SalemNews.com : Blogs : The Full Nelson

Polls will be open at 7 tomorrow morning in Salem, Peabody and Beverly. Close at 8.
Don’t look for any upsets at the top of the ballots. Few surprises anywhere else, either, though Peabody could see a change in one of the ward council seats, and Teasie Riley-Goggin just might crack the at-large field in Salem. Top finisher in the Beverly at-large contest will not only get the council presidency, but will be regarded as front-runner in race to succeed Bill Scanlon.
And if you think any of these cities are in bad shape, consider the recent news out of Lawrence which has been paying eight firefighters full pay for months despite the fact they are listed as being laid off. A lengthy appeals process has kept them on the payroll though they haven’t been working. Meanwhile the city has had to close two neighborhood fire stations as a result of the reduction in staff.
Has to be the worst-managed city in Massachusetts, and things won’t get better unless David Abdoo, a Salem State College grad and trustee, springs an upset and beats Rep. Willie Lantigua. The incumbent, Michael Sullivan, is prohibited from seeking a third term and could be the poster boy for those who say term limits don’t make for better government.