Wilmington Candidate Profile: Gary DePalma For Select Board

WILMINGTON, MA — The Town of Wilmington's Annual Town Election is on Saturday.

The offices on the ballot for this election are: Select Board, School Committee and Wilmington Housing Authority.

A specimen ballot is available online.

Patch is profiling some of the candidates. Here, we learn more about Gary DePalma, an incumbent, who is running against challengers James DeFeo and Frank West for two open seats on the Select Board. West served on the Select Board from 2002-05. Terms on the board are for three years.

Information for the profile was taken from a pair of one-sheets provided by DePalma.

Gary DePalma

Campaign Information

Gary DePalma, Select Board Facebook page

Office sought

Select Board, seeking 2nd term

Family and Occupation

I've lived in Wilmington for 30+ years with my family, for 32+ years I was employed by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and have been retired for a number of years.

Why are you seeking elective office?

Thirty years ago I moved my family to Wilmington. My decision at that time was very easy, as Wilmington was a community with great schools, government and public safety. Nearly three decades later, many more families continue to make Wilmington their home for those same reasons. Wilmington was an ideal place to raise my family and is now a peaceful place for me to enjoy my retirement. My time here in Wilmington has given me the opportunity to see and experience the challenges faced by younger and older residents in the community.

Describe the issues that define your campaign platform

Keeping control of the budget will be a major obstacle with all the town building projects being proposed. We are preparing for the building of a new school to replace Wildwood. We need to guarantee the children and the families of Wilmington an appropriate school environment for education.

I will continue working with the residents of the Nichols Street area to fight against a developer attempting to take advantage of the town's affordable housing shortfall (40B) by putting apartments in a single-family residential area of town. By applying to the State Housing Authority, the developer is attempting to circumvent the town's by-laws and zoning regulations.

I will continue to fight to stop this project, with the support of the neighborhood and others in our community. I am not anti-development, but rather I am supportive of smart development.

If you are an incumbent, what are your major accomplishments while in office?

In my first term as a member of the Select Board, I made sure to stand up for the residents of Wilmington and honor my campaign commitments. Many times throughout my first term I had to go against the grain, most notably with the Town Manager contract renewal. I challenged his "rubber stamp" re-appointment, as many residents had expressed concerns over a lack of responsiveness and transparency from the Town Manager.

Since that time, I have tried to take the concerns expressed by those in our town and work with the Town Manager on many undertakings. I have used my voice on the Select Board to advocate tirelessly on issues that would negatively impact the quality and character of our community, such as the Nichols Street Project.

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

I am currently a member of the Economic Development Committee, the Commission on Disabilities, and the Public Schools Strategic Plan Committee. I am invested in these committees and take what I learn from their membership to my Select Board meetings. My time on these committees and listening to others around town has equipped me with the information and resident viewpoints that I have used to advocate for the needs of our townspeople on the Select Board.

I will continue fighting for things that will enhance the vitality and sustainability of Wilmington, such as sensible residential and commercial development, a public safety substation, a comprehensive school development plan and protecting our community's long-held traditions.

Like every community, Wilmington is facing multiple changes and challenges at a time of fiscal and economic uncertainty. I promise to hold our government accountable to the townspeople and to promote transparency in all decision-making.