Newcomers, incumbents take out papers for town elections
Nomination papers for the upcoming town election have been available for several weeks. So far, several new faces are looking to join town boards and commissions.
Two candidates are up for re-election on the Select Board: Frank Gracie and Kelli Martin-Taglianetti. Gracie has already pulled papers, citing his desire to stay on board as change comes to the town in the form of a new town administrator and a slowdown of new growth.
“I think it’s good to have some consistency in our government structure,” Gracie said.
Gracie has served on the Select Board for three years. He had previously served five years on the Finance Committee.
Martin-Taglianetti has not yet pulled papers. She could not be reached for comment.
Lorri-Ann Miller has pulled papers to run for Martin-Taglianetti’s Select Board seat. Last year she was defeated by incumbent Stanley Mickelson. She could not be reached for comment.
In the School Committee race, Shannon Jenkins is up for re-election. So far she is the only person to have pulled papers for the race. She was appointed to fill a vacancy in 2015, and won her first election that year.
“I think I’ve made some valuable contributions to the committee, and I’d like to continue to serve,” Jenkins said.
If she wins re-election, she hopes to solicit public input on priorities, but listed working to renovate Dartmouth Memorial Stadium, examine school start times, and address the long-term capital needs of school buildings as big projects to tackle.
In the Town Clerk race, Lynn Medeiros is vying to keep the post she’s held for a decade. She is currently running unopposed.
“I love what I do; I love serving the people,” Medeiros said. “This is the town I grew up in.”
In the Planning Board race, John Sousa is up for re-election for a three-year term. He took out papers for that race. He is currently running unopposed.
James Bosworth and Joan Britto have both filed papers to run for re-election for their seats on the Parks Board. So far the election is unopposed.
Leslie E. J. McKinley is running for re-election for a third term on the Board of Health, so far unopposed. Via email, she said she finds the work she, the board, and the Health Department does rewarding - from permitting for farms to addressing the opioid crisis.
“[T]he most rewarding part of this volunteer job is working with our extraordinary staff in our Health Department office. We are fortunate to have a truly dedicated and extremely talented staff serving the residents of Dartmouth,” McKinley said via email.
Two people have pulled nomination papers for three vacancies on the Housing Authority board, including Michael Mattos. He worked with the Taunton Housing Authority, and works at the Affordable Housing and Service Collaborative, a non-profit organization which owns and develops affordable rental communities.
“I have a sense of how housing authorities work, and housing is what I do,” Mattos said.
David Brodeur has also taken out papers for a seat on the Housing Authority. He could not be reached for comment.
Stanley J. Bielusiak and Ilene Levine have taken out papers to keep their seats on the Trustees of Free Public Libraries. So far the election is unopposed. Bielusiak has served as library trustee for six years, and hopes to continue to move the new branch library on Cross Road forward if elected.
Levine could not be reached for comment.
John Furtado is running for re-election as Town Assessor. He could not be reached for comment.
The annual town election is on Tuesday, April 3. Papers are currently available at the Town Clerk’s office, and must be returned for certification by February 13 at 5 p.m.
For more information about the election, visit town.dartmouth.ma.us or contact the Town Clerk’s office at (508) 910-1800.