By Setarreh Massihzadegan
THE ERICKSON TRIBUNE

As if they couldn’t keep busy enough at Brooksby, members of the community have become involved with committees in the greater Peabody area.

Loretta Tenaglia and Gordon Borek are two  Brooksby residents who were recently appointed to commissions in the town of Peabody. Inspired by a recent visit from Peabody Mayor Michael Bonfanti, Tenaglia took on a five-year appointment in the Peabody Housing Authority, while Borek has taken a seat on the Peabody School Building Committee and the Massachusetts School Building Authority Designer Selection Panel.

Past experience, present changes
Tenaglia and Borek have put their prior skills and knowledge to use in their new appointments.

“I wanted to keep mentally active … in a field that I was familiar with and felt I could make a contribution [to],” Borek says of his decision to get involved. A professional engineer who retired in 1995 from the Massachusetts Port Authority, Borek has begun supervising alterations to the town high school through the building committee. As part of the panel that selects architects for Massachusetts school buildings, Borek offers his expertise on all buildings that will cost more than $5 million.

Tenaglia owned her own business for more than 20  years before becoming a manager at the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). When she retired from the IRS, Tenaglia sold real estate. She has also served on nearby town boards and as a member of the Massachusetts Life Care Residents Association, which  represents continuing care communities. Because of her experience, Tenaglia was chosen to represent the housing authority on a committee looking into the need for lower-income assisted living in Peabody.

“It’s a challenge because I have a lot to learn, but I feel that by learning all about it I can be instrumental . . . to the commission,” Tenaglia says.

As part of her position she has been touring facilities under the housing authority and attending monthly meetings.