Andover Candidate Profile: Kevin Coffey For Select Board

ANDOVER, MA — The Town of Andover's Annual Town Election is on March 28.

This year, four offices are on the ballot: Town Moderator, Select Board member, School Committee member and Punchard Free School trustees (two seats).

Here are more details about the upcoming election.

In the coming weeks, Patch will be profiling some of the candidates. Today, we learn more about Kevin Coffey, who is running against incumbent Laura Gregory for a seat on the Select Board.

Candidates were sent questionnaires and filled out the answers.

Kevin Coffey

Campaign website

kevincoffey.org

Age (as of Election Day)

61

Office sought

Select Board

Family

Deirdre, my wife of 39 years, is a middle-school ELL teacher in Lowell. Our son, Brian, is an energy consultant advising the US DOE on efficiency regulations. Our daughter, Caitrín, is a VA hospital rheumatologist. We have four grandchildren, with a fifth due in May.

Education

Mechanical Engineering and Management degrees from MIT

Occupation

After a 37-year career leading international technology businesses. I now work as an independent consultant and investor supporting other business leaders.

Previous or current elected or appointed office

First-time candidate for elected office

Why are you seeking elective office?

It is an opportunity to share my experience and energy with Andover, where my family has very much enjoyed living since 1996.

Describe the issues that define your campaign platform:

I am concerned that the rate of increases in Town spending and property taxes are unsustainable and that too few questions are being asked about the priority and effectiveness of the "investments" we are making.

We should have clear priorities, goals and measures, better plans for maintenance and replacement of assets without need of special additional taxes or debt, and far more understandable and interactive communications with residents. Slowing our spending, borrowing and taxation growth can keep Andover attractive to families, senior retirees and small businesses.

If you are a challenger, in what ways do you hope to improve upon the work of the current board or office holder?

I will inject more respectful tension into spending decisions and seek to better focus Town resources onto high-priority needs with clear outcome goals.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

Leading business organizations working across cultures and around the world throughout my career has taught me how to build teamwork and consensus even while working together through tough problems.

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

I am very an engaged and attentive listener, do my homework and ask lots of probing questions to better understand all sides of an issue. I am open-minded and proactively seek out different viewpoints in order to find balanced approaches.