Vote on Tuesday – It’s the best way to make your voice be heard

After months of campaigning, the town election finally is upon us this Tuesday.

The main event is the race for Town Council President with candidates Susan Bolster, Jeffrey Turco, and Barbara Survilas vying for the top elected position in local government.

This election will mark both an end and a beginning. Town Council President Thomas Reilly is not seeking re-election and will be stepping down from his position in January, bringing to a conclusion a distinguished career of public service that spans more than 30 years in various capacities.

His successor will have big shoes to fill, but also will have the opportunity to make his or her mark on our community as he or she navigates us through the uncharted waters of an unprecedented budget crisis.

The voters have had the opportunity to meet the three candidates and see them debate on cable television.

All three bring distinct and impressive qualifications to their candidacies. It will be an interesting election and the decision to be made by the voters will be crucial to our town’s future. With Winthrop facing challenging financial times as the state prepares to make cuts in local aid, the new president of the council will have to work with Town Manager James McKenna, the other members of the council, the School Committee, and all of the town department heads to ensure that the best interests of Winthrop residents are met.

The job of Town Council President is not an easy one, especially so in this economic climate. We ask residents of Winthrop to consider the three candidates for council president, as well as the candidates for the other positions in town government, and go to the polls on Tuesday and cast a vote.

In addition, we might mention that there is a ballot question, which seeks to reduce the seating requirement from 99 to 25 seats for restaurants wishing to obtain a liquor license.

We urge voters to think about that question and cast their votes.