesthe most is the needfor more jobs.

Leahy is hopingcity councilors can help bring morejobs to the city by working withUMass Lowell to encourage gradu-ates to start more companies here inthe Mill City, where they can main-tain ties to their alma mater as theygo to work in research fields.

Leahy finished 10th in the 2011city election, and ascended to thecouncil in August 2012 after the res-ignation of Kevin Broderick.

Leahy said his year on the coun-

cil has donenothing to turnhim off to poli-tics, especiallybecause he lovestrying to makethe city better.Leahy alsoserved severalterms on the Lowell School Commit-tee.

“I like doing community service,”Leahy said. “I want to take part inmy community and make it better.”

Leahy plans to focus on neighbor-hood issues if he wins a second term.

“I work locally most of the time.I’m in the city. I see what’s going on,”he said. “I think I’m in the neighbor-hoods enough that I get a good pulseof the city. I bring a neighborhoodperspective to the council.”

Follow Robert Mills atTwitter.com/Robert_Mills.

Kennedy: ‘Not a rubber-stamp’Ed Kennedy

Age: 62Address: 312 Clark RoadOccupation: Commercialreal-estate appraiser,self-employed

Leahy: City needs jobsJohn LeahyAge: 51Address: 87Glenwood St.Occupation:Self-employedpainting contractor.

Vote on November 5

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Paid for by the Committee to Elect Rodney Elliott Lowell City Council 15 Cresta Drive, Lowell, MA

Whether is it taxes, police protection,

or neighborhood issues

COMMONSENSE COMMITMENT COURAGE

City Councillor Rodney Elliott

“I’M ALWAYS ON YOUR SIDE”


By Robert [email protected]

Marty Lorrey doesn’t mention politics when hetalks about why he loves his job as a city councilor.

Lorrey, first elected to the counciltwo years ago, said he ran becausehe wanted to put his knowledge ofthe city to work. Now that he hasserved as a councilor for two years,he loves the job because it enableshim to do something about neigh-borhood issues citywide.

“I enjoy constituent services,”Lorrey said. “You can get thingsdone.”

Lorrey thinks he was able toimprove life in the city during hisfirst term, working to improve cityparks, programming and quality-of-life issues that are brought tohis attention.

He said repairing the city’sinfrastructure will be the mostimportant task for the next coun-cil to tackle, whether it be

repaving roads or working with the state to keepthe city’s bridges up to par.

“We’ve invested in the schools,” Lorrey said.“Next year, it needs to be the roads.”

Lorrey said he wanted to put his knowledge ofthe city to work, and he is proud of his record doingthat and listening to residents’ concerns.

“After spending 30 years working in the neigh-borhoods, I feel I know the issues in the city well,”Lorrey said. “I can address them, try to solve them,work to solve them, and improve the quality of lifefor the residents of Lowell.”

Lorrey: Roads next

MartyLorrey

Age: 57Address: 93WestwindRoadOccupation:U.S. PostalService lettercarrier, retired.


When the city announced in September thatone bond rating agency had given it an upgrade

and another had improved itsoutlook, City Councilor Bill Mar-tin said the news showed the cityis heading in the right direction.

Martin is quick to applaudthe city’s financial achieve-ments and other successes. Heis seeking his eighth term onthe council to keep the MillCity on an upward trajectory.

“I want to continue to work tomake Lowell the best place it canbe, a place where people who livehere, work here and come herefor recreation are happy andproud to be here,” Martin said.

The former mayor said hehopes to help the city keep mov-ing forward by pushing for moreurban renewal areas that can bol-

ster the local economy and create job opportunities.He said he is proud of the hundreds of mil-

lions of dollars of investment taking place inthe Hamilton Canal District to revitalize thearea, and hopes to see efforts to transform andrehab downtown buildings continue.

Martin also plans to keep advocating fornecessary funding for the city’s school systemand public-safety departments.

He added that his experience both in govern-ment and the legal profession helps make him awell-rounded councilor who is not afraid to taketough votes.


