Page 16 THE MALDEN ADVOCATE–Friday, October 31, 2025 VOTE | FROM PAGE 1 tee members, one in each Ward. Turnout numbers will be difficult to gauge, particularly with the absence of a mayoral race. The Councillor-at-Large race is expected to generate interest and more voters than the usual 18-22 percent expected in most non-mayor’s race years. There is no mayoral election in the 2025 cycle, as longtime Mayor Gary Christenson was reelected to a record fourth consecutive four-year team in 2023 and still has two full years remaining on his present term. Should he choose to seek reelection to an also unprecedented fifth four-year term, that would be his choice for the 2027 municipal election. There are six candidates for Councillor-at-Large: three incumbents and three challengers. In the order of listing on the ballot, incumbents Karen Colón Hayes, Carey McDonald and Craig Spadafora are all seeking reelection. Challengers are Mohammad Abu-Taha and Solomon Davidoff, both political newcomers, and Michelle Luong, who is a former School Committee member. Colón Hayes and McDonald are each seeking a third twoyear term, Spadafora was first elected in 2003 and is seeking his 12th consecutive term, as one of the longest serving Councillors-at-Large in Malden history. There are contested City Councillor races in Ward 1 and Ward 6 in this election. In Ward 1, incumbent Peg Crowe is seeking reelection to an eighth consecutive term and is being challenged by political newcomer Brynn Garrity. In Ward 6, incumbent City Councillor Stephen Winslow seeks his third term for reelection facing off in a rematch from the 2023 election against Jerry Leone, a former Ward 6 School Committee member. All other City Councillor incumbents are running unopposed and will be reelected Tuesday: Paul Condon (Ward 2), the longest-serving Ward City Councillor in Malden history, City Council President Amanda Linehan (Ward 3) and Councillors Ryan O’Malley (Ward 4), Ari Taylor (Ward 5), Chris Simonelli (Ward 7) and Jadeane Sica (Ward 8). There are three contested School Committee races: in Ward 1, Ward 4 and Ward 7. Incumbent Ward 4 School Committee member Dawn Macklin, in her second term, won a preliminary election challenge from two challengers. She finished first in a close race and will face off against Abeer A. Annab of Mountain Avenue, who finished second in the preliminary election. Another incumbent School Committee member being challenged on Tuesday is longtime rep Michael Drummey, of Oxford Street in Ward 1. He will face off against political newcomer Kimberly M. Gillette of 7 Tufts St. A third contested School Committee race is in Ward 7, where incumbent Keith Bernard of Almont Street is seeking reelection to a third term. He is being challenged by Nichole Dawn Mossalam of Essex Street. Peter T. Piazza, of 1 Manley TerLIMITED POWERS OF APPOINTMENTS n the context of an irrevocable trust, a provision can be included to provide for much more flexibility insofar as ultimate distribution of trust assets is concerned. A limited or special power of appointment provision can be incorporated into the document to allow the Settlor (sometimes referred to as Donor or Grantor) of the trust to effectively change which beneficiaries will ultimately receive the principal of the trust and can also decide upon the timing of those distributions. It should be noted that MassHealth hearing officers, Superior Court judges and Appellate Court judges are of the opinion that reserving such a power in an irrevocable trust does not taint the trust and result in I the assets being “countable” for MassHealth eligibility purposes. The Trustee of an irrevocable income only Trust may also have the power to “appoint” the trust principal to a class of individuals consisting of the Settlors children or other issue, such as grandchildren or great grandchildren. Appointing assets is equivalent to distributing assets. Therefore, the Trustee of such a Trust could appoint any portion of the trust principal to a descendant of the Settlor of the Trust. For MassHealth purposes, if at all possible, it would certainly make sense for