Wood Reaches Out to Public for Input on Possible State Rep. Run

School Committeeman Scott W. Wood Jr. is asking the public to help him decide whether he should seek the state representative seat being vacated by Brian S. Dempsey in September.

In a post on social media Wednesday night, Wood said, he will make his decision on whether to run based on whether citizens believe he can do a better job locally or at the State House. He told WHAV why he chose to reach out to family, friends and voters in this way.

“Well, I wanted to talk obviously to friends and family and get their feedback on what they’re looking for in the next state rep. and what’s important to them. I think it is important to listen. It is the most important job of an elected official,” he said.

“I love being a member of the Haverhill School Committee and have been invested for over 10 years in improving our public schools,” Wood wrote. But, he added, “The idea of taking that experience to the State House to fight for money and new ideas to improve Haverhill’s public schools, help our small businesses, stimulate economic development in the city, fix our roads and bridges and bolster our police and fire departments is incredibly appealing to me.”

Asked about comments he received urging him to run, Wood said he appreciates the vote of confidence. “It’s always nice to hear positive feedback from people that I’ve known throughout the years in a variety of different capacities—whether it be friends that I’ve known for a long time or family members or business people that I’ve worked with throughout my career. It is always nice to hear positive feedback.”

Wood acknowledged it will be difficult to match the successes of the House Ways and Means chairman. He said, however, he has a few things in common with Dempsey.

“Both Brian and I ran at a young age for School Committee. Chairman Dempsey ran at I believe 18 or 19 as well and he lost the first time he ran for School Committee. Then, he came back and he won a seat on the City Council and went on to serve there. Then, became state representative obviously for a number of years.” Wood ran at age 19 and won a School Committee seat in 2003, the youngest candidate to win elected office.

If he chooses to run, Wood would face off against at least one—and maybe—two of his School Committee colleagues. School Committeeman Paul A. Magliocchetti has already formally declared he will seek the Third Essex representative seat and Shaun P. Toohey said he is also considering a run.

“My decision will come down to where is the best place to help Haverhill grow and improve. I would be the only candidate to bring a unique and broad professional and educational background in business, public education and public safety,” he wrote.

Wood told WHAV he will decide within two weeks.

32 thoughts on “Wood Reaches Out to Public for Input on Possible State Rep. Run

        • In order to win an election it takes organization and money. Scott and several other candidates do not have enough time to build a team and raise enough money to win. Nothing personal to anyone, but that is what it will take to win.

          • Scott and a few have been around awhile. They have the money and organization needed

        • But who was “they”? “They” was the biased liberal mainstream media clowns who kept promoting the assertion that “Trump has no path to 270”. Not to mention the pollsters who got it completely wrong.

          What’s with the new name, Firefly?

  1. Jack, you don’t know what you don’t know. And you’re still lying through your teeth. I know you weren’t commenting to me, I don’t care. Every time you spout psychotic LIES, I’ll set you straight if I feel like it. Let’s start with some simple facts, just for kicks.

    Fact, I’m not a felon.

    Fact, you are a liar.

    Please try to keep up.

  2. Good luck if you decide to run Scott. The negativity here from the peanut gallery is to be expected and should be ignored. I commend anyone for running for public office, no matter what political party you belong too. The outcome of any race is decided by the voters at election time, the more candidates the better.

  3. Interesting that Wood is asking for public input. Just trying to gauge his support is more like it. Wood should stay where he is as he is more effective here. The next state rep is going to be powerless and a distant voice now. Haverhill has had it’s money grab and now it is time to pay the piper. The next state rep is going to be the fall guy for the city woes and the Mayor’s constant begging for money. The next Rep is going to fall in behind the footsteps of Dempsey, which will be very hard to follow, without any power to do anything. stay put and make a difference.

  4. Scott, the first thing that I’d suggest you do is to be honest about what has happened with state and local public policy and its affects on people in Haverhill. Suggesting that your goal is to strive to be another Brian Dempsey shows you don’t have a clue what his impact has been on the city in the last 20 years, first being a city councilor, then a state rep. Haverhill is essentially financially bankrupt, crime is out of control, city and state elected officials embrace sanctuary city policies, drugs are literally everywhere, school performance is down, the amount of people on welfare and state aid has exploded, private businesses are moving elsewhere, and all this while city taxes have gone way up. You can literally pin point the timeline of the start of decline to the quality of life in Haverhill to when Dempsey entered Haverhill politics. And you want to emulate this? If you are trying to align yourself with Dempsey to elicit support from all of his loyal democrat supporters, and the uninformed who vote for anyone with a “D” next to their name, I get it. That tactic won’t bode well for you in the voting booth from the people paying attention to what has happened to this city, and why.

