[1]

The voters of Westwood last Tuesday chose Town Assessor Philip Shapiro to the seat on the three-member Board of Selectmen, beating out three other contenders.

Shapiro, 57, garnered 1,198 votes, or 42.36 percent, beating second-place finisher Doug Obey by more than 10 percent. Obey, 51, a financial planner, claimed 826 votes, or 29.21 percent of the 2,828 votes cast.

In third place was Jason Lee, a 38-year-old technology consultant and package store owner, who got 441 votes or 15.59 percent. Assumption College junior Greg Agnew, 21, netted a total of 348 votes or 12.31 percent.

Westwood has 9,828 registered voters and the turnout for the election was about 29 per cent, contrasts to the 12 per cent turnout registered for the Boston City Council race last November.

Since Shapiro also ran for reelection for the town assessor seat and won it, he is planning to step down from it in the next month or so. According to Shapiro, Selectmen and two sitting assessors would interview the candidates for the soon-to-be vacant town assessor position.

All of the candidates offered extensive thanks to their volunteers and to the residents who turned out in yesterday's rain to vote.

Lee, who announced his candidacy in March and was the last to enter the race, said he was impressed with voter turnout.

"The most important thing is that people came out to vote," he said. "I'm going to continue going to meetings and being active. Westwood Station still needs to be managed, controlled and executed properly."

As predicted, Lee's biggest challenger was Shapiro who has been Westwood's town assessor for the past 10 years. Despite Lee's extraordinary experience in technology, project management, and commercial development, he could not surmount Shapiro's natural lead who has built an extensive network of supporters over the years through his involvement in the town government.

In a post-election interview with KAP, Lee stated he did well in his home precinct but was very weak in the other side of town where Shapiro lives.

Lee said that he will continue to be involved in town issues and hinted a possibility perhaps in some form of official capacity.

Lee said that there are more Korean Americans like Sam Yoon and him that have assimilated into the American culture and society. He stressed a need to reach out and get them more involved business and politics.

source: bostonKAP.com [2] (Korean American Press)

SEE ALSO:
"Jason Lee Enters Politics [3]," BostonKorea.com [4]

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