the Trustee to not exercise such power of appointment until five years have elapsed since the assets were first transferred to the irrevocable trust. It should also be noted that once the assets of the trust are appointed to a son or daughter, for example, that son or daughter is legally free to do whatever he or she wants to do with those assets. A limited power of appointment provision in an irrevocable Trust can also be exercised via the Settlor’s Last Will and Testament by including the necessary provision in the Last Will and Testament itself and then submitting it to the probate court and having it allowed upon the Settlor’s death. If the Settlor of the irrevocable trust decides down the road that he or she would rather distribute assets of the Trust to some or all of the grandchildren, the limited power of appointment provision will allow for that flexibility. If the Settlor had a falling out with a son or daughter, the Settlor could effectively disinherit that son or daughter by appointing the trust principal to the Settlor’s other children via his or her Last Will and Testament. Such a provision provides a substantial amount of control over the ultimate distribution of the Settlor’s estate. The limited power of appointment is “limited” because the Settlor cannot appoint any of the trust principal to the Settlor’s estate, the Settlor’s creditors, or the creditors of the Settlor’s estate. Joseph D. Cataldo is an estate planning/elder law attorney, Certified Public Accountant, Certified Financial Planner, AICPA Personal Financial Specialist and holds a master’s degree in taxation. race, is running unopposed for Ward 6 School Committee and will be reelected to replace outgoing three-term member Joseph Gray, the only incumbent in either body not seeking reelection. Incumbent School Committee Vice Chairperson Jennifer Spadafora (Ward 3) and members Robert McCarthy Jr. (Ward 2), Elizabeth J. Hortie (Ward 5), Keith E. Bernard (Ward 7) and Sharyn Rose-Zeiberg (Ward 8) are all running unopposed and will be reelected in Tuesday’s election. *** Where to vote in Malden on Election Day Following are the locations of Malden polling places to vote on Tuesday, November 4 WARD 1 Ward 1, Precinct 1 — Ferryway School Cafeteria, 150 Cross St. Ward 1, Precinct 2 — Ferryway School Cafeteria, 150 Cross St. Ward 1, Precinct 3 — Ferryway School Cafeteria, 150 Cross St. WARD 2 Ward 2, Precinct 1 — Community Room, 189 Pearl St. Ward 2, Precinct 2 — Irish American, Main Hall (left), 177 West St. Ward 2, Precinct 3 — Irish American, Main Hall (right), 177 West St. WARD 3 Ward 3, Precinct 1 — Beebe School, K-4 Gym, 401 Pleasant St. Ward 3, Precinct 1A — Beebe School, K-4 Gym, 401 Pleasant St. Ward 3, Precinct 2 — Beebe School, Music Room, 401 Pleasant St. Ward 3, Precinct 3 — Beebe School, Music Room, 401 Pleasant St. WARD 4 Ward 4, Precinct 1 — Early Learning Center (ELC) Gym (left), 257 Mountain Ave. Ward 4,Precinct 2 — Senior Center, Auditorium, 17 Washington St. Ward 4, Precinct 3 — ELC Gym (right), 257 Mountain Ave. WARD 5 Ward 5, Precinct 1 — Salemwood School Fieldhouse Cafeteria (left), 529 Salem St. Ward 5, Precinct 2 — Forestdale School Cafeteria (left), 74 Sylvan St. Ward 5, Precinct 3 — Forestdale School Cafeteria (center), 74 Sylvan St. Ward 5, Precinct 3A — Forestdale School Cafeteria (right), 74 Sylvan St. WARD 6 Ward 6, Precinct 1 — 630 Salem St. Community Room, 630 Salem St. Ward 6, Precinct 2 — Club 24, Members Room, 787 Salem St. Ward 6, Precinct 3 — Malden Moose, Main Hall, 562 Broadway WARD 7 Ward 7, Precinct 1 — Ferryway School, Library Lobby, 150 Cross St. Ward 7, Precinct 2 — DAV Building, 85 Willow St. Ward 7, Precinct 3 — Suffolk Manor, Community Room, 312 Bryant St. Ward 7, Precinct 3A — Suffolk Manor, Community Room, 312 Bryant St. WARD 8 Ward 8, Precinct 1 — Linden School Cafeteria (left), 29 Wescott St. Ward 8, Precinct 2 — Linden School, Cafeteria (center), 29 Wescott St. Ward 8, Precinct 3 — Linden School, Cafeteria (right), 29 Wescott St. Subscribe to the Advocate Online! www.advocatenews.net
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