14 candidates vie for City Council
Woonsocket City Council candidate slate includes six incumbents, eight challengers
WOONSOCKET – City voters will have 14 candidates to choose from for seven seats on the City Council.
Among them are six incumbents running for re-election and eight challengers, including several newcomers to city politics and several former council members.
James Cournoyer
City Councilman James Cournoyer is seeking his third term on the board.
Cournoyer, 55, of 183 Glen Road, has served on the panel since 2016. He also served previously on the Woonsocket Personnel Board and the Woonsocket Water Treatment Plant Advisory Committee, which he chaired.
Cournoyer is a past vice president of the Woonsocket Taxpayers’ Association and is a board member and treasurer of The Steel Yard, a nonprofit educational organization specializing in industrial trades.
Married, with two children, Cournoyer is employed as the assistant treasurer for corporate finance and banking with Textron, Inc.
A graduate of North Smithfield High School, Cournoyer also holds a bachelor’s of science in accounting from the University of Rhode Island.
Cournoyer says he brings an eye for analysis and oversight to the city’s financial operations.
“I’m a Jack Kennedy Democrat,” he says, “but I adhere to the old Ronald Reagan axiom, ‘Trust but verify.’ I will insist on fact-based decision-making, as opposed to decisions based on emotional rhetoric and I will ensure that we live within our means.”
Michael Disney
Michael Disney is running for a seat on the City Council.
Previously known as Michael Moniz, Disney, 72, of 939 Bernon St., legally changed his name several years ago because of a problem with identity theft. He chose the surname Disney because he is an ardent fan of Walt Disney and the empire he built based on the cartoon icons he created. He visits Disneyland often and has an extensive collection of Disney memorabilia.
Disney worked as a custodian for McDonald’s for 28 years before retiring.
As he did earlier this summer, Disney has filed papers to secure a spot on the ballot for many elective positions over the years, including mayor. He once won a seat on a relatively low profile Democrat city committee, but that was the only time he was ever successful.
Moniz often says he’s organizing fundraisers to benefit the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Recently, he filed an application with the City Council to hold another at River Island Park.
Daniel M. Gendron
Daniel M. Gendron, presently president of the City Council, is seeking re-election to another term.
Gendron, 56, of 87 Arland Court, is president of the Museum of Work & Culture, an active parishioner at St. Joseph Church and a former member of the Woonsocket Zoning Board of Review.
He is married to Ann Marie (Jacquart) Gendron and they have one daughter, Victoria Gendron. Gendron works as the director of building
services for The Friendly Home, a nursing facility on Rhodes Avenue.
A graduate of Woonsocket High School, he holds an associate’s degree from Community College of Rhode Island and a bachelor’s degree from Johnson & Wales University.
Gendron says he promises to be “a stable presence” through uncertain times.
“Woonsocket needs a calm, proven government to continue moving ahead,” he says.
Valerie Gonzalez
Valerie Gonzalez, 48, of 89 St. Simon St., previously served on the formerly appointive School Committee from 20142018.
She and her husband, Herson Gonzalez, are both pastors of Vida Church, previously known as the Calvary Worship Center.
She is a co-founder of several initiatives and programs, including Woonsocket Day of Prayer; the Hijas mentorship program for women and teens; Story of Us, a counseling service for couples; and Bread of Life, a food mission aimed at supporting the needy.
Gonzalez is also a vocal artist who has regularly made guest appearances at Autumnfest, the Levitt Amp music series and The Polar Express.
Employed as a dental assistant, she has attended Providence College and has a certificate in radiology from Tufts University in Massachusetts.
“I have a track record of forging relationships beyond political differences that will aid in reaching a consensus on important issues such as lowering taxes, revitalizing the small business community, providing safety, and all the services that our community deserves,” she says. “If elected, this is what I will bring to the city council.”
Marlene Guay
Marlene Guay, 43, of 191 Rathbun St., is running for a seat on the City Council in her first bid for elective office.
Guay served as pr e s i dent of the former Social Street Elementary School and the Harris Elementary School for a combined nine years. She was also a volunteer as a Cub Scout and Boy Scout leader for 10 years. She presently serves on the executive committee of the Rhode Island Afterschool Network, an organization that supports extracurricular education activities at the state level.
She is employed as the grant initiative manager for expanded learning at the United Way of Rhode Island. She also manages the UW’s Summer Learning Initiative. Her work involves advocacy and grant management for a pool of resources in excess of $1 million. Previously, Guay worked as the professional development manager for the Museum of Science in Boston, a position in which she developed the first known early childhood engineering curriculum. She has been a teacher in both formal and informal school settings for over a decade.
