Wilmington Selectman Michael McCoy: I'm Not Seeking Re-election

WILMINGTON, MA — Longtime Wilmington Selectman Michael McCoy announced this week that he will not be seeking re-election this year. He's sat on the Board for three decades, most recently winning re-election three years ago. He and his wife decided after that election that it would be his last term, he wrote.

McCoy's full announcement is below.

I have an announcement to make tonight. Historically when I have been up for reelection and nomination papers usually became available by January 2, religiously I’ve gone down to the town hall, pulled my nomination papers, gathered all the required signatures and returned the papers within a few days. I’m usually the first to take out the papers and the first to return them. This year is different.

Tonight, I am officially announcing that I will not be seeking reelection to the Wilmington Board of Selectmen. After I won my last election three years ago, I had a long talk with my wife and we agreed that it would be my last term. She is the only person on the planet that knew this.

About eight months ago when I volunteered to join the hockey rink committee, individuals on Facebook accused me of joining this committee only because I had an election coming up and I wanted to get votes. This is not true. All I wanted to do, and I stated it back then, that I just want to help the kids in our community. Just the other day, individuals on Facebook were claiming that I only want to build a senior center because “he’s up for reelection and he wants votes”. Again, not true.

I will not be endorsing anyone. I don’t have a candidate ready to emerge right after I make this announcement. I know I will be surprising a hell of a lot of people but it’s a decision I made with my wife three years ago. Any of you who know me, know I keep my word. Always.

This has been a great ride. I can see my mark all over town. I’ve given 33 years of my adult life to the Town of Wilmington; 30 of those years as your selectman. When I owned and operated my restaurant, I gave it 31 years and had a track record of success. In essence, I gave more time to my town and I have no regrets.

In life I realize that we’re going to be dead a lot longer than we will ever be alive. We need to learn to agree to disagree and just because we have different opinions doesn’t mean we need to hate each other. Everyone, and I mean EVERYONE can learn to get along and move forward if they so choose.

Over the span of my service to the town as your selectman, I’ve served through five different decades. I’ve made more friends than enemies over my political career and to quote Winston Churchill “You have enemies? Good. That means you’ve stood up for something, sometime in your life.”

Christopher Huffaker can be reached at 412-265-8353 or chris.huffaker@patch.com.