City Councilor Rita Mercier receives at least ahalf-dozen calls from constituents every day at her

house.And Mercier, who until six

years ago had assistance from herlate husband, Ralph, respondingto residents, still tries to returnevery call and help every con-stituent who reaches out.

Frequently, Mercier will bringthe issues brought to her to thecouncil floor to get them addressed.

“I’m the public’s messenger,”Mercier said. “I’m nothing moreand nothing less. I do the people’swork by being a messenger.”

The public has responded inturn by electing her to nine straighttwo-year terms, including first-place finishes in the last eight elec-tions. And the 65-year-old Merciersaid she is seeking her 10th term onthe council because she wants tokeep being that voice for Lowelliansfrom all walks of life.

Mercier has also said thatwhen necessary, she will continue to be willing topublicly call for City Manager Bernie Lynch andhis administration to address issues in city depart-ments so they are functioning properly.

“We can’t sweep things under the rug and sayeverything is fine and put our heads in the sand,”said Mercier, an administrative assistant at theLowell Community Counseling Center.

Martin: ‘Proven record’

WilliamMartin

Age: 51Address: 173Clark RoadOccupation:Lawyer at Eno,Martin andDonahue, LLP.

Mercier ‘messenger’

RitaMercier

Age: 65Address: 221BurnhamRoadOccupation:Administrativeassistant atthe LowellCommunityCounselingCenter.

By Lisa [email protected]

Incumbent City Coun-cilor Joseph Mendoncaconsiders himself strongon money issues, which iswhy he keeps his eye onthe city’s current andfuture fiscal issues.

“It is important to keep an eye on publicsafety, and you always have to keep an eye on the city’s fiscalcondition,” Mendonca said.

While the city is financially in “good shape,” Mendoncasaid Lowell will have to address “a lot of liabilities” in thefuture, such as retirements, post-employment benefits andthe cost of the sewer-overflow issue.

Maintaining and improving the city’s infrastructure is crit-ical to making the city attractive to economic development for

Mendonca: ‘Have to keep aneye on city’s fiscal condition’

Joseph M.MendoncaAge: 54Address: 41Veritas Ave.Occupation:Independentsoftware engineer

Please see MENDONCA/A13



Vision:Professional City Government: Bill Samaras has firsthand experience in what works and what doesn’t work in the relationship between the administrator and the policy makers.Collaborative Development: The City Council must continually work with local stakeholders and neighborhood residents to promote Lowell as a true Destination City that is socially and economically friendly to businesses and residents alike.Demonstration of Commitment: A revolving contingency fund should be established which would allow the city manager or city council to protect Lowell’s cherished cultural resources and support many of the initiatives that have made Lowell so successful.Prioritize Public Safety: Bill will work to ensure that Lowell aspires to be one of the safest mid-sized cities in America with safety in all neighborhoods.3-1-1 Streamlined Government Services: Lowell should implement a 3-1-1 call center for quick, easy-to-remember and effective constituent services to guarantee residents’ ability to speak to a human voice about their concern.

Leadership:* As Lowell High School Headmaster oversaw a school population that reached over 4,000, while

receiving numerous awards. Raised over $4 million in student scholarship funds.* Career educator who authored the grant for Lowell’s first full-time Adult Basic Education Program.* Fostered a culture of inclusion and equity at Lowell High School by establishing various student

organizations including the first Gay-Straight Alliance in the Merrimack Valley.* Served on numerous boards focusing on areas such as education, economic development, energy,

immigrant and refugee rights, among others.* Received many awards and recognitions including the Lamp of Liberty Award, Massachusetts

Association of Student Councils Administrator of the Year, and the Lowell High School Distinguished Alumni Award.


By Rick [email protected]

Derek Mitchell can’t recall the specificdate, but one day he woke up and said,“I’m never leaving.”

“I remember saying, ‘Wow, I’m nevergoing to leave this city,’” said Mitchell, whogrew up in Philadelphia. “I don’t knowwhy it happened that specific day, but Iremember being very happy to realizethat. There’s something contagious aboutthis place, something about all the cultureand history, and I fell in love with it.”

