Candidates vie for Marblehead seats

MARBLEHEAD – Spirited May races for seats on the Board of Selectmen and School Committee are already heating up.With six weeks to go before the March 22 filing deadline, seven candidates have taken out nomination papers for the five available one-year seats on the Board of Selectmen and three have taken out papers for the two available three-year seats on the School Committee.Incumbent selectmen Jackie Belf-Becker, Judy Jacobi and James Nye face challenges from Michael Rockett, Rose Ann Wheeler McCarthy, Christopher Hartley and Karin Martin.Rockett has chaired two school building committees and McCarthy is an elected member of the Cemetery Commission. Hartley is a Leggs Hill Road resident who has been sharply critical of the town’s attempts to control neighborhood traffic since the opening of the new YMCA. Martin appeared before selectmen two years ago in regard to a neighborhood dispute, was greeted by what she calls "a code of silence" and promises to speak out if she is elected.Selectman William Woodfin had not taken out papers for re-election as of Thursday at 3 p.m. Selectman Harry Christensen has said that he is unlikely to run for re-election this year.Incumbent School Committee member Jonathan Lederman faces challenges from Jennifer Schaeffner, a high-level financial services sales manager and co-chair of the Special Education Advisory Council of Marblehead (SEACOM), and Kathy Leonardson, a five-year Finance Committee member and former co-president of the Marblehead League of Women Voters.Committee member Amy Drinker has said she has not decided whether to run for re-election.Town Clerk Robin Michaud said Thursday she plans to take out papers for her second three-year term.Incumbents Charles Nyren, Charles Osborne Jr., Linda Rice Collins and Derek Norcross have taken out papers for re-election to the Recreation and Parks Commission. Incumbent Sam Ganglani has not taken out papers yet.Other incumbents who have taken papers out include Gary Speiss, town moderator, Anne McCarthy, Board of Assessors, Helaine Hazlett, Board of Health, Robert Bryne, Housing Authority, Philip Sweeney and Maura Phelan Murnane, Trustees of Abbot Public Library, Calvin Crawford and Walter Homan, Municipal Light Commission and Wilbur Bassett and P. Carlton Siegel, Water and Sewer Commission.Appointee David Cashman has taken out papers for the remaining two years of a term on the Cemetery Commission. Incumbent Richard Coletti has not taken papers out yet.