A mother of two and a city native, Guay graduated from North Smithfield High School and the Woonsocket Area Career and Technical Facility. She also holds an undergraduate degree in human development and family studies, with a concentration in child psychology, from the University of Rhode Island.
As a member of the council, Guay says, “I can bring much of my lived experience to the table, which is similar to many challenges our community faces. My advocacy work has given me experience in collaboration, communication, equity and a solutions-based focus.”
Roger G. Jalette Sr.
A lifelong city resident and former member of the City Council, Roger G. Jalette Sr. is seeking to return to the board after a hiatus of several years.
Jalette, 77, of 282 Third Ave., previously served about 15 years on the council, including a stint as its president. He has not served on the council since stepping aside to run against Mayor Lisa Baldelli-Hunt in 2016.
Jalette is the retired owner of Roger’s Flower Shop, which he ran for 32 years.
Educated in Woonsocket public schools, he is a former member of the Cercle Laurier Club and the Elks Club. He is the founding member of Landlord and Property Owners of Woonsocket and takes credit for creating the Autumnfest co-ed softball tournament.
Alexander Kithes
Councilman Alexander Kithes is seeking his first full term on the City Council after winning a special election to fill a partial term last year.
Kithes, 28, of 153 Winter St., is a member of Sunrise Rhode Island, Climate Action Rhode Island and serves on the boards of the Downtown Woonsocket Collaborative and the Main Street Holiday Stroll. He is a volunteer with Rhode Islanders for Reform.
Kithes was salutatorian of Woonsocket High School’s Class of 2010 and later earned a bachelor of science in electrical engineering from Boston University and a masters in chemical engineering from Brown University.
He worked as a research and development engineer until shortly before last August’s special election and is presently employed as a waiter while concentrating on becoming the primary caretaker for his elderly grandparents. From 2013-2016, Kithes also worked as a freelance writer for The Call on topics that includes food sustainability and environmental conservation.
“We need champions on our city council who are willing to fight for a higher quality of life for the working-class people of our city, a clean and stable environment, a transparent and accountable city government, and true justice for all,” Kithes says. “I’ve spent my first term working hard for our community, and I’m excited to run with a full team so we can work together to improve our citizens’ lives!”
Garrett S. Mancieri
Garrett S. Mancieri, a former member of the City Council, is seeking to return to the panel after a hiatus of several years.
A self-employed Realtor, Mancieri, 36, of 372 Congress St. served on the council from 2013-2016. He is currently chairman of the Downtown Woonsocket Collaborative and the Autumnfest Steering Committee. He also a member of the Woonsocket Head Start and Child Development Association, Sojourner House Advisory Board, Levitt AMP Woonsocket Committee and the Main Street Holiday Stroll Committee
Mancieri has worked as a Realtor for Gateway Realty since 2013 and, for the six years prior, for Keller Williams Realty.
He’s a 2002 graduate of Cumberland High School and earned a bachelor’s in business management from Rhode Island College in 2007.
“I’m asking the voters of Woonsocket to give me one more term on the City Council to increase economic development, strengthen our education system, and ensure our city is inclusive and accessible for everyone,” Mancieri said. “I will bring leadership, vision, and experience needed to erase the mistakes of the past and ensure success for our community today and into the future.”
Vaughan Miller
Vaughan Miller, a political newcomer, is 28 years old and lives at 780 Park Ave. He served in the United States Navy as a nuclear electronics technician.
Miller was certified by the federal Department of Energy as a nuclear reactor operator in 2015. He is an electronics technician by trade and last worked for the Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority, building and testing new prototype passenger trains for the Green Line in Boston.
Miller is a 2010 graduate of Quakertown Community Senior High School in Pennsylvania.
He promises to bring “a level head, a steady hand and a history of success” to the operations of local government that could be useful in a time of crisis.
“I’ve stared down a nuclear power plant catastrophically malfunctioning while miles out at sea,” he says. “What I bring to this city’s political discourse is an unshakable resolve and a proven history of reliability.”
Margaux Morisseau
Margaux Morisseau brings a record of civic involvement to her campaign for City Council.
Mori s - seau, 43, of 84 Pi necrest Drive, has worked for NeighborWorks for many years and was a lead organizer of the Leavitt AMP Summer Concert series. She served as an AmeriCorps volunteer from 1996-1998 and is a member of the MLK Community Committee, the Downtown Woonsocket Collaborative and the RI Advisory Committee to the United States Civil Rights Commission.
She is the co-chair of the RI Predatory Lending Reform Coalition and she was the founding director of the RI chapter of New Leaders Council. In 2013, the Woonsocket Police Department named Morisseau Citizen of the Year, and in 2014 NeighborWorks America honored her with the National Award for Excellence in Community Building.
