WILMINGTON, MA — Selectman Candidate Joseph Lavino was recently asked the following questions by Wilmington Apple — Why are you running for Selectmen? Why do you feel you’re qualified for the position?
Below is Lavino’s response, in his own words:
Thank you for the opportunity to answer these questions. For more info, please “like” my Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/LavinoForWilmington or call my cell at 781-801-0607.
First off, the decision to run for Selectmen was an instinctual decision that made perfect sense to me the second the opportunity arose. As a Wilmington outsider, this community was far more welcoming to myself and my family than I could ever possibly imagine. Having fully assimilated into the community, the least I could do to give back is to apply my unique skill set and experiences into a community role that would best allow for me to effectively support our fellow neighbors, keep our community safe, preserve the history, culture and good-will of the town and allow our families and businesses to prosper as we move into the future. That role is a seat on the Board of Selectmen.
Let me preface by saying all the candidates have different skill sets that would serve the people of Wilmington well and I commend them for putting themselves out there to serve. That being said, I believe I bring a unique and differentiated skill set and an experience base that would allow me to perform the roles and responsibilities of a Selectmen above and beyond the potential performance of my competitors. Of the 4 candidates, I stand out as a very different choice for the voters, but as I’ll explain, this difference is positive and will serve the people of Wilmington well if elected.
My years of experience as a community pharmacist have shaped me as a person. Specifically the ability to have empathy, compassion and caring for members of my community as I help them with any variety of health issue they may present with. I believe these are the competencies needed in a Selectmen. Additionally, due to my experiences as a pharmacist I am very sensitive to drug and alcohol abuse, mental health issues and the out of control opiate epidemic that threaten members of our community and our children on a daily basis. The threat is real, it’s here in Wilmington and I’m the only Candidate that has a big picture view of the epidemic and the tactics used to battle it.
As an attorney, I feel that I differentiate myself from the other candidates and I feel having an attorney on the Board of Selectmen provides a different perspective, a needed knowledge base and a required skill set to drive a high functioning Board. If there is an attorney leaving the Board, I believe it’s appropriate to have another attorney elected to the Board. As an attorney, I am best able to analyze a fact pattern in any given situation as they arise in front of the Board. My career experiences have allowed me to perform many thorough factual and legal investigations which required me to become a subject matter expert in diverse areas. Lastly, an attorney on the Board is best positioned to read, analyze and apply the applicable statutes, regulations, or by-laws.
My practice experiences are a perfect fit for a Board of Selectmen seat. Specifically, my practice is focused on regulatory and governmental affairs for my employer. In that capacity, I frequently collaborate with, build relationships with and debate regulators across the country to influence change and the progression of my profession. I’ve seen how Boards operate across the country, both good and bad. This perspective is necessary for one of our new Board of Selectmen members, which I bring. Additionally, I have been on Boards and currently am the President of a Board. I can hit the ground running on day one.
I also have other skill sets that deeply qualify me as a Selectmen. I have experience with complex licensing matters that cross state boundaries and have contributed to the writing, executing and balancing of multi-million dollar budgets, with no cost overruns or cuts to necessary funds. I’ve had the opportunity to manage high functioning teams and have commonly recruited, assessed performance of and managed the performance of individuals across multi-functional groups. I believe these experiences best position me in the area of appointments on the Board of Selectmen as well as the ability to collaborate and bring people together to reach a common goal.
As an employee at a Fortune 12 company, working as an in-house attorney in the corporate legal department, crisis management and diligent decision making are common and paramount. These are skills I would bring to the Board because these are functions I perform on a daily basis. In a fast paced corporate environment, a single wrong decision could bring drastic consequences and as a pharmacist, a single error could be devastating. I know accountability, I know responsibility, I know pressure and I certainly have acquired a tough skin through these experiences. These are the qualifications needed on the Board of Selectmen.
To close, I’m a man of faith, hope and charity. I believe in fiscal responsibility, public safety and taking care of our kids, our vets, our seniors and our first responders. I believe in the rich history, tradition and culture of this community and I look forward to serving you on the Board of Selectmen.
About The Questions
During this local election season, Wilmington Apple will ask a question of all the Selectmen candidates each week. Wilmington Apple will run one response per day, Monday through Thursday, with a recap on Friday. Responses are in the candidates’ own words, unedited. Each candidate is given the same question and the same amount of time (approximately one week) to answer. Order of answers will alternate each week.
About The Election
Four candidates — Greg Bendel, Kevin Caira, Joseph Lavino, and Thomas Miller — will be competing for two open 3-year seats on the Wilmington Board of Selectmen. Longtime incumbents Lou Cimaglia and Mike Newhouse are not seeking re-election. The Town Election will be held on Saturday, April 23. Polls will be open from 8am to 8pm.
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