Thursday, January 11, 2007 Older Editions

Campaigns gear up, as Hess steps aside

By Brian Messenger

It will be a busy election season in Andover, but the races will not involve Selectman John Hess.

Hess said he will not run for re-election this spring. It's likely at least four other candidates, including incumbent Chairman Alex Vispoli, will compete for the two Board of Selectmen spots on the ballot.

Four candidates also have declared they will run for moderator, in the wake of longtime moderator Jim Doherty's decision to step down. This week, former School Committee member Eric Nadworny and Osgood Street resident Kenneth Ozoonian said they will join the moderator's race. (See story, page 5).

For selectmen, former School Committee and Finance Committee member Don Robb of 36 York St., longtime town-government watchdog Mary Carbone of 3 Cyr Circle, and 2006 candidate Joseph Leone of 15 Apple Blossom Road have taken out papers with the town clerk's office.

All hope to impart significant changes to how the board conducts their business, and all said they were looking forward to a spirited campaign.

Potential candidates still have until the first Tuesday in February to return their nomination papers, making their candidacies official.

"This is the first time I can remember that this many people are running," said Robb, 69, and retired for four years. "I think it's important for people to run for office."

Formerly a vice president at Charlesbridge Publishing based in Watertown; Robb said he has also taught at both the high school and middle school levels.

Robb served on the School Committee from 1979 until 1989, on the Finance Committee from 1990 until 2000 and is the vice president of the Andover Historical Society. Robb moved to Andover in 1975, and his four daughters and two sons, now ages 32 to 42, all graduated from Andover High School. Robb's son Patrick is also an Andover police officer, while his daughter Mary teaches social studies at the high school.

Being retired, Robb said he has the ability to stay on top of board business, which he knows is demanding from his years on other town committees.

"I do have time," he said. "I have time to follow up on things during the day."

Robb said he believed the selectmen needed to conduct better long-term financial planning for the town, and that even though there is a five-year outlook in the Capital Improvement Program, "I think it's a bigger issue than that," he said.

"You can certainly plan three years out," said Robb. "Five's a little harder."

Robb also identified the process of how selectmen set yearly goals with the town manager and how they evaluate the town manager as a practice in need of revision. He suggested identifying the goals right after the town election and evaluating the town manager right before it to ensure the same five board members will be present.

"I think that would be fairer to the town manager," said Robb. "And also more productive for the town."

Carbone, 68, is known as a town watchdog who regularly attends various meetings in town.

"I've been there for many years because I believe we can never know too much about our government," said Carbone.

"Many people have asked me, 'You know, why don't you run?'," she said. "We'll see how it all turns out."

A mother of two with three grandchildren, Carbone had worked as secretary to the fiscal officer at MIT from 1957 to the mid '60s and moved to Andover in 1976.

Carbone said she is eager to make the transition from audience member to board member at selectmen meetings.

"That's exactly what I think I have to achieve, in my mind. Because I've been raising my hand for a long time," she said. "I'm very persistent. I don't give up."

Carbone said she was a strong advocate for seniors and believes she has a good rapport with town employees. "I don't have a platform I'm running on. I still have the interest of all at heart," she said.

Leone, 59, a retired special agent with the U.S. secret service, ran for selectmen last year and has lived in town since late 1975. As a special agent in charge of running both an office staff and a budget, Leone said his background has provided him with the necessary experience to begin his service as a board member.

A Vietnam War veteran, he said he believes many of the same issues from his previous campaign are still before the board.

"I see very little changes in the goals and the objectives that the board has set itself," he said. "There doesn't seem to be any light at the end of the tunnel for some of the tasks at hand."

Leone said the projects for both the youth and senior centers are in nearly the same spots as they were last year, and that the town needs to have residents shoulder less of the burden of taxes.

"We have a lot of senior citizens here who are really hurting," said Leone.

The selectmen and School Committee need to eliminate "that mentality of 'them against us,'" said Leone. "Unless we fix that mentality we're always going to be running into this money shortfall."