Candidate Profile: Charles Viola Makes A Second Run For Woburn Ward 7 Alderman

WOBURN, MA -- There are three contested Woburn Alderman's Races in the general election on November 7. In Ward 3, Incumbent mark Gaffney is facing Claire Malaguti of Colonial Road. In Ward 6, John Beauchamp challenging incumbent Edward Tedesco. And in Ward 7, Charles Viola challenging incumbent Lindsay Higgins.

Woburn Patch asked candidates to respond to a detailed questionnaire so that we could profile each candidate in a contested race. So far, the only respondent has been Charles Viola. What follows is a profile of Viola, 32, of Morningside Circle, who is running for a second time against Higgins. Other candidates who would like to be profiled should contact Dave Copeland at dave.copeland@patch.com.

In politics, a loss is a loss, but for Charles Viola, his 2015 loss against Lindsey Higgins for the Ward 7 Alderman's seat on Woburn City Council was particularly bitter. Viola lost by just 69 votes to represent the ward which covers most of the west side of Woburn from Cambridge Street to the Lexington town line. For Higgins, it was her first time being elected to City Council. But the incumbent's advantage hasn't deterred Viola from stepping up for a rematch.

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"After the election, I polled Ward 7 residents, had I of ran for Alderman of Ward 7 that year, I would have overwhelming won that election," he said. "Due to my commitment for wanting to make Woburn a better place to live I made the wrong decision of what position to run for."

Viola didn't pull punches when asked about his run against Higgins. He pointed out that he has lived in Ward 7 his entire life and didn't just "move into Ward 7 to run for office." He made a point of emphasizing he's not interested in a career as politician and doesn't see City Council as a stepping stone to higher public office. Viola first ran for City Council in 2015 after a failed 2013 run for school committee.

Viola also isn't afraid to attack his opponent's track record in her first two years on the job. He noted that she voted in favor of a bill to raise the pay of city council members. He said her backing of a development that put stacked townhouses in a residential neighborhood is just one of several "poor choices...that will negatively affect the residents of Ward 7 and Woburn."

But the biggest issue facing Woburn, according to Viola, is the traffic infrastructure. It's a topic a lot of Woburn residents are likely to relate to.

"Ward 7 has some of the worst and most dangerous intersections and streets in the entire city," he said. "Traffic calming measures need to be addressed on the main traveled roads, and when elected I will immediately work with the Traffic Commission on ways in which we can make the roads safer for pedestrians, bicyclists, as well as vehicular traffic."

Viola is single and graduated cum laude from Minuteman Regional Technical School in 2003 and then completed an associates degree in criminal justice at Middlesex Community College in 2006. For the past 12 years he has worked as a correctional officer for the Middlesex Sheriff's Office.

"I am the only candidate for Alderman of Ward 7 who is a homeowner and taxpayer, who is invested in our great City," Viola said. "For years, I have volunteered on projects that improved the quality of life in Ward 7 and Woburn. I am the only candidate to speak from the beginning against the oncoming flood of over-development on the West Side of Woburn."

Other contested races in the November election include John Beauchamp challenging incumbent Edward Tedesco in Ward Six. Five incumbent school committee members are all unopposed in their reelection bids. Mayor Scott Galvin and City Council members Joanne Campbell (Ward 1), Richard Gately (Ward 2), Michael Anderson (Ward 4) and Darlene Mercer-Bruen (Ward 5) are all running unopposed in November's election.

Photo by Charles Viola.

Dave Copeland can be reached at dave.copeland@patch.com or by calling 617-433-7851. Follow him on Twitter (@CopeWrites) and Facebook (/copewrites).