Politics & Government

Kennedy Running as New Face, Independent Voice

Tom Kennedy, 41, says many residents feel they don't have a voice in town government, and that he will serve only two full terms if elected.

The town of Lynnfield finds itself in the uncommon place of having two selectmen's races this year - one of which is for the one year term left on the seat formerly held by Al Merritt. In that race, 41-year-old running as a candidate with experience who is also something of an outsider.

In a recent conversation with Lynnfield Patch, Kennedy, who has lived in Lynnfield for 11 years with his wife Lori and who is a father of two, said that he decided to run in part because "it just seems to be a little inner clique of people that are making every decision in town."

"If I'm nothing else, I'm 100% open," said Kennedy, going on to say that the ongoing controversy over the Lynnfield School District's early release plan is one sign of a broader problem in the town - saying the school committee should have gone to the community first - "and then if we embrace it, it goes to the teacher's union."

"More and more people are questioning exactly how these decisions are being made," said Kennedy. "There should be some dissenting votes, and reaching out to people."

In his professional life, Kennedy has worked in the finance industry for 19 years. He is running for the selectman's seat against Phil Crawford, vice chair of the Lynnfield Finance Committee, and a 25-year town resident who has considerable experience in the financial industry as well as in town volunteer and government activities.

"I'm definitely qualified to do the job," said Kennedy, saying that experience can also cut both ways - "At some point it becomes like going through the motions a lot as opposed to having the energy and being there."

Kennedy also points out that he is only running for a single year as a selectman. He reports that he had previously thought about entering Lynnfield's initial selectman's race, for the three-year term on the seat currently held by Select Board Chair Bob MacKendrick. MacKendrick is running for re-election against Tom Terranova. "It's four guys trying to help the town," said Kennedy.

Kennedy said the one-year term was attractive because it would give him a chance to assess whether serving in town government would have any impact on his children before he committed to a longer term. "I'm in there for a year. I'm something new. If you don't like me, vote me out," said Kennedy.

The candidate also reports that if he does get elected to the one-year selectman's term, he will serve no more than two full terms after that, saying that serving as selectman is "not something you do over and over."



Editor's Note: The interviewer and the candidate both happen to be members of the St. John's Prep Class of 1989.


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