Published in the July 24, 2015 edition

MELROSE — Jaclyn Lavender Bird of Porter Street has decided not to run for reelection to a third term on the Board of Aldermen, saying she wants to spend more time with her family.

The popular alderman-at-large, first elected in 2011, wrote in an email, “I have thoroughly enjoyed my time on the board, but I realized this spring that I simply don’t want to miss any more Little League games. When I first started on the board, my older son was in kindergarten and this fall he will enter 5th grade. Both boys are now involved in evening activities and I would like to be there, cheering them on.

“I look forward to working with you over the next several months as I complete this term,” Bird concluded.

With Bird’s exit from the November 3 election race, a key city-wide position is open. Already running for alderman-at-large are Derby Road’s Michael Zwirko, whose nomination papers were certified on July 20; incumbent Monica Medeiros of Bay State Road, who pulled nomination papers June 19, and Stowecroft Road’s Mary Beth McAteer Margolis, another incumbent, who took out papers on June 18.

As of Wednesday, longtime alderman-at-large Donald L. Conn — currently the aldermanic president — had yet to take out nomination papers for reelection.

Those wishing to run for the at-large, two-year seats up for election on the Board of Aldermen and three four-year positions on School Committee need to get 120 signatures of registered Melrose voters on their nomination papers. The last day to obtain them is Friday, September 11.

Those wishing to run for ward alderman need 20 certified signatures to get on the November ballot.

Nomination papers may be obtained only by a candidate or a person presenting a signed authorization for a candidate. Prior to obtaining nomination papers, each candidate must file with the Election Office a statement containing his/her name and address and the office for which he/she intends to run.

As of the middle of the week, the election field looked like this:

MAYOR

Robert J. Dolan (no opposition)

ALDERMAN-AT-LARGE

Michael Zwirko, Mary Beth McAteer Margolis and Monica Medeiros

ALDERMAN WARD 1

Joseph Musto, 232 Tremont St.

John Tramontozzi, 794 Franklin St. (incumbent)

ALDERMAN WARD 2

Jennifer Lemmerman, 21 Bay State Rd. (incumbent)

ALDERMAN WARD 3

Francis X. Wright Jr., 191 Florence St. (incumbent)

ALDERMAN WARD 4

Robert A. Boisselle, 585 Main St. (incumbent). His nomination papers were certified May 27.

ALDERMAN WARD 5

Marika McKnight, 56 West Wyoming Ave., #1

Gail Infurna, 198 Boston Rock Rd. (incumbent)

ALDERMAN WARD 6

Peter Mortimer, 47 Mt. Hood Terr. (incumbent)

ALDERMAN WARD 6

Scott Forbes, 41 Mystic Ave. (incumbent)

SCHOOL COMMITTEE

Jaime McAllister-Grande, 22 Tappan St. Her nomination papers were certified July 20.

Lizbeth DeSelm, 33 South High St.