Serino Says it’s All About Change, New Ideas

[Editor's Note: This interview with candidate Tom Serino originally was published on Peabody Patch on July 18.]

Tom Serino says this year is all about change from the top down and he’d like to usher in some different ideas on the City Council. It’s the first time he’s run for elected office.

Serino, 62, is of one three challengers in this for incumbent Ward 3 Councilor Rico Mello. The other two candidates to pull papers thus far are fellow political newcomer Steven Jennings and perennial candidate Tony Vidinha.

“I felt as though with a new mayor coming in, there was an opportunity to make a change,” Serino said in a recent interview. “I wanted to bring change to the voters [of Ward 3].”

Serino grew up in Dorchester, graduated fromCatholic Memorial High School in West Roxbury, went on to obtain an associate’s degree in business from the University of Massachusetts Amherst, and finally moved to Abington Avenue in Peabody 33 years ago, deciding the Tanner City was the place to settle down and raise a family.

He and his wife Joyce sent their two children, Kimberly and Chris, to Catholic parochial schools and Serino has spent many years involved in various activities with his church – St. John’s – and the larger Catholic community in Peabody, including the . He also coached his children in Little League, softball and soccer.

Professionally, he’s spent 35 years in sales and marketing, many of them working at area newspapers.

Serino said one of the most important issues for the council and the city to work on is expanding the tax base by attracting new business growth, just like Peabody’s neighbors have been successful with in recent years.

As for the race itself, Serino is planning to hold some campaign fundraisers and will be out knocking on doors and holding signs this summer. The deadline for candidates to file their nomination papers along with 50 good signatures is Aug. 2.

Serino did attend last Thursday’s City Council session – all four hours of it – and shook hands with Mello at one point in the evening.

“Heaven knows what’s going to happen,” Serino said.

Editor’s note: Look for a candidate profile on Steven Jennings on Tuesday.