Candidate Profile: Malaguti Promises To Be 'Approachable'

WOBURN, MA -- Claire Malaguti has heard a common theme over the past few years living in Woburn's Ward 3, and that theme has been repeated as she has canvased the neighborhood as a candidate for City Council. Malaguti said she has frequently heard that the Ward's incumbent Alderman, Mark Gaffney, is intimidating and unapproachable to the residents he represents.

"When residents call him for assistance, he will respond, however there is no follow-up," Malaguti said.

So Malaguti, a Republican with no prior political experience, is mounting a campaign to unseat Gaffney, who is seeking a fifth, two-year term. To say that she is a long shot is an understatement: in September's preliminary election, Malaguti received 21 votes to Gaffney's 239. That was still better than odd man out Philip Ciampa of Philips Street, who received 17 votes.

The first issue Malaguti wants to respond to if elected are road condition in Woburn: and not just the major traffic headaches everyone complains about, but the sidewalks and pockmarked side streets in Ward 3. The roads need to "be repaired, and not just with patch jobs, but with full paving. Decades have passed with this matter not addressed, and for me, that is inexcusable," she said.

Malaguti holds a B.S. in business administration from Boston University and works as an IT professional. She has managed a staff of 50 and said her experience managing complex budgets will be useful if she is elected. Other key issues she listed including improving Woburn schools, maintaining the city's public safety record and working to keep property taxes affordable.

More on the 2017 Municipal Election in Woburn:

• Unopposed Woburn Council Candidates Reflect On Victories, Future (11/2/17)
• Candidate Profile: After 17 Years, John Beauchamp Eyes A Return To Woburn City Council (10/25/17)
• Candidate Profile: Charles Viola Makes A Second Run For Woburn Ward 7 Alderman (10/24/17)
• City of Woburn election information, including polling places and registration information.

Polls open at 7 am and close at 8 pm Tuesday. 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 is challenging incumbent Edward Tedesco. And in Ward 7, Charles Viola is challenging incumbent Lindsay Higgins.

Two aldermen at large and 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.

Woburn Patch asked candidates in contested races to respond to a detailed questionnaire so that we could profile each candidate in a contested race. Other candidates who would like to be profiled should contact Dave Copeland at dave.copeland@patch.com.

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Photos courtesy of the candidate.

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