This fall’s Watertown Town Election could feature contested race for almost every position on the Town Council and School Committee, and possibly a preliminary election in September.
With several hot-button issues in town these days – development, the firefighters contract, and the schools (among others) – dozens of potential candidates have taken out papers to run for town office in the Nov. 3 election.
Town Clerk John Flynn said this is the most people he has seen interested in running for office in Watertown for several years.
“It’s been a while. The last preliminary election we had was on Sept. 11, 2001 for District B Councilor,” said Flynn, who added that that was for an open seat.
A preliminary election is held when there is at least one more than double the number of seats up for election – so if three seats are up and seven people run there would be a preliminary. The date for the preliminary election would be Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2015.
The biggest group is for at-large Town Councilor, for which nine people have pulled papers and if all run it would require a preliminary election.
District B Councilor also could require a preliminary vote, with up to four people running for one spot.
The only race with only one person running is for District A Town Council.
All the incumbent Town Council and School Committee members have pulled papers to run for re-election. An open seat may be available on the Library Board of Trustees, Flynn said.
Candidates must collect 100 signatures from registered voters to get their name on the ballot, Flynn said. Candidates for At Large Councilor can not get more than than 50 signatures from one district (there are four, each made up of three precincts), and District Council candidates must get 100 signatures from their district, he added.
No candidates have yet turned in all of their papers. There could be more coming too, with the deadline for filing not being until July 28, 2015.
Here are the names of those who have pulled papers (note, some have pulled for more than one seat) Incumbents marked with (I):
Town Council President (one seat)
- Mark Sideris (I)
- Robert MacCarthy
Councilor At-Large (four seats)
- Kevin MacDonald
- Aaron Dushku (I)
- Wayne Clarke
- Patryce Georgopoulos
- Michael Dattoli
- Susan Falkoff (I)
- Tony Palomba (I)
- Patricia Van Dinter
- Stephen Corbett (I)
District A Councilor (one seat)
- Angeline Kounelis (I)
District B Councilor (one seat)
- Kevin MacDonald
- Lisa Feltner
- Cecilia Lenk (I)
- Patricia Van Dinter
District C Councilor (one seat)
- Rossella Mercuri
- Vincent Piccirilli (I)
District D Councilor (one seat)
- Kenneth Woodland (I)
- Bob McCarthy
- Mark Pettiglio
School Committee (three seats)
- Michael Shepard (I)
- Eileen Hsu-Balzer (I)
- Candace Miller
- Julie McMahon (I)
- Kendra Medville Foley
Library Board of Trustees (three seats)
- Michael Hanlon (I)
- Timothy Tracy (I)
I listened to wht I could of the meeting held @t the Town Hall of the logo. I couldn’t hear everything ’cause maybe my end isn’t clear or video wasn’t. I enjoyed seeing the large room & just brings back the fine memories I have attending Wat East & High School & living there then. There is so much to learn of this subject. I hope we keep the logo but I also hope it doesn’t offend anyone. I didn’t hear any comments from Native Americans that oppose.
Looking forward to some follow up, asking where the various candidates stand on different issues: the fire fighters contract, the mascot for school athletics, etc. I might be in the minority but personally I’d love to see some curb extensions and bike lanes on Mt Auburn St. Watertown could be a safer place to walk or ride a bike.