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Town Meeting Candidates:
​Precinct 7

There are 56 candidates for 39 positions. You can vote for up to 39 candidates.
The top 13 vote-getters will be elected to 3 year terms, the next 13 vote getters will be elected to 2 year terms, and the next 13 vote getters will be elected to 1 year terms.
All candidates are welcome to participate in this service to Dedham voters. If you're running for Town Meeting, please fill out this form to have your responses listed on our website. ​Candidates who did not opt to respond to the questions are listed by name only.
Candidates are listed in the order their names will appear on the ballot.
RICHARD DELLO IACONO
CHRISTINA MARIE PENDLETON
CHERYLE E BIGGAR
DAVID CORSI
MARGUERITE E POLITO
JAMES M MORRISON
ANNE T DOLAN
LISA LAPRADE
​JAMES E CRAIG
REBECCA LYNN GATES
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ANDREW M CZAZASTY

Why are you running for Town Meeting?  I'm running so I can continue advocating for property owners. There have been many proposed changes to zoning bylaws over the years, and in my two years of town meeting, I have always voted against measures that restrict what a homeowner can do (such as run an Airbnb or have a lawn sign for as long as they want). Too many zoning restrictions can exacerbate the housing crisis, and I want to do my part to ease the financial burden in housing. At the same time, I always vote for measures that assist low-income families, such as creating an affordable housing trust fund.
What are your priorities for Dedham's future?
  • Safer streets in the Greenlodge area. There have been tremendous improvements on Sprague St over the past two years, and I voted for new sidewalks on Greenlodge St, on both sides of the street. I would also like to see the East St rotary bridge improved; the current dilapidated condition is dangerous, and there ought to be sidewalks installed under there as well.
  • Fiscal transparency. When the Finance Committee releases their proposed budget, it is very broad. I've been a loud voice on getting more transparency from the Town Manager's Office on the specifics of each item in the annual budget, and I believe more Town Meeting Representatives ought to meticulously analyze the budget.

APRIL LAUREN WILMAR
Why are you running for Town Meeting? 
I am a dedicated candidate for re-election for P7 Town Meeting and I love serving our Town in order to make it a better, stronger, more inclusive community for everyone. I am a mom of 2 boys, one with special needs, and we have lived in Dedham for 21 years. I am very involved in our community as a Town Meeting Member, the President of SEPAC, and on the Boards for Dedham Education Foundation, Hockey, the Price Center, and OneFamily. I am the founder of a non-profit organization benefiting those with special needs, and I am a partner at a law firm in Boston specializing in complex commercial real estate transactions where I have earned several honors including Best Lawyers in America!
What are your priorities for Dedham's future?  I will strive to create more respect, commitment, equity and inclusion within our Town, in particular within our educational system. Education and financial management of our Town budget are top priorities for me. I look forward to continuing to serve this Town!

RUSSELL MILLER
Why are you running for Town Meeting?  I’ve lived in Dedham for nearly 10 years, and my family (like many) has decided to make this great town our home; we want to do what we can to make sure Dedham continues to be a town we can be proud of. The volume in politics has elevated recently - I consider myself a reasoned, rationale, and balanced person and think that is a temperament well suited to town government. One reason I decided to run for town meeting is my observation that 20% of the positions in my precinct are filled by households with two or more town meeting members. That doesn’t seem necessary. I hope myself and other new candidates can broaden the representation and increase overall engagement in town decisions.
What are your priorities for Dedham's future?  I am proud to live in Dedham and my priorities would be to ensure the town continues to make thoughtful investments to be a vibrant community we’re all proud of for the coming decades. I have a young family and am attentive to the the important investments we make in creating intelligent, kind, engaged, and happy young citizens.  I think we should be proud of our schools and the job we are doing with our kids, but want to continue to invest in them. Dedham has a lot to be proud of though - from our libraries, to the square, to the senior center, and more.  I would look forward to contributing to our vision for the future and build a town that our diverse population can be proud of.

