Races begin for area candidates

Thursday, February 4, 2010

Milford

A resident who waged a long battle with town officials over his home’s assessment is making another try for a seat on the Milford Board of Selectmen.

John Cass Sr. is challenging incumbent Tim Finan for a three-year seat on the board. From 2006-08, Cass wrote scathing letters, accusing officials of intimidation and filed an ethics complaint against a selectman. The town’s Ethics Committee later cleared the selectman of the charges. Last year, in a four-way race for two seats on the board, Cass came in last.

Other contested races include town moderator, where Peter Basiliere is being challenged by Joseph J. Oneail, owner of Papa Joe’s Humble Kitchen, and a seat on the water and wastewater commission, where Dale A. White is challenging incumbent Walter Murray.

The Milford School Board also has attracted two candidates to run against incumbents Len Mannino and Bob Willette. John Parker, who resigned last year after serving one year of a three-year term, will face the incumbents along with Ron Carvel for the two, open three-year seats. Incumbent Bert Becker is the only candidate for a one-year seat on the board.

Amherst

A former longtime selectman, two newcomers and an outgoing School Board member join Chairman George Infanti in the race for a pair of three-year seats on the Board of Selectmen.

The race is the only contested race on the town side of the ballot. Peterman, who served five terms as selectman starting in the late 1980s, sent out an announcement the first day of the filing period, citing several reasons for seeking a return to the board. The other incumbent, Brad Galinson, is not seeking re-election. The two newcomers are Caroline DeVore Grohseholz and John S. Rubery.

Things on the School District side are even quieter, with no contested races

The Amherst School Board, which has a pair of three-year terms coming open, comes up one candidate short, with incumbent Peg Bennett the only filer. The other seat was held by Dwight Brew, who served one year to finish the term of a departing member; he’s running instead for selectman.

Three seats are coming open on the Souhegan Cooperative School Board – two for Amherst residents and one for a Mont Vernon resident.

Amherst incumbents – Dana Redmond and board Chairman Steve Coughlan – filed for re-election and will run unopposed.

Mont Vernon

Although there are a number of terms on town and school panels only one race is contested.

The lone race, for town clerk, pits veteran incumbent Jeanette Vinton against challenger Marilyn Savage, a former town clerk, for the three-year term.

For selectman, chairman and incumbent John Quinlan is running unopposed for re-election for a three-year term. Incumbents make up the field of candidates for all the other town offices coming open this year.

Things might be a tad more interesting on the school side due to the dearth of candidates.

With three seats coming open on the Mont Vernon School Board, one candidate, incumbent Bruce Schmidt, has filed to run. The two other incumbents, Chairman Leo White and Jayson Darula, are not running for re-election. That gives voters the chance to write in up to two candidates.

Also, one seat for a Mont Vernon representative to the Souhegan Cooperative School Board is coming open, with former Mont Vernon School Board member Howard Brown II running unopposed. Incumbent, Dan Foley, is not seeking re-election.

The other race without a candidate is the one-year term for School District clerk.

Wilton-Lyndeborough

The most competitive contest in the region is in Wilton for the newest government body, the Wilton-Lyndeborough School District, a combination of the former Wilton, Lyndeborough and Wilton-Lyndeborough districts. Many running currently serve on one of those boards.

In Wilton, three people are seeking the single one-year seat: incumbent Joyce Fisk and Richard Griffen and Johanna Lynch.

Four people want the pair of two-year seats: incumbents Gilbert Hargrove, Ingrid Howard and Kim Reynolds, and James Tuttle.

Finally, three people have signed up for the three-year term: incumbents Dion Lewis and Harry Dailey, and Alex LoVerme. The Wilton ballot will also have the names of two at-large Lyndeborough seats. In Lyndeborough, James Button and incumbent Robert Nields are seeking the one-year at-large position.

For the Budget Committee, all Wilton spaces have a candidate, but the two Lyndeborough spots are open. No one filed for district moderator.

Wilton

Two businessmen, Steven J. McDonough and Robert Duquette, have stepped up to try to fill an opening on the Board of Selectmen vacated by two-term Selectman Dan Donovan. The other contest is for sewer commissioner: Carl LaChance is challenging longtime member Charles McGettigan Jr. No one filed for a six-year term as supervisor of the checklist.

Lyndeborough

Three people have filed for one seat on the Board of Selectmen: incumbent Lorraine Strube, Paul Martin, who has run unsuccessfully several times and newcomer Don Sawain, who is a part-time police officer.

The other contest on the ballot is for supervisor of the checklist, a six-year term. Incumbent Maria Brown chose not to run again. Contestants are Sally Curran and Nanci Tobi.

One seat on the Zoning Board of Adjustment and one spot for trustee of the trust funds are open. Neither incumbent chose to run.