Seibold, Gregorio discuss the issues at "Candidate's Night"
Published on March 19th, 2008
STONEHAM, MA - Selectmen incumbent George Seibold characterized himself as an independent, action-oriented reformer while challenger Richard Gregorio touted his business acumen and familiarity with Stoneham's finances during last week's candidates' forum.
Squaring off during last week's forum, sponsored by Stoneham Community Access and the town's Chamber of Commerce, the two Selectman candidates spouted their views of a plethora of topics, including the future of the Stoneham Arena and former A.W. Chesterton property, their relationship with state officials, and the business atmosphere within the community.
Gregorio, a Woburn native who moved to Stoneham with his wife in 1983 to raise his daughter, has served on Stoneham's Finance Board for 12 years, eight as chairman.
According to the Crystal Drive resident, who has 31 years of business experience in the private sector, he would use his knowledge of the town's financial structure in order to bring Stoneham out of its current budgetary woes.
Referring to some of his accomplishments to date, Gregorio cited the fiscal model he crafted, which breaks down the town's financial picture over a multiple year period. The Finance Board veteran also authored the town's fiscal guidelines, which governs how the town treats its finances.
Last year, Gregorio also convinced Town Meeting to endorse the creation of a new capital committee that will develop a comprehensive and long-term plan for approaching Stoneham's capital needs.
"I think the best thing the Selectmen can do is have a very careful, analytical view of our problems," the Selectman candidate said. "Stoneham is a wonderful community that has tremendous opportunity to be the jewel we all think it can be."
Seibold, a prison shift commander for the Middlesex Sheriff's Office, is a lifelong resident of Stoneham and the father of two children, who attend the Robin Hood School. According to the Selectmen Chair, who is seeking a second term in office, he has proven his willingness to hold the town's government accountable, regardless of the political consequences. The incumbent characterized himself as an action-oriented official, referring to his work in turning around the financial woes at the Stoneham Arena, pushing for the launch of the town's website, and assisting local residents caught-up in the process.
"I enjoy getting my hands dirty and getting the job done. I don't like the theory process. Not knocking some of the committees [in town], but I'd rather get it done," said Seibold. "We need to act quickly. We can't sit around and talk and think about solving the problems."
According to both Seibold and Gregorio, they both believe that the town needs to be more business friendly in order to attract a larger commercial base.
However, while Gregorio felt that local officials could do a lot more to woo local developers, Seibold argued that Town Administrator David Ragucci should be the leader in encouraging new growth and assisting businesses through the permitting process. The pair also agreed that the Redstone shopping plaza and the former A.W. Chesteron property in South Stoneham represented two of the biggest development opportunities in town.
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