Seat on Housing Authority up for grabs in Tuesday’s town election

~Selectman John Connolly headlines list of candidates running unopposed~

A quiet campaign season will reach its apex this Tuesday, April 6, when Canton residents head to the polls for the annual town election. Incumbent Ron Grinnell and challenger Jason Dupre are vying for a five-year term on the Housing Authority in what is the only contested race on the ballot. 

Grinnell, a 72-year-old retired college professor, was first elected to the Housing Authority in 2005 when he edged then-incumbent George Schugmann by 16 votes. Dupre, 35, is new to the political scene. He is confined to a wheelchair because of a neck injury he sustained at the age of 14 and actually lives in Rubin Court, one of the Housing Authority’s properties. 

Town Clerk Tracey Kenney said “a couple of inquiries were made by citizens” regarding Dupre’s residence and a possible conflict of interest, but Kenney told the Citizen that calls made to the state Ethics Commission and to the Elections Division within the Massachusetts Secretary of State’s office revealed “there was nothing in the election laws that prohibited [Dupre] from running for that position.”

Kenney, however, said the Ethics Commission told her that Dupre “could not participate in any discussion or vote where he had a personal financial interest.”

According to the most recent annual town report, the Housing Authority manages 202 units of elderly housing, 33 units of family housing, 12 units of barrier-free housing, eight Massachusetts Rental Housing Vouchers and hosts 33 Section 8 Vouchers (a federal assistance program to help low-income residents pay for housing.)

Dupre bills himself as a candidate with “fresh ideas.” He said that by living in one of the Housing Authority’s properties he can serve as the voice for these residents.

“There’s nobody on the board who lives in housing,” he said. “How are they going to know what’s bothering us because a lot of the people [living here] won’t say anything. I’m in a position where I can argue for them.”

In seeking a second term, Grinnell prides himself in doing his homework on the issues and says he makes himself available to the residents of Housing Authority properties. 

“I keep my word and make sure things get done,” Grinnell said. 

Grinnell said the combined electrical bill for Housing Authority properties is $300,000 and is not subsidized, so he has been looking into using alternative energy technology to help decrease this cost. 

He said that solar panels will be in place at the Hemenway by the summer and he is also pushing for two wind turbines to be placed at Rubin Court. Grinnell would also like to increase the number of housing units the town owns.

Dupre criticized Grinnell’s plan because in the current economy, he feels it won’t be possible to fund these projects. Instead, Dupre said he is proposing more cost-efficient ideas, like getting various youth volunteer groups to do the small, simple repairs for the Housing Authority. Grinnell said his goals can be achieved without placing a burden on the town.

“The wind turbines would pay for themselves within two to three years, and then after that it will be all clear profit,” he said. “So there’s no real output [from the town]. What you would be doing is looking for a state agency to sponsor the putting up of the turbines, but it’s not coming out of our budget per se.” 

If elected, Dupre said he wants to “bridge the gap” between the Housing Authority and the residents who live in Housing Authority properties. 

“One of the things I want to do is get everybody on the same page,” he said. “You can’t run a housing authority if everybody’s on a different page.” 

Grinnell said he is sincere and is an active leader. “I’m not afraid to stand up and be counted,” he said. 

All other candidates are running unopposed this Tuesday, including incumbent Selectman John Connolly, who has served on the Board of Selectmen since 1989, and is set to be elected to his eighth consecutive term. 

State Representative William C. Galvin is running for a ninth consecutive term on the Board of Assessors; former selectman George Jenkins is seeking another term on the Planning Board; and Reuki Schutt, the current School Committee chairman, is running for her third consecutive term.   

John Bonnanzio is running for the other open seat on the School Committee. He previously served on the committee from 2002 to 2008.  Incumbents Betty Chelmow, Kathy Fox Alfano and Margaret Mead are all set to be elected for another term on the Library Board of Trustees.  Incumbent Robert Schneiders is set to retain his seat on the Board of Health. 

Polls will be open to all registered Canton voters between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m. There are four polling locations: Canton High School for precincts one and six; the Dean S. Luce School for precinct two; Blue Hills Regional for precinct three; and the John F. Kennedy School for precincts four and five. A precinct map is also available at the town clerk’s website: www.town.canton.ma.us/Clerks/precincts.htm.

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Posted by Jeffrey Pickette on Apr 1 2010. Filed under News, Town Government. Both comments and pings are currently closed.