EIGHT CANDIDATES in the annual Town Election on Tuesday, May 7 participated in a lively Candidates Night forum Tuesday night at Kitty’s. About 50 voters peppered the candidates with questions during the nonpartisan event hosted by the North Reading Republican Town Committee. From left: CPC candidate Maxwell Murphy, School Committee candidates Rich McGowan, Tim Sutherland and Jen Leenders, NRRTC Chair Jeff Yull, Select Board candidates Nick Masse, Kate Manupelli and Steve O’Leary, and Town Moderator John Murphy. (Maureen Doherty Photo)
By MAUREEN DOHERTY
NORTH READING — The annual Town Election next Tuesday, May 7 features two contested races for Select Board and School Committee.
There is a three-way race for two seats on the Select Board, with incumbent Select Board members Kathryn Manupelli and Stephen O’Leary seeking reelection to their seats and a challenge from political newcomer Nick Masse. Both seats are for three-year terms. Manupelli is seeking her fourth three-year term. O’Leary has about 30 years of service on the Select Board and a total of 50+ to the town, starting as a Town Moderator when we was 19.
There is also a three-way race for two seats on the School Committee between incumbent Vice Chair Rich McGowan and newcomers Tim Sutherland and Jennifer Leenders. Both seats are also for three-year terms. Incumbent Dyana Boutwell opted not to seek reelection and will finish her second two-year term next week. McGowan is seeking his third three-year term.
The Town Election also features several uncontested races. Town Moderator John Murphy is seeking reelection to this one-year seat which he has maintained for the past 19 years.
There are two three-year seats on the Community Planning Commission with incumbent Ryan Carroll seeking reelection to his third term and newcomer Maxwell Murphy seeking his first term in elective office. Incumbent Jeremiah Johnston opted not to seek reelection.
Also unopposed for a five-year term on the Housing Authority is incumbent James DeCola. He is a retired building inspector for the town.
Those seeking elective office this year are doing so fully aware of the challenging fiscal times ahead as the town is faced with making a decision on whether to vote for an operational override of the Proposition 2 1/2 levy limit for the first time in 20 years.
Two budgets will be presented to Town Meeting voters, one within the Prop. 2 1/2 levy limit that will necessitate cuts and one that would required an override vote, with the increases phased in over three years in an effort to east the burden. If the override budget — with or without any amendments made from the floor of Town Meeting by the voters were to pass at Town Meeting — it would still need to pass at a special election later in June. If that vote at the polls failed, the town would still have a budget in place by the end of the fiscal year as required under state law. The decision comes down to the voters as to whether or not they support the recommended school and municipal budgets being presented and approved by majority of the members of those respective boards, or if they have other options to present to the voters at Town Meeting.
The implications of both options continue to be debated at meetings of the Select Board and School Committee and will be the topic of an in-person budget seminar next Thursday, May 9 at 7:30 p.m. in the Distance Learning Lab at NRHS. A virtual webinar on the topic was attended by 150 members of the community last Wednesday.
Polls open 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
The polls are open on Election Day from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. and voters from all four precincts cast their ballots in the church hall at St. Theresa’s, 51 Winter St. (enter from the westerly side of the parking lot closest to Kitty’s and drive around the rear of the building to park in the rear lot or the easterly lot. Additional accessible parking spots will be clearly marked).
According to Town Clerk Susan Duplin, a total of about 3,000 town voters received ballots in the mail because they had checked off the box on the mailer sent out at the beginning of the year specifying that they either wanted ballots for all elections this year mailed to them or specified the Town Election be mailed to them.
While there is no early in-person voting taking place for the local election, those who applied for a traditional absentee ballot are allowed to vote at the counter of the Town Clerk’s Office until noon on Monday, May 6, or they may fill it out and drop it off in the red, white and blue striped ballot drop-off box outside Town Hall, 235 North St. by noon on Monday. Do not bring absentee ballots to the polls on Tuesday.
As has been the tradition at the Transcript, for the 67th consecutive year, the newspaper has invited all candidates to submit candidates’ statements about themselves to be printed in the edition prior to the election. Readers will find the statements of five candidates published inside today’s newspaper, Steve O’Leary, Nick Masse, Rich McGowan, Jennifer Leenders and Tim Sutherland. Opting not to submit statements were Kathryn Manupelli, John Murphy, Ryan Carroll, Maxwell Murphy and James DeCola.
Over 12,500 voters in town
There are now over 12,500 people registered to vote in town. Anyone who had registered in person by 5 p.m. last Saturday, April 27 or online by 11:59 p.m. on that date is eligible to vote in this town election. Duplin’s staff continues to review and certify those registrations submitted by that deadline that they receive from the secretary of state’s office as they arrive in preparation for Tuesday’s election.
