Frasca: Making a Difference for Peabody

For Scott Frasca, the Peabody City Council is next on his to-do list and yet another way to give back to the city he loves.

"I definitely talk people up like Peabody is the greatest thing in the world and that's why I'm running. I want to make Peabody the best that it can be," Frasca said. "I really think I can play a role in city government as a leader, not just as somebody who shows up and votes."

He said three words will mark his campaign: leadership, compassion and energy. He hopes to bring all three to the council in every facet of decision-making and policy.

Frasca said he hopes to work in concert with the mayor and other councilors, but also take a lead role on important concerns, such as providing adequate affordable housing and services for the city's seniors.

"There's nothing negative [about the campaign]," he said. "It's all about just wanting to help my city."

He added that he doesn't believe Peabody is perfect as is, but he sees it as trying to run on his record rather than against certain councilors. In fact, he'd even like to serve with one or two of them.

"For a long time I thought that my efforts would be better used elsewhere and that's why I ran a charity," he said, but now the Making a Difference in Peabody Foundation celebrated its tenth anniversary and he's reached other milestones both personally and in business over the past 15 years.

"Where I can best put my education, my experience and my leadership skills to help the city that I love?" he said, explaining what led up to his candidacy. The answer was clear: run for at At-Large seat on the council. He pointed out two inspirational sights from his campaign office window -- City Hall and St. John the Baptist (his church).

Frasca, a local entrepreneur widely known for his charitable work, has been involved in numerous ventures over the years, owned and sold several businesses, founded a couple nonprofits, been active in local politics and civic organizations, served as a Library Trustee, managed a budget on a missile defense system contract for the military and also spent a year working for the Department of Homeland Security.

That last job was soon after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001; Frasca had sold his first business and put his name on a waiting list at the Federal Bureau of Investigation when an opportunity arose to work a security nightshift at a government facility in Boston.

He said the hours were tough, he had to miss time with family on the holidays, but at the same time, he knew Boston and important landmarks were safe. An opportunity then arose to manage the budget on a military contract that equipped Vanderberg Air Force Base in California with its missile defense system.

Frasca said the contract also included a base in Japan. And while he spent four years on the contract, he was also launching another business and Making a Difference in his spare time, which he then poured all his energy into once the contract work was complete.

Currently, Frasca operates a luxury clothing company, has his own clothing line, started a consulting firm for strategic planning for businesses and is launching another charitable fund to help pet owners afford astronomical medical costs when faced with those bills or saying goodbye to their beloved companions.

But politics has always been in his blood -- in fact, at 19, Frasca worked on one of former state Rep. Tom Walsh's campaigns. .

Frasca also served as a Library Trustee for eight years and chaired the Republican City Committee for six years. He said he pursued some important capital projects for the libraries during that time and has worked on a lot of campaigns, both locally and statewide over the years (most recently for Scott Brown).

He has five points or stars for his campaign: senior housing and services, public safety, economic development, open space and "world-class schools."

Chief among those concerns is making sure Peabody's elderly residents have a roof over their heads they can afford, he said, noting seniors now wait six months to three years at times for available public housing. And during that time they are often stuck in homes they can no longer afford and rising medical and living expenses on fixed incomes.

Frasca, 45, is not a Tanner City native, but he grew up and went to school in Peabody, he and his wife are raising his family here and he's been part of the local business community for more than 15 years; for all intents and purposes, it's his hometown.

"I am a Peabody boy, for sure," he said.

He graduated from Peabody High in 1985 and has subsequently earned degrees from Salem State, Northeastern and Harvard University.

You can also check out Frasca's campaign website and Facebook page here.