METHUEN - Voters ousted City Council President Deborah Quinn and East District Councilor Joseph Leone yesterday but re-elected the six other incumbents.
With Quinn and Leone out, Mayor William Manzi's base of support has taken a hit.
"I think people were looking for a change," said Quinn, 51. "I had no agenda and I did the work of the city. What can you do? At the end of the day, if it's not enough, it's not enough."
Quinn lost the West District, finishing 112 votes behind political newcomer James Hajjar. Incumbent Jean Pappalardo topped the ticket with 1,714 votes. Hajjar took 1,306 votes, Quinn received 1,194 and former police officer Edward Guy received 1,139.
Hajjar, 46, said he didn't consider his victory a referendum on incumbent members of the council, but rather a show of support for his own business and management experience.
"It wasn't about the other candidates," said Hajjar, who works for a telecommunications company. "I knocked on doors, I spoke to people, I just spoke about myself. It never got into what they've done or didn't do."
Leone lost to former council member Patricia Uliano by 103 votes. Incumbent Larry Giordano finished first in the East District with 1,573 votes. Uliano received 1,513, and Leone finished out of the running with 1,410. Leone did not return calls seeking comment last night.
Uliano served three terms on the Council from 2000 to 2005.
"It was a very tight race," said Uliano. "I'm just happy to be back."
Re-elected as councilors-at-large were Stephen Zanni and Jennifer Kannan. They will be joined by Joyce Campagnone, a former City Councilor who beat out Kathleen Corey Rahme for the final at-large seat by 369 votes.
Zanni, 65, led with 4,695 votes yesterday. Kannan followed with 4,592 votes. Campagnone earned 4,193 votes and Rahme finished with 3,824.
Zanni said the Methuen High School renovation project will be a priority during the next two-year term, and that the council must also look for savings in the city budget, possibly by consolidating purchasing and technology functions between the city and School Department.
"The next two years won't be easy," said Zanni. "The economy is still at a point where things are starting to turn a little, but it's not going to turn overnight."
Campagnone, 63, who has eight years experience as an East District councilor, last served on the council in 1998.
"I think I can bring the past experience over to the at-large seat," said Campagnone. "To me, I represent all the people. I don't care where they live in the community. I want them to be able to call me."
Rahme, 51, who ran an unsuccessful mayoral campaign in 2007, has served two years each as a Central District councilor and councilor-at-Large.
"That was a tough roster of names," said Rahme of the at-large race. "They all came to the table with lots of experience and respect. I was proud to be in the mix."
In the Central District, incumbents John Cronin Jr. and Philip Lahey Jr. beat challengers David Lavallee and Fadi Chahine.
Cronin led the candidates with 1,129 votes. Lahey earned 1,082, Lavallee received 793 and Chahine finished fourth with 587 votes.
Lahey, 61, who beat third-place finsiher Lavallee by 289 votes, said voters sent all incumbent councilors a message yesterday.
"I think we all had a feeling that people are not happy," said Lahey. "None of us ran away with it and two of us lost."