His love of Lowell also helped spur hisinterest in joining the City Council this fall.Mitchell hopes to get the opportunity to rep-resent people from all over the city if elected.

Mitchell said he has the diversity andleadership experience to be a great choicefor councilor, citing his community service.

His key issues if elected are makingsure the streets are clean and safe, and the school districtis as “awesome” as any around. Mitchell also wants toexpand business development to neighborhoods, whilerecognizing the unique role that downtown plays both inthe identity of the city and as a commercial engine.

“People need to have a voice and an opportunity to getinvolved to move the city forward,” he said.

Love of city spurs Mitchell

DerekMitchell

Age: 33Address: 204Parkview Ave.Occupation:Lowell SiteDirector atInternationalInstitute

those businesses that want tomove to Lowell and for currentbusinesses that want to expand inthe city, he said.

“I have knowledge of the city’sfinances and, having served on theSchool Committee, I know theschools’ needs,” Mendonca said.“We’ve done quite a bit in the pasttwo years to keep taxes down, focuson our schools, and to continuewith street and sidewalk pavingand improvements,” he said. “I’dlike to continue with that work.”

Mendonca has served a total ofabout 4 1/2 years on the City Coun-cil, starting in 2005 by completingthe term of George Ramirez, whoresigned, then in 2007, by fillingthe unexpired term of Alan Kazan-jian, who also resigned.

Mendonca was elected to two-yearterms in 2009 and then again in 2011.

MENDONCA/From Page A12

Mendonca: Cityin ‘good shape’


After a two-year hiatus follow-ing his failed re-election bid in

2011, formerMayor JamesMilinazzo is backon the street knocking on people’s doors.

As a Lowell native with experience inleading such organizations as the LowellHousing Authority and Lowell Plan,Milinazzo wants to promote economicdevelopment as a councilor once again.He said he is ready to use his consensus-

building skills to tackle various issues.Milinazzo is aiming for a return to the City Council, on

which he had served for eight years, including the lasttwo years of his tenure as mayor. “I wanted to throw myhat back in,” he said. “I believe in public service. This ismy way of giving back to the community.”

Economic development, tax-base improvement and jobcreation, and public safety are Milinazzo’s top priorities. WithUMass Lowell taking on various construction projects andworking closely with Middlesex Community College for edu-cational offerings, the council needs to pay attention to theirinitiatives in addition to business developments, he said.

Milinazzo said his private- and public-sector experi-ences give him a “unique outlook” on the city and solu-tions to problems.

Milinazzo wants to serveJames MilinazzoAge: 59Address: 12 Carriage DriveOccupation: Vice presidentof business services atJeanne D’Arc Credit Union

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During his 19-year tenureas headmaster at Lowell

High School,WilliamSamarasworked withthe PoliceDepartmentto makesure theschool wassafer. Sama-ras reached

out to local banks to helpestablish a scholarship pro-gram for students headed tocollege but needing the fundsto do so. He also said heworked closely with the Low-ell Plan to make sure thehigh school was involved inany of the organization’sdowntown initiatives.

“I bring to the CityCouncil a good knowledgebase and a good record ofworking with people,”Samaras said. “I know howto sit around the table andget everyone to put theirissues aside to accomplishsomething.”

The longtime educator iseager to get the chance togive back to the communityat what he calls a very excit-

ing time for the city.Samaras said he is also

excited about the chance toserve the city and was look-ing for the right time andopportunity to do so.

Samaras: I have built relationshipsWilliam Samaras

Age: 71Address: 173 Clark RoadOccupation: Acting assistantprincipal in Haverhill in anelementary school.

Vote Steve Gendron“The future of Lowell depends on a quality school system”

Matt (LHS ‘08), Steve (LHS ‘06), Steve (LHS ‘80), Kate (honorary Raider), Mike (LHS ‘11), Chris (LHS ‘16)

For more info see SteveForLowell.com or SteveForLowell on

Reilly. He has been heavilyinvolved in the city since,especially among the city’sCambodian population,including work on ClementePark on Middlesex Street andCambodiatown.

