Oct. 4, 2020
Methuen Mayor Neil Perry announced on the Paying Attention Podcast with Tom Duggan that he will be seeking reelection for a second term next November.
With the presidential race almost over people are already starting to look at next year. Have you decided whether or not you are going to run for re-election,” Tom Duggan asked.
“I have decided,” Perry replied and when pushed to announce his decision on the show Perry answered, “I am going to run for reelection.”
“Two years is a pretty short time frame, especially with covid, and I say quite frankly that I love this job. I love this job because I love the city. I didn’t take this job because of the pay. I didn’t take it because of the glory. I’ve made plenty of mistakes and I will answer for those. I will stand in front of the people and stand on what I’ve been able to accomplish in the first two years. But, there are a lot of things I want to do for the City of Methuen for my kids and the kids that are the future of Methuen.”
“If other people want to run, that’s fine. I know other people will be running and that’s fine with me.” Perry said he would be in better financial position drawing his social security sitting in a beach chair reading a book, “but I’m committed to doing this job and helping the people of Methuen move the city forward.”
Asked about his recent conflicts with the city council and whether or not there will be a smoother relationship now that he budget is done and the police audit us underway, Perry said he thinks “we are getting there.”
“We’ve done some good things, we have some more things coming.”
Perry admitted that having an adversarial city council with all the conflict over the last year has made him a better mayor.
“I think that’s true,” Perry said.
“Our relationship is like any relationship. It’s the dynamics of grouping. They make me re-think things and that’s not always bad. Do I always like the way they speak to me? No, I don’t. But, I think there are things that I have done wrong, and things that they have done wrong, but we are getting things done.”
Asked about the attacks against him personally by city councilors and the one time he lost his temper; “I have apologized for that and I own it because I think people expect more. I think people are tired of the sit-com. They want us to manage the city professionally.”
Perry says he thinks communication with other city officials is what’s most important to getting things done.
“Whether people like me or they don’t like me, I think people can say I communicate a lot more than previous administrations. And that’s not to cast any aspersions on anybody.”
Every member of the city council, school committee and the mayor are up for reelection next November. Neil Perry is serving in his first term. Mayors are restricted to three consecutive terms.