Published April 14, 2021
By DAN TOMASELLO
LYNNFIELD — School Committeeman Phil McQueen and Together We Grow President Kate DePrizio were victorious in the three-candidate school board race during Tuesday’s Town Election.
According to the unofficial results released by Town Clerk Linda Emerson on Tuesday night, 1,118 out of the town’s 9,405 voters cast ballots in the Town Election.
McQueen easily cruised to a second three-year term after topping the ticket with 697 votes. The Lynn Classical English Department head’s campaign received a boost last weekend when his wife, Deanna, and other campaign supporters posted pictures of their pets in front of McQueen’s campaign signs on Facebook. Some of the pets featured were dogs, cats, chickens, goats, fish, turtles and a hedgehog.
“Thank you so much to everyone who came out to vote for me and for all of my wonderful supporters, campaign team and to my family for their tireless support and patience,” McQueen wrote in an email sent to the Villager on Wednesday morning. “I am humbled by, and appreciative of, your support for me. I am looking forward to continuing to work with my School Committee colleagues and supporting Superintendent Kristen Vogel and her remarkable team of educators in achieving and exceeding our district and strategic goals of: Building leadership capacity, educator growth, curriculum and assessment, assessment and accountability, and social and emotional Wellness. We will expand STEM and world language programming, a process that had started pre-COVID. I am committed to the ‘tent poles’ that support this work of: Safety and well-being of students, relationships, equity, and academic growth. The foundational value here is Equity, which is something I commit to professionally as an Anti-Racist Educator and is a value that I have championed in my time on the School Committee.”
DePrizio was elected to a three-year term on the School Committee after receiving 595 votes. She will succeed former School Committeeman Tim Doyle. DePrizio, a mother of four who is also the co-vice president of the Huckleberry Hill School PTO, president of the Tower Day School Parents’ Forum, a Brownie Girl Scout leader and a La Leche League leader, was beaming with pride while being sworn-in by Emerson at the H. Joseph Maney Meeting Room at Town Hall.
“Thank you, Lynnfield,” DePrizio wrote in a text message sent to the Villager. “I am humbled by your support and enthusiasm. I am eager to get to work for the betterment of all Lynnfield Public Schools’ students and their families. I am ready to delve into budget negotiations, advocating for increased social and emotional needs, and the important diversity, equity and inclusion work ahead of us. Thank you to my amazing friends for their dedication and tireless support. I also must thank my husband, Mike, and my four best campaigners: Sophie, Sadie, Will and Charlie for their love and support. A heartfelt congratulations to my friend, Brian Charville, and the Charville family for running a very competitive campaign with the highest of integrity. Congratulations to Phil McQueen and his family on his win.”
Charville, who is chairman of the Planning Board, finished third in the race after earning 545 votes. With the election now in the rearview mirror, Charville will now shift his attention toward helping the Planning Board get the revised Tree Preservation Bylaw passed at Spring Town Meeting on Saturday, June 12.
“I congratulate Phil McQueen and my wonderful friend Kate DePrizio on their victories in the race for Lynnfield School Committee,” Charville wrote on his Facebook page on Wednesday morning. “I wish them both the very best of luck in their service for the town in the next three years. I ask the entire town to join me in encouraging them to achieve great things for Lynnfield’s children and schools during their term of office. I thank everyone who voted for me, and Bridget and I thank each and every one of the friends, strangers and especially family members who supported my campaign. You know who you are, and I will never forget the energy, hard work, new ideas, money, kind words and positivity you contributed during the campaign. I look forward to continuing public service in any way chosen for me.”
Strategic Planning Committee Chairman Joe Connell was elected to a three-year term on the Select Board after receiving 837 votes. Connell, a 30-year U.S. Army veteran, succeeds former Select Board Chairman Chris Barrett.
“I am humbled by the honor of being chosen to serve on the Select Board, and I am grateful that you have granted me this awesome responsibility,” Connell stated during the Select Board’s reorganizational meeting after the election results were announced.
Merrow Road resident Amy MacNulty and Cranberry Lane resident Page Wilkins were both elected to the Planning Board, which will now have a majority of women serving.
MacNulty was elected to a three-year term after receiving 815 votes. She succeeds former Planning Board member Anthony Guerriero.
Wilkins, who ran for a five-year term, earned 791 votes in the Town Election. She succeeds former Planning Board Vice Chairman Michael Sheehan.
Town Moderator Joe Markey was elected to a third one-year term after receiving 833 votes.
Library Trustees Andrew Kenneally and Russell Boekenkroeger were also re-elected once again. Kenneally, who was elected to a one-year term last June, earned 793 votes while running for a three-year term this spring.
Boekenkroeger was elected to a third three-year term after receiving 771 votes.
Board of Assessors Chairman Donald Garrity was elected to a fourth three-year term after earning 813 votes.
