Meet Peabody Mayoral Candidate Rochelle Agneta

PEABODY, MA — Peabody business owner and lifelong resident Rochelle Agneta is one of two candidates challenging Mayor Ted Bettencourt as he seeks a seventh term in office this fall.

Agneta, who owns Salon CC in Peabody, said she is running to bring fiscal responsibility back to the city and be a proactive force at City Hall.

"A city is built between residents and businesses working together and we do not have that in Peabody," Agneta told Patch.

Agneta, Bettencourt and longtime radio professional Rob Stevens will be on the ballot for the preliminary election set for Sept. 12. The top two vote-getters will then face off in the general election on Nov. 8.

Agneta said that her experience of growing up and owning a business in the city has helped her "see the city from two different perspectives" and that some of the growth and change in the city in recent years has not always been positive. She has also advocated for the city to embrace more green energy initiatives and is a proponent of the new high school project.

"I have seen decisions being made and money being spent that is fiscally irresponsible," she said, adding that she believes the current administration "does not care about the small businesses in Peabody."

"There is also the issue of no future planning in our city, no forward vision of where our city is going and how we will get there," she said. "You can watch any council or committee meeting and there is always someone saying that they are tired of our city being 'reactive instead of proactive' and this really is the heart of our problem as a city.

"Peabody needs a leader who will, along with residents, business owners and their administration, sit down and make a comprehensive plan for our city. A leader who sees the building of a beautiful, vibrant, historic, thriving downtown that draws people and other businesses to it as a priority.

"A leader that knows that you need businesses to create revenue that will help build new schools and city buildings, revenue that will help keep our open spaces and roadways maintained."

Agneta is a 1984 Peabody Veterans Memorial High graduate who has also coached soccer, flag football and softball in the city.

She started her first business Sunshine Oil Company in 1997 and then opened the salon with her daughter, Stephanie, when she graduated from Peabody High and earned her cosmetology license.

She also volunteered at the Burke School when they did not have a librarian in 2001 and 2002, painted murals for the school inside and out and volunteered to teach gardening and composting to Burke students.

"This is not about popularity or liking or disliking someone, this is about the future of Peabody and who has the vision and drive to make Peabody a beautiful city to live in, raise your family in and retire in," she said.

More on Agneta's candidacy can be found one her campaign Facebook page here.

(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. X/Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)