Election Season Start, MCC Lease Out of Reach, Ron Gets a Bench

It may not feel like it, but election season is here, and many openings remain on town boards and committees.  In this update, we’re checking in on open seats in Manchester and Essex, as well as what’s happening with the Manchester Community Center building lease (spoiler: the town’s probably not the new tenant), the Deputy Harbormaster’s return from Police Academy training, and a “bench for Ron.”  Let’s get started.

In all, there are six seats up for election, including one (1) seat on the Board of Selectmen, one (1) seat on the Board of Assessors, one (1) seat on the Board of Health, one (1) Library Trustee, one (1) seat on the Planning Board and one (1) seat on the School Committee.  So far, two incumbents—Lisa O’Donnell, chair of the Planning Board and the ME Regional School District Committee’s Jake Foster—are the only candidates who have pulled papers. 

According to an update this week from Manchester Town Clerk Christine Dixon, Manchester’s Annual Town Election will run from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday, May 20 at the Memorial Elementary School.  And there’s still time for candidates to take out and return nomination papers for one of the 14 open slots on town boards and committees. 

Open board and committee seats on the Manchester ballot include three (3) Constables, two (2) Select Board, one (1) Moderator, two (2) School Committee, three (3) Planning Board, two (2) Housing Authority, and one (1) Library Trustee. 

From early indications, we can see that some incumbents have taken out papers, indicating they’ll be running in May.  Select Board members Brian Sollosy and Cathy Bilotta have taken out papers, as has the Planning Board’s Gordon Brewster, who was appointed last year to replace Ron Mastrogiacomo, who died unexpectedly while serving as chair.  Current Constables Joseph Aiello and Kevin Leach, Housing Authority member Elaine Claire Persons (Five-year term), and Library Trustee Sarah Dunn Davis have also taken out papers. 

Two residents so far indicate they will run as new members (non-incumbents) for local boards, including Leslie Beatty (Library Trustee) and Nadia Wetzler (School Committee).  Beatty has served on the board of the Manchester-by-the-Sea Museum and the Manchester Welcome Committee.  Three years ago, Wexler ran for school committee and she has continued to be active as a member of the public in the committee’s meetings.

Who’s missing so far from the incumbent ranks?  After serving nearly four years on the Planning Board, Laura Tenny confirmed this week that she will not be running.  Mary Foley has not yet taken out papers to run again for her seat on the Planning Board and is mum on whether she will.  Foley has served three consecutive three-year terms.  With the exhaustion of managing supersized initiatives such as recodification of the Zoning Bylaw, Cell Signaling permitting, and overseeing adoption of the state-mandated MBTA Multifamily Zoning by Right District, it’s no wonder.  Tenny deserves a rest.  And Foley deserves time to ponder.

Also notable is the slot for Town Moderator.  In the fall, Alan Wilson announced he’s hanging up his spurs after nearly three decades.  The Town Moderator serves as manager of Town Meetings and appoints three of the seven members of the Manchester Finance Committee, two of the seven trustees of the Town’s Affordable Housing Trust, and the town representative on the Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School Committee.

There’s a good number of open seats that remain, including seats on the Housing Authority, Planning Board, School Committee, and a Constable.  But there’s time yet.   Deadline to return nomination papers is April 1. 

In other news:

• A Bench for Ron.  Speaking of Ron Mastrogiacomo, the quiet, affable all-around man about town and former chair of the Manchester Planning Board who died last year, the Select Board last week approved a Longevity Bench in his name to be installed at Masconomo Park on Beach Street.  Ron was a 20-year Manchester resident and, beyond his long service on the Planning Board, was active in several town committees, including the Community Preservation Committee and the Water Resource Protection Task Force.  The Longevity Bench Project’s Lisa Bonneville will announce the date of the bench dedication, expected for spring.  Earlier this week, the CPC’s Jack Burke (a close friend of Ron’s) said with its proximity to Captain Dusty’s, Ron’s bench will likely be “dripping in ice cream.”  That would give him a chuckle.
• Pine Street outrage, interrupted.  For the better part of a year, there’s been fear—felt and pushed—in public meetings of the MBTA Multifamily District Task Force and on social media that two adjoining properties on Pine Street, owned by Thomas Ford, will be leveled and replaced with an outsized residential building “like on “Rantoul Street!”  Not really, but from all the outrage online, it felt that way for neighbors of 32 and 34 Pine Street, located at the corner of Deer Hill Ave., who have become, quite understandably, concerned from all the chatter.  The two properties are in the MBTA Zoning overlay district that was approved by voters last fall, and when the properties were on Tuesday’s Planning Board agenda for an “ANR” (Application Not Required) application, speculation surged online.  Well, Tuesday produced far less fireworks than promised.  Far from a high-rise, the owner presented plans for 7-10 units between the two lots (which are allowed by right in the new district).  But, apparently, after a pre-meeting discussion with Manchester Town Planner Marc Resnick, the owner realized his plans were short on some required details.  After presenting the relatively modest project, he withdrew the application, without prejudice.  He will return to the board at a later date.
• MCC, interrupted.  A few weeks back, the stars seemed like they were aligning for the Town of Manchester to revisit its draft 2023 deal to lease the former Manchester Community Center building for use as a temporary Harbormaster office, ad hoc community center, and public restrooms.  Well, just three short weeks later, the space seems to have been leased to another party, the town has confirmed.  Stay tuned.
• Deputy Harbormaster’s return.  File this under “full circle.”  Manchester Harbormaster Bion Pike confirmed that as of Friday, Deputy Harbormaster Andy Vanikiotis has successfully completed months of required training at the Police Academy, and he will be returning to fulltime public safety work on the water this coming week.  Pike couldn’t be more thrilled.  “Manchester is so lucky to have Andy as a deputy,” he said.  Congratulations Andy.