Former Wilmington Selectman Backs Incumbents In April 27 Election

WILMINGTON, MA — Former Wilmington Selectman Judy O'Connell endorsed incumbents Kevin Caira and Greg Bendel in their April 27 reelection bid. Caira and Bendel are facing four challengers for the two open seats. O'Connell's letter, as well as other recent endorsements submitted t Wilmington Patch, are published below.

O'Connell's Endorsement For Kevin Caira

It is with excitement and enthusiasm that I write this letter in support of Kevin Caira as a candidate for re- election to the Wilmington Board of Selectmen.

I have had the pleasure of knowing Kevin as a person and a community leader for several years and it is my honor to call him my friend. Over the years, I have continued to admire and respect Kevin’s dedication and commitment to helping others. Kevin’s long standing tradition of public service and his willingness to support various town projects & initiatives are remarkable.

Over the past several years, I have had the opportunity to work closely with Kevin as a member of the Wildcat Athletic Alumni & Friends Organization, the Yentile Farm Development Committee and as a former member of the Wilmington Board of Selectmen. My experience working with Kevin has been very positive and I have observed first hand Kevin’s superior work ethic and his keen ability to get things done. During Kevin’s first term on the Board of Selectmen I continue to be impressed with his ability to help lead the Town of Wilmington into the future as its current Chairman. Kevin is a leader among leaders who strives to provide best in class municipal services on behalf of all residents and the business community at large. Kevin is a staunch supporter of education, youth sports & recreational programs, elderly & veteran affairs, affordable housing and public safety to name a few. Kevin supports smart economic growth and development and supports the public process as part of this endeavor.

Regarding the public process, I applaud Kevin’s efforts to hear all sides of an issue in order to render a decision that he believes is in the best interest of all involved and not just a special interest group. I also applaud Kevin’s reserve as he supports other boards and committees in their efforts to do the job they have been appointed or elected to do. With that said, I have not always agreed with Kevin on every town topic or issue. However, I continue to appreciate and respect his position during all our conversations and particularly the ones when we have had differing opinions regarding a particular subject matter. As the current Chairman of the Board of Selectmen, I have been particularly impressed with Kevin’s steady and controlled behavior as he has been publically attacked on numerous occasions with inaccurate information and with story lines that leave out key pieces of information that the voters deserve to know. Through this all Kevin has maintained his composure, civility and professional conduct which I find to admirable.

To me, Kevin Caira is wonderful human being, a true gentleman and one of the most honest, hardworking people I know! Based on his proven track record of successful public service and accomplishments that span over decades, Kevin is worthy of your vote on Election Day!

In closing, please join me on Saturday, April 27th in voting to re-elect a very deserving candidate, Kevin Caira, to the Wilmington Board of Selectmen. Kevin is the right choice and will remain committed to ensuring that the Town of Wilmington continues to be a great place to live, work and raise a family. Thank you.

Sincerely,

Judith L. O’Connell

O'Connell's Endorsement For Greg Bendel

We have an opportunity on Saturday, April 27th to re-elect a very worthy candidate, Greg Bendel, to the Wilmington Board of Selectmen.

I have had the pleasure of knowing Greg as a person and a community volunteer for several years and it is my honor to call him my friend. Over the years, I have continued to observe Greg’s dedication to his family, his friends and to the Town of Wilmington. For as long as I can remember Greg has always had a willingness to support key initiatives and important projects for the betterment of our children, our schools and our community.

During Greg’s first term on the Board of Selectmen I have been impressed with his ability to assist the town leadership team with getting the town’s business done! Greg continues to be a key supporter of the suite of services the Town of Wilmington has to offer its residents such as public education, elderly services & senior housing, youth sports & recreational programs, community health, public safety and veteran affairs to name a few. Greg has been a fiscally conservative leader, an advocate for economic development and a board member who supports the public process. Greg will tackle any issue with transparency and will be the first to offer to help in any given situation.

I have had the pleasure of serving on the Board of Selectmen with Greg and have witnessed firsthand his commitment to the Town of Wilmington. We accomplished a lot together and I will be the first to say we did not always agree on every town topic. However, we respected our common ground and our differences and I always appreciated Greg’s perspective on things. Greg is honest, ethical and of the highest moral character. While working with Greg I always knew he put his head and heart in every decision he made on behalf of the residents of the Town of Wilmington and is a man who tries to always do the right thing! For this reason and many others I am certain that Greg Bendel is the right choice for the voters of Wilmington on Election Day.

