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Longtime Haverhill School Committee member Scott W. Wood Jr. moved a step closer Tuesday to declaring his candidacy for the job as the city’s mayor.
Wood said he formed an exploratory committee to help him make the final decision to run for the office. He told WHAV early last month that he is “strongly considering” a run for the corner office now that Mayor James J. Fiorentini has decided not to seek another term.
“I am excited to explore the possibility of running for mayor of Haverhill,” Wood said in a statement. “As someone who has lived and worked in this community for my entire life and being the youngest person ever elected to office in Haverhill, I am committed to making it the best it can be. I believe that we need a new generation of leadership in the corner office, and I earnestly offer my experience and vision to the people of Haverhill.”
He was first elected to the School Committee when he was 19 years old in 2003 and is currently serving his fifth term. He is the longest serving elected member of the School Committee.
Wood said he would bring to the job “a unique background as a small business owner, School Committee member, law enforcement officer and finance industry professional.”
Should Wood ultimately toss his hat into the ring, he would join City Councilor Melinda E. Barrett as a confirmed candidate. Last month, former City Councilor Colin F. LePage, City Councilor Joseph J. Bevilacqua and School Committee member Paul A. Magliocchetti would not rule out possible mayoral candidacies.
Formal nomination papers will be available from the Haverhill city clerk’s office beginning May 1. If there are more than three candidates, a preliminary election would take place Tuesday, Sept. 12. The final election is Tuesday, Nov. 7.