As a city councilor, Nuonrecently pitched a plan to givesmall tax breaks to develop-ers for employing city resi-dents as apprentices on theirprojects. Anything to getmuch-needed jobs helps, hesaid, and those workers whobegin as apprentices can soonearn coveted union jobs.

Nuon has been a memberof the state Sex Offender Reg-istry Board for 13 years andhas made a central part of hisplatform a push to makeneighborhoods safer by ensur-ing that residents stay activein their community. After-school programs and recre-ation leagues are two waysyoungsters can stay activeand out of trouble, he said.

NUON/From Page A8Vesna Nuon

Age: 45Address: 10 Gibson RoadOccupation: State Sex OffenderRegistry Board

Rourke is mounting hisfirst run for public office byproposing a districtwideafter-school program andmastering the campaigningbasics, including knocking ondoor after door each day tobuild name recognition.

Extending a pilot after-school program citywide isRourke’s top priority ifelected and something he saidis vital for improving educa-tion and keeping childrenbusy. It would be paid forthrough new-growth revenue,not from new taxes, he said.

“Anything we can do tokeep young people here, to getyoung families here,” he said.

Rourke, a 1993 Lowell High

School graduate and a 1998UMass Lowell criminal justice-graduate, said keeping Lowellin sound financial shape is thecity’s biggest issue. He said hetrusts City Manager BernieLynch with those details andwouldn’t micromanage.

Rourke also said he wouldlook at available options for con-tinuing to remove homelesscamps, something the city beganalong the Merrimack River lastspring. He credited officials formaking it a priority to provideservices and find shelter forthose who were displaced.

ROURKE/From Page A10Dan Rourke

Age: 37Address: 15 Bridget LaneOccupation: Probation officer

Rourke: Experience a plus

Nuon: Still work to do

By Lisa [email protected]

As someone whose career revolves aroundhelping people, Van Pech said he would liketo bring to the City Council his listening

skills and his ability tokeep an open mind.

Pech, a counselor atAdvocates, a human-service organization, saidhe can use his skills to build consensus andcollaboration on the City Council if elected.

The “vibe” from residents, Pech said, is thatthe council is not as cohesive as it should be.

“There should be collaboration on the CityCouncil, not just people with their own agendas. It should workas a unit,” he said.

Pech said he would bring to the post an open mind and “awillingness to listen to all sides.”

“I feel a community like Lowell should be all-inclusive, lis-tening to all ages, people from different backgrounds and per-spectives,” he said.

In listening to residents, Pech said his focus, if elected, ison safety, education and quality of life in the city.

Pech: Collaboration neededVan Pech

Age: 29Address: 25Congress Ave.Occupation:Counselor atAdvocates, ahuman-serviceorganization.


When Ray Boutin wasappointed jointly by the Low-ell City Council and SchoolCommittee to fill a vacant seaton the Greater Lowell Techni-cal High School Committeelast November, he made nocampaign promises as, techni-cally, there was no campaign.

But Boutin has made

good on the promise he madeanyway to voters and jointcommittee members that, ifappointed, he’d seek electionto the post in a year’s time.

Boutin, 47, owns a localreal-estate appraisal businessand was a former communitymember on the GLTHSSchool Council. He is activelyinvolved in youth baseball.

Now running unopposed toretain his seat on the Greater

Lowell School Committee foran abbreviated two-year term,Boutin voiced his enthusiasmthis week about continuingthe positive impact he hasalready had on the learningenvironment at GLTHS.

“I put forth a motion, whichwas supported by the other

committee members, that wedouble funding for our sum-mer program for our incomingGLTHS freshmen who are con-sidered ‘at-risk,’” Boutin said.“I based my motion on the pos-itive results the programshowed the summer before.”

Boutin promised to con-

tinue poring over the volumi-nous reading material thatcomes before the board.