A Woonsocket native, Morisseau is presently employed as the director of community engagement for NeighborWorks Blackstone River Valley, where she has worked since 2004. She oversees the youth and AmeriCorps programs, the Millrace kitchen and advocates on behalf of the NeighborWorks community. Previously she owned and operated The Greenery, a garden and gift store, from 1999 to 2004.
Morisseau holds a post-graduate certificate in Community Development from Roger Williams University and a bachelor’s degree in business management from Rhode Island College. She is a 1995 graduate of LaSalle Academy.
An experienced policy advocate, Morisseau says she is accustomed to having “thoughtful discussion across the aisle” to improve the community and will approach her duties as a councilor with the same “collaborative, productive and professional communication style” that has characterized her work life. She says she supports small business development, stronger education and programs to “make our city more inclusive.”
Denise Sierra
Denise Sierra, a member of the City Council since 2016, is seeking her third term.
She is a former member of the Main Street Stroll C o mmit - tee and a member of St. James Church in Manville. She was a COPS Walk volunteer for five years and co-sponsored the annual cancer awareness fundraiser for the Cancer Action Network of RI for eight years. She has also been active with New Beginnings, a mission committed to feeding the poor and hungry.
A graduate of Woonsocket High School, she is presently employed as a paralegal. She worked for many years in the restaurant industry, owned her own and has extensive experience managing large banquet halls.
Sierra, 51, of 292 Gaskill St., is married to Anthony Sierra. They have a daughter, Brooke Sierra, and two dogs, Lily and Lulu.
“Having managed several small businesses within this city as well as owning and operating my own, I bring value and focus to this area in particular,” said Sierra. “I have seen and lived the life of a small business owner, understand their struggles and what government can and should do to ensure their success. My legal experience also allows me to evaluate and initiate legislation that can assist the community as a whole.”
David Soucy
Councilman David Soucy is running for his second term on the panel.
Former owner of the Soucy Insurance A g e n c y, Soucy, 59, of 356 Woodland Road, is a former member and chairman of the Harris Library Board of Trustees; the Planning Board; and the Community Development Block Grant Advisory Board.
Soucy is also a founding member of both the Stadium Theatre Foundation and the Museum of Work and Culture Preservation Foundation. He presently serves on the Mount Saint Charles Academy’s governing board.
A longtime member of the
Woonsocket Rotary Club, Soucy is a former grand marshal of Autumnfest.
He sold the namesake insurance company in 2018 after working for the family business in many capacities for 35 years. He was appointed to the board of Milford Federal Bank in 2017 and is presently its chairman.
The father of two graduated from Rhode Island College with a bachelor of science in management in 1983.
“I believe my business experience and community involvement over the years has given me the tools I need to be an effective leader on the City Council,” Soucy says. “I believe that collaboration between the City Council and the administration is vitally important if we are to see real, meaningful change long term.”
John Ward
Councilman John Ward, a longtime member of the community who has served in several elective and appointive capacities, now seeks another term on the council.
Wa r d , 65, of 166 Getchell Ave., served on the School Committee from 1995-2005, including several years as its chairman. He served on the City Council from 2005-2013 and returned to the panel in 2018.
He is presently employed as the finance director for the town of Lincoln, a position he’s held since 2006. Previously he was business manager for the Johnston School Department; chief finance officer for the Metropolitan Boston Housing Partnership; and director of administration and finance for the Woonsocket Housing Authority.
He graduated from Mount St. Charles Academy in 1972 and from Bryant University, in 1981, with a degree in accounting.
Ward also served on the Woonsocket Board of Canvassers and as a board member of the RI Government Finance Officers Association; the New England States Government Finance Officers Association and the RI Industrial Facilities Corporation.
He and his wife Catherine have two children, Patrick and Christopher.
Charmaine Webster
In her first bid for elective office, Charmaine Webster is seeking to land a spot on the City Council.
A longtime city resident, Webster, 47, of 37 Lincoln St., is a single mother of three.
She has worked at CVS Health and the Holiday Inn Express.
She attended the Community College of Rhode Island.
She is active in the Boys & Girls Club of Northern Rhode Island and the WATCH Coalition. An acronym for the Woonsocket Alliance to Champion Hope, the organization has been a voice for racial justice and was a key organizer of Black Lives Matter rallies in the city last summer.
“I’m a committed member of Woonsocket Alliance to Champion Hope ( WATCH) and the Woonsocket Boys and Girls Club,” she says on the Rhode Island Political Cooperative website, a fundraising platform for progressive candidates.
“I am running for city council of Woonsocket out of pure love for our city and to be the voice of the politically muted. Through representation my voice and the voices of other like minded people will unapologetically demand systems and policies that address the needs of our community and its diverse population.”