With Greg’s impressive resume along with his personal qualities and attributes, I believe Greg continues to be an ideal candidate for Selectman. Greg is intelligent, articulate, a team player, a great listener and has the courage and tenacity to take on the most complex issues and render informed decisions. Greg is a great asset to the Wilmington Board of Selectmen and deserves to be re-elected so he can continue to work hard to maintain and improve the quality of life for all Wilmington residents and local business owners to enjoy.

Please join me on Saturday, April 27th in voting for Greg Bendel for Selectman. Thank you.

Sincerely,

Judith L. O’Connell

Stop Recycling The Same Politicians In This Town

A letter of endorsement for Rob Fasulo and Suzanne Sullivan. I want to start by saying I have never been involved in town politics nor have I wanted to. Like most of you reading this I would run my errands, eat locally, drive to and from work and then head home. However, there are some serious issues facing this town. The town I love. I bet most of you are not aware of the Olin project. Olin wants to build on contaminated land over by Eames Street. The land is so toxic that the surrounding neighborhood gets bottled drinking water delivered to their homes. It’s hard to believe that in 2019 our fellow neighbors are having drinking water delivered to their house. What have the incumbents who sit on the Board of Selectman done about this?? Why is this issue still going on 20 years later and why is one of the incumbent’s brother a consultant involved, in one way or another, with the companies who are fighting to build on this land? How is this right?

Another serious issue facing this town, which is not over, is the Detox proposal at 362 Middlesex Ave. This same incumbent’s brother sat side by side with the developer and his team when presenting the Detox proposal to the Board of Selectman back in September 2017. How is that right? This same incumbent has flip flopped multiple times, all documented, his views on this project. At that initial meeting he supported the idea. Again in February 2018 he stated at a Board of Selectman meeting that he was for the detox, the location and against Article 2 that was overwhelmingly passed at the December 2018 special town meeting. Fast forward to election time April 2019 where he now states in an article to the Apple that he against the Detox at 362 Middlesex and the location. How can he be trusted? The other incumbent running does not take a firm stance on any serious issue. He either concurs with the other incumbent or walks the line. Playing it safe and staying neutral like Switzerland. That is not a leader to me.

We need to stop recycling the same politicians in this town. Stop electing people who either have friends and family on current or former boards and who consult with Special interests. We need REAL change. We need officials who say what they mean and mean what they say. Officials we do not have to question their integrity. Who have no ties to family members currently or previously on other town boards. This is why I support Rob Fasulo and Suzanne Sullivan. They are relentless in their pursuit of the truth and protecting the residents. Who are loyal to preserving our town and put the citizens first. I encourage everyone to come out vote for real change. Together when can break the cycle that is leading us in the wrong direction. Vote Rob Fasulo and Suzanne Sullivan. Candidates who have no hidden agendas, who can be trusted, who truly care about us.

Sincerely,
Kimberly McNeeley

Maselli Will Bring Common Voice To Board

It is great to see so many people seeking to sit on the Board of Selectmen to represent the people of Wilmington. I want to tell you why I am voting in support of candidate Mark Maselli. Mark is a dedicated husband and father to his three boys. I have witnessed firsthand the solid family values Mark has instilled in his children. Just as Mark has been a positive influence in raising his children, Mark wants to have a seat on the board so he can be a positive influence in setting the best overall course of action for the town of Wilmington.

Mark is the owner of Dandilyons Ice Cream a successful small business in Reading and each year he employs some of your young adults from the town of Wilmington. He is a hands on boss and each day he shows his leadership in teaching basic life lessons to his young employees. Mark leads by example and is not afraid of hard work, and this is a value he teaches both his children and employees. Mark’s example creates responsibility through perseverance.

Mark is a candidate for the common voice in our community. He is willing to listen to all viewpoints on issues and communicate differences in a respectful manner. Mark speaks from the heart and is genuine, transparent and real. I believe all of the qualities I’ve mentioned will make Mark an excellent Selectman. Please join me at the polls on April 27, 2019 in voting for Mark Maselli, our next Selectmen for the town of Wilmington.

Sincerely,
Michelle White
Wilmington