Page 2 THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2021 Voters don’t have much choice – yet Only 11 candidates have pulled nomination papers for 10 top elective offices in town government with deadline set for 5 p.m. today By Mark E. Vogler T wo years ago the town elections featured a pair of hotly contested races: a dozen candidates running for the five Board of Selectmen seats and 10 other candidates aspiring to be among the five School Committee members elected. But on Wednesday (Sept. 8), it looked like the election ballot won’t be offering voters much of a choice for the two townwide contests in the November town election. “The 5 Incumbents of the School Committee as of today are the only people that pulled nomination papers,” Town Clerk Ellen J. Schena wrote in an email to The Saugus Advocate on Wednesday. Nobody else had expressed an interest in running against School Committee Chair Thomas R. Whittredge, Vice-Chair Ryan P. Fisher and Members Joseph “Dennis” Gould, Arthur Grabowski and John S. Hatch. There is slightly more interest in the Board of Selectmen race, but no new candidates had emerged this week by press deadline. As was the case last week, only six candidates had pulled nomination papers for selectman. They are Board of Selectmen Chair Anthony W. Cogliano Sr., Vice-Chair Corinne R. Riley, Selectmen Michael J. Serino and Debra C. Panetta and challengers Domenic Montano and Darren R. McCullough. Montano is a Saugus police officer who ran for selectman two years ago. McCullough is the animal control officer, an appointment he received from the selectmen. But Schena noted that there’s still time – though not much time – for the field of candidates to get much more crowded. “Friday SeptemPhoto by Matteo Catanese ber 10th is the last day to pull nomination papers. The Town Clerk’s Office will be open until 5 p.m.,” the town clerk said in her email to the paper. But the candidates who wait until the last minute to pick up their nomination papers will be scrambling over the weekend to gain enough signatures to get their names on the Nov. 2 election ballot. Next Tuesday (Sept. 14) at 5 p.m. is the deadline for candidates to VOTERS | SEE PAGE 8 We will never forget Today we remember the lives lost on September 11, 2001. We also want to honor the bravery of the first responders who risked their lives to save others. RUNNING AS A TEAM: Pictured from left to right: School Committee Chair Thomas R. Whittredge and Vice-Chair Ryan P. Fisher made a joint announcement that both will seek reelection. Despite expressing reservations last week about running for reelection, they said they don’t want to see Saugus Public Schools regress from the gains of recent years as it strives for academic improvements with new Superintendent of Schools Erin McMahon. (Courtesy photo to The Saugus Advocate) 419 BROADWAY, EVERETT MA 02149 61 7-38 7 - 1 1 10 7 7 1 SALEM ST, LYNNFIELD, MA 01940 7 8 1 - 7 7 6 - 4444 WWW.EVERETTBANK .COM Member FDIC | Member DIF
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