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23 seats up for grabs
The June 11 town election will see 23 seats across a dozen different boards, commissions and committees up for grabs. These include the following:
— Select Board: Five seats
— Board of Assessors: One seat (three-year term)
— School Committee: One seat (three-year term)
— Board of Health: One seat (three-year term)
— Moderator: One seat (one-year term)
— Cemetery Commission: One seat (three-year term)
— Housing Authority: One seat (five-year term)
— Trustees of Abbot Public Library: Two seats (three-year terms)
— Planning Board: Two seats (five-year terms)
— Recreation and Park Commission: Five seats (one-year terms)
— Water and Sewer Commission: One seat (three-year term)
— Marblehead Municipal Light Commission: Two seats (three-year terms)
Here is a list of those who’ve pulled papers:
— Incumbent Jack Attridge (Town moderator)
— Dan Albert and incumbent Bret Murray, (Select Board)
— Incumbent Janet Merrill (Cemetery Commission)
— John G. DiPiano and incumbent Alfred Williams (School Committee)
— David F. Ross, Jr. and John G. Williams, both incumbents (Library Board of Trustees)
— Incumbent Adam Robert Smith (Light Commission)
—Dr. Thomas A. Massaro (Board of Health)
—Incumbent Barton Hyte (Planning Board)
— Linda Rice Collins, Shelly Bedrossian, Rossana Ferrante and Karin Ernst, all incumbents (Recreation and Parks Commission)
Candidates must submit a written request and obtain 50 signatures from registered Marblehead voters by April 22 at 5 p.m. To learn more, visit: tinyurl.com/mr3pwm78
To register to vote or change party enrollment, complete a voter registration form in person, by mail or online at RegisterToVoteMA.com.
Festival of the Arts calls for art
The Festival of the Arts is calling for art entries from April 1 to June 14 at 10 p.m. Eligible artists residing, working or belonging to an art association in Essex County can submit their original artwork for juried exhibits. Separate categories are available for youth and student art open to Marblehead residents or non-residents attending school or classes in Marblehead. Awards will be distributed in each category on July 3 at 6 p.m. at Abbot Hall. Artists are invited to enter across multiple categories. Visit tinyurl.com/5e5p4bt8 to learn more
Cecropia Strong to host second annual benefit
Cecropia Strong, a Marblehead-based charity, will host its second annual benefit on Thursday, April 18, at The Landing Restaurant to raise money for therapeutic riding grants at Windrush Farm in North Andover. The event, scheduled from 5:30 p.m.-9 p.m., will feature a silent auction. For more information, visit cecropiastrong.org or contact Cecropia Strong at info@cecropiastrong.org.
MAA Arts Scholarship
The Marblehead Arts Association is awarding a scholarship to one high school student with plans to continue the study of art.
Applicants must submit the following:
— The general application form
— Five print-outs of artwork (any medium)
— Resume and cover letter
— Any other supporting documents from an art portfolio
The deadline for submission is April 7 at 11:59 p.m. Learn more at tinyurl.com/2b7md8y8.
Colonial Craft Fair
The Marblehead Museum will hold its 1st annual Colonial Craft Fair on Saturday, April 20, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Visitors can stroll through the gardens of the Jeremiah Lee Mansion and meet skilled artisans and historic reenactors as they demonstrate crafts from 300 years ago.
Visitors can learn how shoes were made by a master shoemaker, try their hand at copperplate printing, watch a cook prepare Colonial dishes and more. Tickets for museum members are $10 per person or $25 per family, and tickets for the public are $15 per person or $40 per family. Children 3 and under are free. All tickets can be purchased at the door.
Abbot Library offers tax counseling service
Registration is open for the Tax Counseling for the Elderly Program offered by AARP at the Abbot Library. The free tax preparation service will be held on Mondays through April 8.
Appointments are required. Call the library at 781-631-1481 during open hours to sign up. Tax forms are now available in the Reference Room.
The TCE program provides basic tax return preparation for low- to moderate-income taxpayers, with a focus on seniors. Participants do not need to be AARP members or meet an age requirement.
For more information, visit abbotlibrary.org/tax-prep-program or email the library at mar@noblenet.org.
ClearGov is live
Residents now have online access to more of the town’s financial information via the ClearGov Transparency Center at bit.ly/3Oi07pF. It’s part of the town’s new cloud-based financial software system.