EMILY C HAVEN
CAMILLE S ZAHKA

MARCIA S PERNA

Why are you running for Town Meeting? 
I have lived in Dedham for 38 years with my husband, Mike. I am a retired clinical social worker,having spent much of my career supporting Dedham residents. I have seen how much the town has grown and evolved. I am running for Town Meeting because I feel strongly that an inclusive, welcoming Dedham is a better community for us all.
What are your priorities for Dedham's future?  
1.  Making best use of open spaces
2. Ensuring Dedham’s budget and spending match the priorities of all residents and support equity and inclusion
3. Supporting programs that help families, seniors and make Dedham a great place to live.


LIAM ALLEN SLAVIN
KATHRYN A MCLAUGHLIN
PJ MCGOWAN
GEMMA W MARTIN

MARK A REILLY

Why are you running for Town Meeting?  I’m running for re-election to Town Meeting to help Dedham strive to be an affordable community with strong schools that is welcoming and supportive of all its residents. I’d like to continue to bring an open mind, listen to my neighbors’ views, study in advance, and attend every meeting. My commitment to Dedham is extensive — I’m the President of the Dedham Education Foundation, Chair of the Democratic Town Committee, and an active member of the Dedham Coalition for Equity and Inclusion — and I would appreciate your support to serve the community in this important way as a Town Meeting member.
What are your priorities for Dedham's future?  I would seek to maintain Dedham’s strong AAA bond rating, which reduces the town’s borrowing costs, while also making necessary investments to strengthen our schools, roads, and other community buildings and spaces. I would support efforts to make Dedham more affordable for our residents — especially seniors — to be able to stay here. I would continue to support Dedham’s progress toward being a community that values our diversity and welcomes everyone. And I commit to being an open and available member — email me anytime at reillymr@rcn.com. Thanks for your consideration!

KORRIN A SLAVIN
MARY ELLEN MCDONOUGH
MITZY BUCKLEY KANE
TARA TRUE MURPHY
CHERYL A SCHOENFELD
DIANA LALAMA ROCK

MARK R KUKIS

Why are you running for Town Meeting? 
I love Dedham and especially the wonderful community we have found in our Greenlodge neighborhood. My wife Sarah Childress and I feel incredibly fortunate to be able to raise our two kids here. My main motivation for running is a hope that I can help Dedham become a more progressive town. Our children have already benefited from a clear commitment to diversity and inclusion among faculty and staff in the public schools and in the community generally. That experience helped me realized the importance of local leadership on social issues. If elected, I would seek to make Dedham an even more welcoming and supportive community for all residents, listening to their concerns and taking action.
What are your priorities for Dedham's future?  I would seek to invest primarily in education, infrastructure, business development and parks and recreation. We can build up the town's financial base by helping small business grow and attracting larger ones and use those additional resources to strengthen and improve life in our community. I'm also concerned about affordable housing in Dedham and would work to find ways to help families get and keep affordable homes here. I'm also eager to work on environmental issues, like improving Dedham's water quality and increasing its recycling capacity.
​
SUSAN C CARNEY
SARAH CRAIG
JOHN P HAVEN
KATHLEEN M PODOLSKI
CHRISTOPHER R FADDEN
WILLIAM LAURO
DOUGLAS A BIGGAR
PETER A ZAHKA, II

JAYME DRZEWINSKI

Why are you running for Town Meeting?   
I am running for reelection for Town Meeting because I am invested in Dedham's future and want to be involved in helping to shape it.
What are your priorities for Dedham's future?  One of my top priorities for Dedham's future is to continue to support initiatives and policies that promote and support diversity, equity and inclusion in our town to help make Dedham a truly inclusive community for all. I am also committed to supporting small business and building our community in a fiscally responsibly manner.