    Because you have not announced it, what political party do you belong to, Scott? Your first public comments about a potential run for office by stating you want to duplicate the same out of control liberal public policy of the guy who lead the charge to destroy Haverhill suggests you are a Democrat, but why are you keeping it a secret?

    I’ve always respected your willingness to be a contrarian on the school committee, Scott. But if you’re yet another Haverhill liberal looking to promote the same tax and spend, and sanctuary city liberal public policies that have turned the city into a VERY dangerous place, don’t run. We’ve got big enough problems with all the existing brain dead liberals holding office.

    • Wood is the farthest thing from far left. One of the few politicians on the city with a voting record of not trying to increase spending. I see any quote that he wanted to be like Dempsey I read him answer a question thay whav posed. He said they where similar rdue they age not policy.

      • “Wood acknowledged it will be difficult to match the successes of the House Ways and Means chairman.”

        Did you miss this in the article, Jack?
        Suggesting the deterioration in the quality of life for Haverhill citizens due to Dempsey’s liberal public policies is a “success” is a highly questionable observation on the parts of Woods, in my opinion.

        If he’s truly a fiscal conservative wouldn’t you like to see him, as a candidate, call it like it is on how out of control the tax and spend liberal democrats are running the city?

  5. Scott, NO YOU SHOULDN’T RUN ! A seat on a local legislative body – like the one you hold-exceeds your capabilities as it is.

    The fact that your allegedly seeking public input exposes your weaknesses as a canidate. Your perceived as over your head and needlessly pompous.

    A run for Mayor is laughable.

    • Have to disagree Joe, he’s the only one on the committee with a clue. I don’t advise anyone to run for this position however, it’s a no win job. Your prior posts indicited support for Andres Vargas. That’s someone in over their head in my opinion. I won’t try to speak for others perceprions as you have

    • Hey, Joe Fish….You were very silent the other day when I pointed out the specifics of what made the 30 HFD fireboys FELONS after you suggested my initial comments were over the top.

      What happened…the facts get the better of you?

      • No Jack I went to work and ran a business where I keep people employed who then use that money to feed their families and send children to college. You’re a little all over the place on this Scott issue looks like he’s captured your imagination. Is This Love Jack?

      • Jack, your hate and discontent is psychotic. How Mr.Woods consideration to run for State rep has anything to do with the FD is beyond me. I know in your twisted mind you THINK you know everything, but your imagination is not reality. You are a flat out liar calling anyone a felon when no one was even charged with a crime. I’m not sure what you beef with the FD is, and I’m sure I don’t care, but just make an attempt to live in the real world and stop with the lies, boy.

        • Reality? The reality is you are in a job which you should have immediately been fired from for intentionally stealing $1,800 from taxpayers, and committed fraud when you lied by saying you took State of Massachusetts training which you never took, and you wonder what my beef is with Haverhill fireboys? The reality is you’re a felon Keith, yet because of an incompetent mayor dependent upon public employee unions to get elected there you sit in a firehouse getting paid to surf the internet. In the real world outside of this corrupt city government you not only would have been instantly fired, you would have been arrested for the felonies you committed. But there you are, wearing your crimes as a badge of honor. And do I have to list the MANY other scams you hacks have committed in this city to steal from taxpayers? You apparently have a very short memory, don’t you?

          • Round and round we go. Just about every thing you said is a bold faced lie. I didn’t steal a penny for starters. To suggest the Mayor was on our side isn’t psychotic, it’s ludicrous. The Haverhill men received the harshest punishment statewide by far. We did something wrong and were severely punished. Again, I have no idea what this has to do with Scott Wood. At least lie about the topic.

          • There were THIRTY HFD employees who EACH stole $1,800 from Haverhill taxpayers. That number 30 is more than triple the total of any other city department in the state. Severely punished? Is that suppose to be a joke? Out of those 30 the corrupt mayor only fired the guy who went around to collect the signatures. You know that better than anyone given YOU knowingly put your name on a document stating you completed training that you never took and accepted money you didn’t deserve.

            I wasn’t commenting to you… I was commenting to my buddy Joe here because the article that we had previously discussed this topic has expired. But any time you want to talk about the performance and moral ineptitude of the HFD please let me know. I’ll be more than happy to provide the facts that you’ll obviously leave out.

          • Silly question Jokeinhaverhill, but do you even know what the punishment was?

  6. He would be a better mayor. Haverhill needs a new mayor. After 14 years in office, schools are falling apart, upper Washington street is a pit, over spending and ridiculous raise increases.