Since I last posted an update on the Town election, another potential candidate pulled papers for the 1 year seat on the Southborough School Committee. That means a race could be brewing. And it may be the only one on the ballot this spring.
Reminder, for anyone interested in running in this election, the deadline to file nomination papers signed by voters is a week from today.
On Friday, I highlighted that only one candidate had pulled papers to run for the 1-year seat on the Southborough School Committee. That changed this morning.
Denise Eddy, a member of the Neary Building Committee, pulled papers for the seat. If she follows through, she’ll be running against Diane Romm who filed her signed papers yesterday.
Here is the updated status for other seats as of this morning. . .
At this point, the only other position that more candidates have pulled papers for than there are seats to serve in is the Select Board. But even that may not be a race.
Incumbents Kathy Cook and Sam Stivers have filed papers for re-election. Their potential opponent Tim Fling hasn’t yet officially committed to run for the office.
While I wish there were more races (which I think are generally good for a healthy democracy), I’m relieved to see that it looks like there won’t be any vacant seats on the ballot. Yesterday, the incumbent on the Board of Commissioners of Trust Funds pulled papers to run. And Alan Belniak filed his signed papers to run for the Planning Board seat that Jesse Stein will be stepping down from at the end of his term.
The status for other seats remains unchanged since Friday.
Reminder, expect this election to have more voter participation than usual. The May 13th ballot will also ask voters to support the borrowing and proposition 2½ override to allow the Neary School Building project.1
That question will be on the ballot no matter the outcome of the vote at the Special Town Meeting on May 10th.2
Again, the deadline to pull papers is March 24th, and to file is March 25 (with a deadline of April 10th to withdraw from the ballot).3
You can read more details on the seats up for grabs in my past coverage here. (And you can keep tabs on whether anyone else has pulled/filed papers here.)
- Under state law, towns have a cap of 2½% on the year over year tax levy increases. But some expenses are (or can be) excluded from the calculation. The ballot question would ask voters to approve a debt exclusion for the Neary building project’s financing.
- If TM voters approve the Article, a majority ballot approval is still needed to move ahead. And, if TM voters reject the Neary Building Article, a majority approval on the ballot could encourage officials to pursue the TM approval at another Special Town Meeting. That means that both avid advocates for and strong opponents of the project should be motivated to vote.
- Based on the formula, until the next Gubernatorial election, the minimum number of registered Southborough voters’ signatures needed on filed forms is technically 48. But the Town Clerk’s office always advises to get at least 60, in case there is an issue with any names/addresses not matching the registration list.
