First-selectman elect Kevin Seery plans on working closely with BOE and school admin to make decisions
ALEX SALERNO
First-Selectman elect, Republican Kevin Seery, is ready for the challenge of being the next First Selectman of EL.
Tuesday, Nov. 2, Mr. Seery defeated Democratic opponent Camille Alberti by a vote count of 3051 to 2477. As of right now, Mr. Seery is the deputy First Selectman. He took his new position Monday, December 6, which is swear in day.
Mr. Seery has served for 24 years on various town boards and was also a Salem state trooper for many years. He says his time as a state trooper prepared him tremendously for this job.
“As a state trooper, you were frequently required to enter people’s lives at what could be a very difficult and challenging time. In all those cases, I was able to respond in a positive and compassionate way,” Mr. Seery said.
Before his election win, Mr. Seery was on the Board of Education and the Board of Selectmen.
“My biggest accomplishment on the BOE in total was the athletic complex we now have,” Mr. Seery said.
In 2008 and before, the athletic complex was “in a state of disrepair.” With the help of the community, he brought the concerns of the athletic complex to referendum which passed and renovations were put into action.
Now that Mr. Seery will be the head of the town, he plans to work with the BOE on many issues within the school.
“My plan is to have at least a bi- weekly meeting with the superintendent where we sit down and discuss where he feels things are going and challenges he feels,” Mr. Seery said.
The role that he will play in the schools will not be huge. The town government and the BOE are completely different. The town government and the BOE do keep a constant communication about the budgeting of the schools and the financial status of the town.
“I think it’s good that he understands the town’s financial situation and when he prepared their budget as well,” Mr. Seery said about superintendent Jeff Newton.
Mr. Seery plans on keeping a constant dialogue with the BOE and the school administration to make decisions for the school moving forward.
