Plumbing and politics have been a part of John Ferranti's family for generations.

And perhaps it is because Ferranti has owned his own plumbing and heating business for more than 15 years that he decided to run for a seat on the Board of Selectmen: if elected, he has his eye on improving Municipal Maintenance.

“Municipal Maintenance falls under public safety,” said Ferranti. “That should be up to par and it isn't.”

Ferranti believes the department is understaffed and in need of up to eight more employees for its operations.

“The biggest complaints that I've been getting from the people in town, it's not high taxes,” said Ferranti. “It's roads not being graded and street lights being out: those two things are unbelievable.”

As a business owner, Ferranti believes he knows how much it could cost the town to hire more workers. His job as a Selectmen, as he sees it, would be to figure out where to cut and shift money to create improvements.

Ferranti found it difficult to get into specifics without knowledge of the inner workings of the Board of Selectmen. However, Ferranti said he keeps himself knowledgeable about the way the municipal government works and about the current issues by attending meetings, paying attention to the news, and talking to residents.

Ferranti said his biggest contribution to Wareham would be his leadership skills. He believes he could provide the kind of leadership necessary to help Wareham. His sense of pride comes from serving on the U.S. Army for 21 years: 16 years in the reserves, and 5 years active duty.

“It instills in young men responsibility, integrity, discipline, and the most important of all – it holds you accountable for your actions,” said Ferranti of his experience.

Ferranti was formerly an assistant plumbing inspector for the town for five years, and currently sits on the Wareham Veterans Council. Though he was born in Cambridge, Ferranti went to Wareham for his primary education, and knows many Wareham residents. He called himself a “straight shooter” and said it's the reputation that he's earned around the town of Wareham, having grown up here.

“I'm pretty well-liked,” Ferranti said. “I have a pretty good following. I think I'm reaching out to a lot of people.”

Ferranti knows all of the Selectmen and understands that “the entire board matters” and that “everybody needs to come together” to make a difference.

“I want to see if I can help out and try to make Wareham a better place,” said Ferranti.