Patch Facts

Stoneham Selectmen Candidate to Kick Off Campaign Thursday Night

Find out what is happening in Stoneham on Thursday, May 23.

Here is the 5 Things column for Thursday, May 23 in Stoneham: 1. In case you missed it: Find out when the Stoneham High School Senior Prom will be taking place. 2. Curb the habit: Overeaters Anonymous is expected to meet at 6 p.m. Thursday at the Stoneham Senior Center. 3. Campaign kick-off: Ann Marie O'Neill, a Stoneham Board of Selectmen candidate, will be having a campaign kick-off event at 7 p.m. Thursday at Bear Hill Golf Club.  4. Get one with yourself: There will be a free Tai Chi class at 6 p.m. Thursday at Body Mind Systems. 5. Write a review: Did you have a great experience at a Stoneham business? If so, search our directory and post a positive review and rank the business on a 1-5 star scale.

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Race to Replace Gregorio's Selectman Seat Begins

Two candidates have pulled and completed paperwork to finish Richard Gregorio's term as Stoneham Selectman

    It's official. It will be a two-person race to fill Selectman Richard Gregorio's seat in the upcoming June 25 election. The candidates vying to complete Gregorio's term will be Paul Rotondi and Ann Marie O'Neill. George Seibold and Lawrence Means also pulled papers from Town Hall, but did not return them by the deadline. To qualify to run for the interim nine-month position, potential contenders needed to be a Stoneham residents, pull nomination papers by 5 p.m., May 3, obtain 50 signatures from Stoneham residents supporting their campaign and return the entire package to the Town Clerk's office by 5 p.m., May 7. Gregorio resigned April 30, when he was no long eligible to hold the job due to relocating outside of Stoneham. He was in …

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Rotondi Announces Candidacy for Selectman

The former Stoneham Board of Selectmen Chairman R. Paul Rotondi announces his candidacy for the vacant Board of Selectman seat resulting from the resignation of selectman Richard Gregorio.

ELECTION RESULTS: Community Preservation Act Rejected

All Stoneham incumbents won their re-election bids in Tuesday's election, although not without some close races.

UPDATE Wednesday, 10:55 a.m.: Stoneham Town Clerk Maria Sagarino said the final official numbers changed "very slightly" from Tuesday night's unofficial results. The new results are attached as a PDF in the box to the right and the article has been updated. ORIGINAL ARTICLE: The Community Preservation Act (CPA) isn't coming to Stoneham, and the incumbents are back in office. On Tuesday, the majority of residents who made their way to the polls voted 'no' on the CPA, which would've allowed the town to place a 1 percent surcharge on property taxes, with those funds and any matching funds from the state going to a fund specifically designated for open space, parks, recreational uses and conservation. Unofficial tallies had 51.8 percent voting…

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Lewis Endorses MacNeill and Warren for Selectmen

State Representative Jason Lewis has endorsed Shelly MacNeill and John Warren in their bid to join the Stoneham Board of Selectmen.

Selectmen Vote 3-2 Against Endorsing Community Preservation Act

The Stoneham Independent reports that a divided Board of Selectmen opposed the CPA with a symbolic vote.

The Stoneham Board of Selectmen last week took a symbolic 3-2 vote against the Community Preservation Act (CPA), which will go voters during Stoneham's town election on April 2, the Stoneham Independent reports. The CPA would allow Stoneham to put a 1 to 3 percent surcharge on residential and commercial properties' values, money that would be set aside to fund historical preservation, recreation and parks, public housing, and conservation projects in town, the Independent reports. In a Stoneham Patch blog post, Selectmen Paul Rotondi offered three reasons to vote 'no' on the CPA: saying it is "nothing more than a tax override;" that it establishes a nine-member non-elected board that would not have to answer to other elected or appointed …

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You Ask, Patch Answers

When Will Stoneham's Candidates Debate?

Stoneham will hold its town election on Tuesday, April 2, 2013—here's when you can hear directly from the candidates.

Stoneham will hold its town election on Tuesday, April 2, 2013, with the election finalized at town meeting on May 6. So when can voters hear from the candidates themselves? Stoneham TV will again host "Meet the Candidates Nights"—two forums where the candidates of the contested races to answer questions from the media. The forums will be held at Stoneham TV and are as follows: School Committee Candidates and Board of Assessors Board of Selectmen and Town Moderator

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Jeanne E. Craigie

7:31 am on Thursday, March 7, 2013

Cindy that is a great question? Citizens can come to the TV station there are always chairs set up,however, the format has not be interactive for many years. It is a panel from the media with a Moderator. I think questions can be written but no guarantee they will be asked. The other issue I can speak to is the High School auditorium can not do live TV. The debate could be taped than shown on our…   more ›

Report: DePinto Advocates Against Community Preservation Act

The Stoneham Independent reports that Selectman John DePinto has argued against the town ratifying the CPA, citing a previous promise not to raise taxes.

The Stoneham Independent reports that Selectman John DePinto has lobbied his peers on the Board of Selectmen to vote against the Community Preservation Act. DePinto argued, according to The Independent, that ratifying the CPA—which would allow Stoneham to put a 1 to 3 percent surcharge on residential and commercial properties' values—would go against a promise made by Stoneham officials two years ago not to raise taxes for five years. The CPA will go before voters during Stoneham's town election on April 2. Read the full report on The Stoneham Independent. PREVIOUSLY ON STONEHAM PATCH:

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Paul Rotondi

8:26 pm on Wednesday, February 13, 2013

I Agree with all the above comments. The CPA is bad for Stoneham and the Stoneham Taxpayer. The supporters have been sending around e-mails, that are just not True. Facts: 1. The State has reduced the Reimbursement to 26% and you can expect even further reductions 2. The State will not allow the use of these funds to purchase artificial turff 3. At least 10% of the money has to be applied to …   more ›

You Ask, Patch Answers

Who's Running for Stoneham Town Office?

Nominations papers are currently available for the town election on Tuesday, April 2. So who has pulled papers so far to run?

Stoneham will hold its town election on Tuesday, April 2, 2013, with the election finalized at town meeting on May 6, and nomination papers are available for interested registered voters to run for any of the positions currently up in Stoneham town government. Nomination papers must be taken out by Friday, Feb. 8 and returned no later than Tuesday, Feb. 12 at 5 p.m. with at least 50 registered voter signatures.   So who's has pulled papers so far to run for office? Stoneham Town Clerk Maria Sagarino provided Stoneham Patch with the names of residents who have taken our nomination papers to run. So far, two Board of Selectment incumbents have pulled papers, along with two challengers. Below is the election landscape so far. If you're …

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Ragucci: Stoneham DPW Completes Most Street Repaving in 30 Years

Town Administrator David Ragucci told the Stoneham Board of Selectmen that the DPW has nearly completed its 2012 street repaving program. The DPW has already repaved more than four miles of roads, according to Ragucci.

The Stoneham Department of Public Works has had one of its most productive years in recent memory when it comes to street repaving, as the department has repaved more than four miles of roads, according to Town Administrator David Ragucci. "According to Director of Public Works (Robert Grover), this is the most he's ever had paved since he's been with the town of Stoneham which is about 30 years," Ragucci told the Stoneham Board of Selectmen Tuesday night at Town Hall in the Banquet Room.  Selectman Robert Sweeney asked Ragucci if Chapter 90 money was used on the repaving projects, and the town administrator confirmed that the town spent $400,000 in Chapter 90 funds. Ragucci noted that $300,000 was also spent "on the streets that were torn…

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