By DAN TOMASELLO

LYNNFIELD — The April 9 Town Election now includes four contested races.

Finance Committee member Alexis Leahy pulled nomination papers for a three-year term on the Select Board on Friday, Feb. 9. She is challenging Select Board Chair Joe Connell, who is running for a second term.

“I decided to run for Select Board because I genuinely want to be involved in the oversight of this town,” said Leahy.  “Having been involved in several initiatives in the town such as PTO, Townscape and the Finance Committee, I feel as though I’m prepared to navigate any challenges a Select Board member may face. I want to represent a very active portion of this town that’s not currently represented among those currently in the Select Board roles. The current board doesn’t fully represent the demographics and varied interests of town, particularly parents with school-aged children. The Select Board has a direct impact and influence on planning the budget and strategic direction of the town. I would bring a fresh perspective and contribute with a representative voice that has been left out of the conversation for some time.”

Leahy, who lives on Hilltop Road, has lived in Lynnfield with her family for the past 11 years. Her children attend Summer Street School and Lynnfield Middle School.

“I have volunteered a significant amount of time with Townscape as well as the Summer Street School PTO as treasurer and president,” said Leahy. “I have been a member of the Finance Committee for the past two years. My time with the Finance Committee has been especially important to ensure I have the background as a Select Board member, understanding how the town spends its budget.”

Leahy has worked at the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston since April 2015. She has also worked for other organizations, including a nonprofit that supports domestic violence survivors.

“I have always worked for mission-based organizations that served the public,” said Leahy.

Leahy said she wants the Select Board to “focus on initiatives that benefit the town currently and set the town up for success in the future.”

“Managing the town to best serve its residents and focus on the most pressing needs while representing all of the town constituents is critical,” said Leahy. “Ensuring that decisions made benefit the majority of the town and not just the interests of a small group is critical. I would like to see the Select Board focus on open communication, a formal five-year strategic plan process, the schools and a construction/rehab priority list so that we are not in the same place again where we are with a town building in significant need of repair, and septic smells surrounding the schools yet we just passed too many recent overrides for people in town to be comfortable with more.

“The current Select Board members have done a great job getting us to where we are currently,” Leahy continued. “However, there are challenges facing the town currently that could benefit from a fresh perspective on how town funds are being spent as well as where we as a town invest and the current and future state of education and aligning the town’s interests with the interests of the overall population. I would particularly like to focus on the transparency of decisions and timely communication that includes feedback from the community.”

Library Trustees race

In addition to the Select Board race, there is now a race for a two-year term on the Board of Library Trustees.

Cultural Council Chair Darlene Kumar pulled nomination papers for a two-year term on the Board of Library Trustees. She is challenging current Library Trustee Russell Boekenkroeger, who is looking to serve a fourth term.

Kumar and Boekenkroeger are vying to serve the remaining two years of Library Trustees Chair Bob Calamari’s term. Calamari, who was re-elected to a sixth three-year term last year, will be resigning from the Board of Library Trustees on Tuesday, April 9. Kumar is a Lynnfield for Love board member and is a member of the Friends of Lynnfield Library.

Finance Committee/Library Building Committee member Joe Gallagher and Friends of Lynnfield Library President Anne Malenfant are running for three-year terms on the Board of Library Trustees. Library Trustee Andrew Kenneally has yet to announce whether he is running for a second three-year term.

SC field grows

There are now four candidates running for two three-year seats on the School Committee.

Newly appointed School Committee member Jim Dillon pulled papers for a three-year term on Monday morning. He has joined a field that currently includes School Committee Chair Kate DePrizio, Pine Street resident Brendan Cooney and Planning Board Chair Brian Charville.

“I am running to continue the excellence in education that Lynnfield has always stood for,” said Dillon.

In addition to the three-year race, the Town Election also features a contested race for two one-year seats on the School Committee that currently includes Bryant Street resident Kristen Grieco Elworthy, Russet Lane resident Jenny Sheehan and Winchester Drive resident Kimberly Baker Donahue.

Additional candidates

Mayberry Lane resident Steven Walsh took out nomination papers for a one-year term as town moderator on Jan. 24. He is looking to succeed incumbent Town Moderator Joe Markey, who announced in late December that he will not be running for re-election due to family and professional responsibilities.

Planning Board member Amy MacNulty pulled papers for a full five-year term in early January.

Board of Assessors Chair Don Garrity took out nomination papers for a fourth three-year term in early January.

Elected officials and prospective candidates looking to run for office are able to pull nomination papers at the Town Clerk’s Office. The Town Clerk’s Office has been relocated to the Senior Center/Lynnfield Public Schools Central Office, 525 Salem St., due to construction of the new $63.5 million public safety buildings and Town Hall project.

Candidates will need to receive the signatures of 50 registered voters in order to have their name appear on the ballot. The last day to submit nomination papers is Tuesday, Feb. 20 at 5 p.m. The last day for candidates to have their name removed from the municipal ballot is Thursday, Feb. 22 at 5 p.m.