Education: Salem High School 1974, Salem State University 1981.
Professional: Presently employed by The Massachusetts Water Resource Authority, as an Instrumentation Technician, since 2015. Formerly employed for 33 years at The Salem Harbor Station Power Plant, as a Computer Control Technician until it was closed in 2014.
Public Service: Councillor at Large 2000 to present.
Community Service: Salem K-9 Police Dog fundraising volunteer
Personal: Homeowner at 8 Maple Avenue, Married to Kathleen (DeFranco) Sargent. We have three adult children, Patrick and his wife Sarah Sargent, Amy and her husband Eric Sclafani, and Eric Sargent.
Why are you running for Councillor and what particular skills can you bring to the position?
I'm running to help give the people of Salem the best possible quality of life. Every decision a Councillor makes should have this as the end result. I like to research the history of issues that come before the City Council and City Boards. If you understand past zoning changes, planning board decisions, board of appeal agreements and City Council Votes, you can make a more informed decision as we plan Salem's future. I will also continue to listen to the people of Salem, hear their input, learn from their experiences and incorporate this information to the best of my ability, into the planning process of our city.
What are some of your proposed solutions to resolving the housing crisis in Salem?
We currently have 12.4 percent affordable housing in Salem. That makes us the 15th best city, out of 351 cities and towns in Massachusetts, at providing affordable housing for our residents. New housing development should have between ten and twenty percent affordable housing so we remain at or improve upon our impressive 15th place ranking.
How do you see Salem impacted by the climate crisis and what new initiatives would you take to lead Salem's resiliency efforts?
Salem's biggest concern is the impact of storms on our waterfront neighborhoods and the sea walls that protect them. A scheduled inspection and preventive maintenance program must be used to be sure our sea walls are ready for future weather events.
Please outline some ideas you have that can enhance civic engagement at the city level.
Civic engagement begins with involving the people of Salem in the planning and decision making process of our city as early as possible. This includes public and private development projects. Let them know about a meeting, listen to their input, combine it with the expertise of the professional planners and architects and move forward with a better project.