“It’s been a lot of reading,which I enjoy doing,” Boutinsaid. “It helps me gain a lot ofinformation, which can helpus, as a committee, to keepthe school moving forward.”

By John Collins [email protected]

In a three-person race for twoseats on the Greater Lowell Techni-cal School Committee, the lone chal-lenger, Lowell Housing AuthorityCommissioner Bopha Peou, must behoping incumbent Fred Bahou willhave a sophomore slump in the Nov.5 election of epic proportions.

Bahou was the top vote-getter in2009 when he was elected to serve onthe committee for the first time.

Leading up to his landslide electoralvictory in 2009, Bahou began buildinghis reputation as one of the most cost-conscious members of the committee bycalling attention to the district’s“bloated” administrative costs, mostnotably challenging then-Superinten-dent James Cassin’s $181,000 salary,which the board had voted to raise by$70,000 over the previous six years.

By meeting tradesmen while work-ing at the convenience store he owns inthe Highlands, as well as through hisexperiences in rehabilitating properties

he has purchased over the past twodecades, Bahou learned that “tradesare what a city like Lowell is all about.”

Bahou is asking voters to returnhim to the board to continue tacklingon two district issues that he viewsas top priorities: making sure theGLTHS renovation and constructionproject is completed at or belowbudget and on time; and figuring outa way to address the school rejectingthe enrollment requests of about 400students per year.


LOWELL ELECTION 2013/GREATER LOWELL TECH

Bahou eyes a second termFred Bahou Jr.Age: 50Address: 225 Gibson St.Occupation: Owner ofa convenience storeIncome: $36,000Nonprofitorganizations: GreaterLowell Technical HighSchool CommitteeMost important issue

facing GLTHS: Making sure the buildingproject gets completed at or below budgetand on time; addressing the matter ofturning away 400-plus students annually.


When George O’Hare, the longest-serving member on the Greater LowellTechnical School Committee, learnedthat at least one challenger, BophaPeou, had filed candidacy papers tooppose him and fellow incumbent,Fred Bahou, he was pleased.

“Competition stimulates theenthusiasm for running in a race,”said O’Hare, who is seeking re-elec-tion to what would be his fifth four-year term. “I welcome It. Competitionmakes you review what you’ve done.”

O’Hare, 75, a retired Verizon adver-tising executive, prides himself onstrong interpersonal communicationskills, and having a knack for keepingup with the constant advances in mod-ern technology that belies his age.

“My expertise and most comfortableplace of public service is as a SchoolCommittee member,” he said. “I enjoy ita great deal. I feel very proud of myrecord and want to continue to con-tribute to the success of the committee.”

His overriding goal as a commit-

tee member remains “making surethe students have a good educationin a safe environment,” he said.

O’Hare takes particular satisfac-tion in the school’s recentlyannounced MCAS test scores.

“We’re back to being a Level 1school, quite an accomplishment,especially in a technical school thathas students attending classes intechnical, rather than strictly aca-demic classes, 50 percent of thetime,” he said.

O’Hare looks to extend tenureGeorge O’HareAge: 75Address: 240 Moore St.Occupation: Retiredadvertising executivefor VerizonAnnual income:$80,000Nonprofit organizations:Women in TransitionalHousing board member

Most important issue facing the district:Ensuring a seamless transition to hiring anew superintendent, while also overseeingthe historic renovations

Boutin makes good on vow, but running unopposed for seat

Ray BoutinAge: 47Address: 255 Fourth Avenue, LowellOccupation: Real-estate appraiserIncome: Less than $70,000Nonprofit organizations Pawtucketville YouthOrganization, president; Lowell Senior LeagueBaseball/Lowell Girls Softball League,scheduler.Most important issue facing the district: Choosing anew superintendent; supervising a $65 million schoolconstruction project simultaneously.

Editor’s note: Bopha Peou, a candidate for the two-year seaton the Greater Lowell Tech School Committee, against GeorgeO’Hare and Fred Bahou, did not return several calls for comment.

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