Vellucci Makes Mayoralty Bid

With the counting of Cambridge election returns barely finished, politicking has begun for the mayoralty of the City.

At Monday's City Council meeting, Alfred E. Vellucci announced that he would be a candidate for mayor. "I've served on this council for 14 years... and each time my vote is climbing," he said. The East Cambridge councillor noted that he had served for several terms as the City's vice-mayor, and commented, "I've always been the bridesmaid, but never the bride."

The new city council will elect one of its number as mayor when it takes office next January. The post is largely honorific, but the mayor does chair the School Committee, and cast a vote there. When Vellucci announced his candidacy, he said, "Never in the two years as may or would I ever indulge in any politics as far as the school children are concerned."

Most City councillors remained impassive as Vellucci made his announcement, although a couple smiled when he said, "The fact that I am a candidate for mayor does not shut the door on any other City councillor."

This time around, Vellucci's chancesmay be slim, because the so-called "independent councillors." of which he is one, will he a minority of the new City Council.

The majority-five councillors endorsed by the Cambridge Civic Association (CCA)-are expected to attempt to agree on one of their number as mayor. In the past few days, virtually all of the five have been mentioned as possible mayors, but perhaps the most speculation has centered around Edward A. Crane '35, who served as the last CAA mayor during 1960-65.

Even if Crane could not get all five CCA votes for mayor, some councillors felt he might be able to pick up Vellucci's vote for the post, as he has in the past. Vellucci fueled this speculation Monday when he said he could vote for any city councillor, even one endorsed by the CCA.