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Promising to bring his long experience and knowledge of the
community to North Andover’s Board of Selectmen and its residents,
John P. Savastano announced his candidacy for North Andover
Selectman. “I’m running for a seat on the North Andover Board of
Selectmen this year because we need a change. We need a change in
the way we do business. A change in the way we present information
to the public. A change back to, “a government of the people, by
the people and for the people,” said Savastano evoking the
Founders of our Nation. “My skills and experiences as a long time
community activist, volunteer, former elected official as a
Selectman for three years, proud veteran of the US Navy, small
business owner and North Andover resident have prepared me to help
lead this town through its current budget and growth challenges to
a prosperous future,” stated the 48 year old resident.
Noting his experience as a successful entrepreneur he
commented, “We can’t be afraid of change. We in business face
change and challenge everyday. Our town government is no
different—we simply need to set the personal agendas and petty
interests aside that some seem never to forget and work together.
Town leaders must sit down and work together to solve problems and
must communicate openly and respectfully,” offered Savastano. “I
strongly believe that I provide the skills and the temperament
needed for the job.” An Entertainment Producer and Chef, Savastano
is running for one of the two contested Selectman’s positions to
be decided in North Andover’s March 28th election.
In offering a detailed platform for change Savastano promoted what
he calls his “Change Agenda”. “We need to change the agenda if we
want to advance this community,” stated Savastano.
“North Andover needs to change the ‘not in my backyard’ attitude
and promote business on the main thoroughfares, such as Rt. 114
and Rt. 125 as most other towns have done. We should do what needs
to be done to enable the people who have homes in the commercially
viable areas to sell their homes if they want to.
“We need to change the way we promote community and economic
development. This can be done through tax increment financing
schemes, short-term tax breaks, community development grants, and
whatever means necessary. We need to seek out businesses and show
them why they should come here, not wait for them to come and ask
why. I support the goals of the Lucent project. We need the
revenue for our children, our first responders, the Police and
Fire Departments, and our seniors. Most of all we need to erase
the perception that North Andover is a difficult place to do
business. Unfortunately some officials are too wedded to the past
and interested in the status quo that they disregard the future.
“We need to streamline and change our permitting process so
residents can make improvements in their properties without miles
of red tape. We had a grant for this in the mid 1990s and it was
never finished because I believe there was never a desire to make
the needed changes. We need to protect our neighborhoods from
developers who want to come in and make a fast buck and leave with
no interest in how it affects those that are raising families and
keeping trust with the neighborhood already there.
“We need to do simple things like change the way we buy our
supplies. Let’s investigate establishing a real co-op with
surrounding communities to create purchasing power to lower prices
for difficult commodities such as health insurance—not just light
bulbs and common office products,” added Savastano.
Savastano has been active in numerous community activities and
business organizations such as: The Essex County Advisory Board,
North Andover Cable Committee, Youth Center Committee, Joseph N.
Hermann Memorial Committee, Third Fire Station Committee. He
currently serves North Andover as its Senior Operations Officer
for the Emergency Management Agency. He was active in fighting the
burning of sludge at the G.L.S.D. as one of filers of the
ten-taxpayer lawsuit. He is the former President of the Sons of
Italy Lodge #1646 and currently holds a seat at both the State and
National levels of the Sons of Italy. He was presented with N.A.
Youth Services Man of the Year in 1996, Democrat of the Year in
2005, Italian Brotherhood Man of the Year in 2005.
Savastano lives on Massachusetts Avenue and is the widower of the
late Donna (Cook) Savastano to whom he was married for 28 years, a
dispatcher for the North Andover Police and Fire Department who
was deceased earlier this year. Noted Savastano, “my wife always
taught me not to be afraid of change and that nothing is
accomplished unless we work together.” They have two sons; Shane
and Christopher, both educated in the North Andover public
schools.
The well-known community activist and volunteer commented, “I
started this by saying we need change. I have shown how we can
effect some change. Now I need your help to make change happen. I
plan to run hard, win fairly and work tirelessly as a contributing
and effective member of the North Andover Board of Selectmen,”
promised Savastano.
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