Joanne McKenna has been a Beachmont resident her entire life and an art teacher at Revere High School for over 30 years. Now she can add Ward 1 City Councillor to her resume.
A special election for Ward 1, Precincts 1, 2, and 3 was held Tuesday to fill the seat formerly held by the late Ward 1 Councillor Richard A. Penta, who passed away Feb. 25 after a lengthy battle with cancer.
McKenna received 331 votes in the special election.
McKenna was the only one to pull nomination papers for the seat. Tuesday, after the votes were tallied, McKenna garned XXX votes, or XX percent. Like the other city councillors McKenna will have to run for her seat again in November.
The special election cost $8,850 including $3,500 for police coverage.
        McKenna, who lives on Winthrop Avenue, holds a bachelor’s degree in art education from the Massachusetts College of Art and a master’s degree in psychology from Lesley University. She has been president of the Beachmont Improvement Committee and started the Revere Beautification Committee. She said before Penta passed away they did talk and he expressed his support for her.
           At the end of the school year McKenna will be retiring from Revere High School.
