Posted by Ed on April 15, 2007, 2:34 pm Rosa, the six-candidate slate's only incumbent and most robust fundraiser, topped the ticket yesterday with 2,645 votes, in an election that saw a poor turnout of 4,844 of the town's 21,676 registered voters, or 22 percent. Correnti returns to the board, pulling in 1,881 votes, beating out former selectman Ed Hurd and Finance Committee Chairman David Gagliardi. Hurd received 1,567 votes, Gagliardi 1,132. Zoning Board of Appeals member Pat Flemming garnered 1,028 votes and Housing Authority member Rome Capobianco received 522 votes. Rosa, 38, ran on his record of being a friend to the town's senior citizens, veterans and taxpayers. He said he will continue the progress the town has made in filling vacant commercial and industrial space in a move to boost the town's tax base. Once the votes were in, the parties began. Rosa celebrated his victory at the VFW on Phinney Street, while the Correnti camp released the stress of the long campaign by chowing down at Rick's Cafe. "It is very exciting and humbling to know that my hard work is appreciated by the voters," Correnti said. "I am thrilled to have another opportunity to work for the residents of this town." In the School Committee race, voters supported incumbents Maureen Collins-Rea and Marie Blanchette. Collins-Rea received 2,956 votes, and Blanchette received 1,993 votes. Challenger Joanne Barry narrowly missed a seat with 1,973, just 20 shy of Blanchette. Political newcomer Theresa Logue received 1,128 votes. This win marks the 12th term for Collins-Rea, 58. Blanchette will begin her third term on the committee this week. Collins-Rea said that with more than 30 years of experience under her belt she is ready to face any challenge. She stands behind a commitment to maintaining a relatively-low class size and seeing that the district's aging school buildings receive the repairs they need. "I'm thrilled that people of Billerica put their vote of confidence in me," Collins-Rea said. "I'm looking forward with working with Dr. Serio and his team and the principals to help the MCAS scores creep up more, and hopefully we will get some money from the state to fix the schools." Blanchette, 58, an advocate for effective communication, says she will represent the voice of the town's taxpayers and actively supports the school administration's proposal to fund system-wide technology upgrades through a $1.7 million bond. "Whew, it was close," sighed Blanchette. "I'll give it another three years and will work hard to represent the people of the town." Robert Casey, organizer of the anti-Home Depot group Billerica First, dominated the polling for a one-year seat on the Planning Board, getting 2,003 votes compared to 1,098 for former Planning Board member Richard Tortola and 978 for William Faria. "I believe in comprehensive planning and look forward to working with the town manager, town planner and Board of Selectmen to get to the same place," Casey said. "We need to take out the Master Plan and find a place where the town and developers can meet that is good for everyone."
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Billerica: Rosa breezes; Correnti returns to Board of Selectmen
By Jennifer Amy Myers, jmyers@lowellsun.com
Article Last Updated: 04/15/2007 06:41:31 AM EDT
BILLERICA -- Michael Rosa slides back into his seat on the Board of Selectmen to start his fourth term this week, and former Selectman Bob Correnti will be back in a familiar position after voters gave him a return ticket to the board in yesterday's election.
"I guess the voters of Billerica appreciate all of the hard work I have done," he said. "I will continue to look for ways to improve the quality of life in Billerica, that is the best thing a selectman can do." 
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