A true outsider, Ferla makes mayoral bid
Vincent Ferla readily admits he is not a politician, but he also believes that this may be a good thing should he become the new mayor of Warwick, a city he has called home his whole life.
“I was never a politician, this is my first step into the arena and I have a lot to learn,” Ferla said in a recent interview. “I am a novice at this point. So, point me in the right direction and I’m going to make things better than they are right now.”
A Warwick resident his whole life, Ferla graduated from Warwick Veterans High School and went on to purchase C&L Auto on Warwick Avenue when he was just 19 years old, and he has been running it ever since. If his name sounds familiar, it’s most likely because his father, Vincent, owned the Rocky Point amusement park. His uncle Conrad was the park’s general manager, who was involved in the deal that brought the famous Rocky Point arch to Warwick, Ferla said.
Now, despite his admitted beginner’s status in the political world, Ferla feels he can come in fresh to City Hall and make a major difference regarding problems he perceives around Warwick. He mentioned potholes and the quality of roads, in addition to the city’s garbage disposal methods, as primary points of concern.
“I want to try and help Warwick,” he said. “All I can see are potholes every place and there are a lot of things that have to get addressed in Warwick as far as I’m concerned.”
Ferla said he would have no problem sitting down with the City Council and hashing out a plan to move forward, and that running a used car dealership has prepared him for any challenges.
“I’m in the aggravation business. I put the fires out – each and every one of them, and every single day there are problems,” he said. “I’m a quick learner…I think if I can run a business, a hard business, for 38 years, this could be a walk in the park.”
Ferla has no campaign events planned thus far, as he and his campaign manager Ken Murphy have just started the campaign process. He said that he would not be running if Scott Avedisian, whom he considers a good friend, were back on the ballot as he has been for the past nine election seasons.
“If he was running again next year I wouldn’t be running right now. I’m just throwing my hat in the arena and seeing what happens,” he said. “I think Warwick is a fantastic place to live…I think I can do something different for the future of Warwick.”
