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By Joan F. Simoneau, Community Reporter
Marlborough – Mayor Arthur Vigeant was re-elected for a third term in the Nov. 3 municipal election, defeating former Fire Chief Edward “Skee” Bigelow. Vigeant scored 2,818 votes and Bigelow received 1,451 votes. Incumbent City Council members who were challenged for at-large and ward seats were also successful in retaining their positions to serve another two-year term.
Elected to serve with returning Councilors-at-Large Mark Oram, Michael Ossing and Katherine Robey will be Peter Juaire who served as Ward 4 Councilor 10 years ago. Oram received 2,458 votes, Ossing, 2,239 votes; and Robey, 2,132 votes; and Juaire, 1,746 votes.
In Ward 3, incumbent Matthew Elder defeated J. Christian Dumais. Filling the Ward 2 seat vacated by the late Robert Page, will be a political newcomer David Doucette who defeated former Ward 2 Councilor Paul Ferro. Margaret “Peggy” Ayres won over Dominic Valarioti for the Assabet Valley Regional Vocational School Committee. Voters were asked to cast a vote for three members of the Marlborough School Committee, Katherine Hennessy, Heidi Matthews and Mark Walters, who were uncontested.
Vigeant campaigned on his track record for attracting new industries to the city including Quest Diagnostics, Boston Scientific, and TJX which he said are occupying two million square-feet of vacant office space and providing 5,000 new jobs.
Bigelow claimed that the city gives too much focus to large corporations and should concentrate on small businesses and looking at alternative sources of revenue.
He also suggested that a city planner position be created to create a clear vision for Marlborough’s future.
During a debate conducted by the Marlborough Regional Chamber of Commerce, both agreed that there is a serious opioid crisis present and that programs are needed to raise awareness and ways to combat the ongoing problem. Vigeant recently created a task force of city agencies to address the problem and assist residents in finding help if they or family members are being affected by the dangerous drugs.
Vigeant won the most votes in 13 of the 14 precincts, and only lost in Ward 5, Precinct 1.