RYAN MCDERMOTT
PETER JOHN MORSE
MICHAEL J MCSHEA
MARK JOHN SKEHILL
JAY A TANNETTA

LISA MACKINNON
Why are you running for Town Meeting?  I am running for re-election so I can continue to help ensure the town remains a vibrant, diverse, community. We need to continue to look ahead and see what has worked in the past, and what changes we need to make, to ensure Dedham is a sustainable community for current and future residents.
What are your priorities for Dedham's future? Education of our students, and helping to ensure our school system has what it needs to excel. Making sure that we as a town spend money in a responsible way, with the understanding that services and enhancements to our town cost money, and we have to invest in our future. Making Dedham an affordable community to live for seniors, young families, and those of us in the middle.

STEPHANIE M CRAIG
JOSEPH H CROSCUP
SUE ANNE BROGAN
KIMBERLY D ROSLONEK
CHRISTOPHER X BROGAN
GREGORY MURPHY

MAUREEN HURLEY

Why are you running for Town Meeting? 
I was raised in Dedham, graduated from Dedham High School (Class of 1979) and eventually settled here with my own family. I care deeply about social justice issues and I chair a professional association's Belonging, Equity, and Inclusion Council. I have worked in education for more than 30 years and hold two degrees from Boston University. I want to use my experience and commitment to enhance the experience of those living in the town that I love.
What are your priorities for Dedham's future?  I want Dedham to be a welcoming and inclusive environment for everyone. I am invested in seeing that the future growth of Dedham is thoughtful and intentional, with careful planning and policies that foster a sense of belonging. As an educator, I want Dedham schools to continue going in the direction of excellence. I want all children in the system to feel valued and seen and for families to be heard and respected. I am hopeful for a Town Meeting that truly represents the people of this great Town in a civil and thoughtful way.

THOMAS R POLITO, JR

DIECKMANN JANE COGILL
​
Why are you running for Town Meeting?  
I am a proud resident of the Greenlodge neighborhood, mother of 2 children in the Dedham public schools, and a Transportation Planner. I recently served on the Dedham Master Plan Committee and want to see the plan’s thoughtful, inclusive and forward thinking vision implemented. As a town meeting member, I look forward to listening to and learning from my neighbors and making sure that our voices are heard in all town issues.
​
What are your priorities for Dedham's future?  Fostering a strong sense of community for a diverse, inclusive, welcoming and growing Dedham; Improving roads, paths and trails to provide comfortable space for walking and biking; promoting and improving public transit connections, strengthening our public school system, planning for a diversity of housing types that can accommodate people from varied economic backgrounds and stages of life.

ANDREW M PEPOLI
Why are you running for Town Meeting? 
Hi Neighbors, my name is Andrew Pepoli and I am running for re-election in P7. In addition to Town Meeting, I also serve as the current chair of the Capital Expenditures Committee, and as an associate member of the Planning Board. I feel that this municipal service (which also included time on the Zoning Board of Appeals) gives me a direct line to many of the most important issues in town. This work, coupled with my work experience in the fields of Auditing, Finance, and Real Estate gives me the experience and perspective to help guide Dedham, especially in the areas of spending, planning and development as our town continues to grow and thrive.
What are your priorities for Dedham's future?  Outreach and education to our voters. There is so much misinformation and fear that gets circulated online and though social media in relation to our tax dollars, town governance, schools, growth, etc. However, at the same time there are many resources with actual data, facts, and studies that show the actual picture. The top priority for me in this this new term will be to help bring more clarity to our voters on where our tax dollars are actually spent, trends in spending, and how we compare to other similar municipalities. We need to get away from hyperbole and focus on the facts.

KELLY SULLIVAN-CRAIG
WILLIAM JAMES GORMAN
STEPHEN J GASBARRO


Candidates for Town Wide Office 
​Contested races:

Select Board
School Committee
Board of Health

Uncontested Races:
Commissioner of Trust Funds
Candidates for Town Meeting
​(To find out what precinct you live in, click here)

Precinct 1
Precinct 2
Precinct 3
Precinct 4
Precinct 5
Precinct 6
​Precinct 7
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