Few contested races for this year's town election

Feb 3, 2021

Town election season is once again upon us — and a couple of races are already looking to be contentious for the town’s annual election for April 6.

Interim Town Clerk Sarah Arruda has taken out papers to keep her position at Town Hall and will face off against Kelsi Power-Spirlet, who was one of the finalists for the position this past August. 

Planning Board Chair Lorri-Ann Miller will run for another five-year term, with former town employee Jane (Kirby) Pansire also taking out papers for the seat.

Miller has spent three decades on the Planning Board and established the town’s solar bylaw, zoning rules for Bliss Corner and worked with community groups to zone Padanaram.

Pansire — who worked for 12 years in the town’s zoning and planning offices — said that, if elected, she would like to see more balance with how space is preserved and developed, with green fields being preserved, with grey fields and brown fields for potential developments.

“I’d like to serve the town,” she said. “I feel like it’s good to have some fresh blood.”

Interim Planning Board member Christopher O’Neil has also pulled papers to finish the rest of his term, currently set to expire in 2023.

Select Board chair Frank Gracie III and member David Tatelbaum are also running unopposed for their respective seats.

Hawthorn Medical Associates’ Dr. Christian Pope, the Board of Health’s volunteer physician, will run for an open seat on the Board, as member Leslie McKinley opted not to run for reelection.

Dr. Shannon Jenkins is seeking reelection to the School Committee. Parks and Recreation Board members James Bosworth and Joan Britto have also taken out papers for reelection. Stanley Bielusiak is seeking reelection to the Board of Library Trustees.

Nomination papers remain available until Feb. 11 at the Town Clerk’s office.