Dan Albert, the town’s MBTA advisor and Select Board candidate, set himself apart from his opponents during the candidates’ forum hosted by the Marblehead League of Women Voters on May 21. Albert stood alone in his opposition to the MBTA zoning law, which failed to pass at the recent Town Meeting, arguing that it would do little to address the housing crisis and could lead to environmental damage.
CURRENT PHOTOS / WILL DOWD
“The reality is, we’re being lied to,” Albert said. “We’re told this is a solution to the housing crisis, one. Two, we’re told (by) Sustainable Marblehead people who got up and said, ‘Hey, this is good for the environment.’ The reality is it’s not … it’s more cars in town.”
Most of the other candidates, including incumbents Erin Noonan, Bret Murray and Moses Grader, along with challenger Dan Fox, supported holding a special town meeting to reconsider the issue, citing the potential loss of state funding for critical projects.
“I have to support a special town meeting,” Murray said. “This is money that we’ve given to the state. So, if we don’t pass this, this is money that’s not coming back to us.”
Fox agreed, noting the low turnout at the previous Town Meeting. “If you look in Marblehead, we have approximately 16,000 registered voters, there were 800 people at Town Meeting. That’s what, 5%?” he said.
Fox expressed support for the Planning Board’s work on the issue.
“The problem was that it wasn’t explained well,” he said. “I spent a lot of time looking at this, and I’m in real estate. It was confusing at Town Meeting on exactly what we’re voting for between amendments, people objecting and yelling at each other. We need to treat each other well and get to the facts, to the data.”
The forum, which featured five of the six candidates vying for five seats on the Select Board, saw the candidates outline their visions for the town’s future and clash over key issues, including the budget, infrastructure and zoning.
Noonan, seeking a fourth term on the board, emphasized the progress made over the past year, from the hiring of a new sustainability coordinator and establishing a department of planning and community development to starting the charter review process and adopting financial policies.
“We have a very strong team in place right now,” she said. “I just want to ensure that we keep the momentum moving on some of our priorities.”
Noonan also highlighted the board’s efforts to improve the town’s long-term financial health, citing ongoing meetings with the finance director and the development of a multi-year financial plan.
“Right now, in terms of advocacy, our number one priority is the long-term financial health of the town,” she said, adding that Finance Director Aleesha Benjamin is organizing “around starting this process next month.”
Murray, who like Noonan is a lawyer, touted his deep roots in the community and his commitment to giving back. He also discussed the board’s efforts to generate revenue without raising property taxes, such as exploring meals and lodging taxes and examining permit fees.
“We’re looking at ways we can generate revenue without taxing the citizens on their homes with the meals tax, the lodging tax, looking at permits,” Murray explained. “So we’re trying to squeeze every day.”
Grader, the third of four incumbents in the race, praised the Select Board’s ability to work collaboratively despite challenges.
“One of the biggest achievements was that the Select Board has really maintained our capacity throughout to work as a team,” Grader noted.
He also emphasized the board’s fiduciary responsibility and the need to inspire volunteers and maintain ordered governance.
“It’s really important to safeguard as a governing board with that unique (fiduciary) mandate…. It should not be a place for acrimony, partisanship,” Grader said. “We’re in the business of trying to inspire by inspiring volunteers.”
Fox called for greater community engagement and a more proactive approach to addressing the town’s challenges.
“We need to advocate this now. We need to get people involved,” he said. “We need to reach across to different boards beyond our control.”
Albert, in addition to his opposition to the MBTA zoning law, focused on pedestrian safety and holding officials accountable.
“I’m running because somebody needs to ask some questions,” Albert said. “Somebody needs to make sure the bureaucrats are doing their jobs,”
He also criticized the board’s handling of the budget, arguing that the town has been using debt and free cash to cover operating costs.
“We’ve issued debt to maintain our roads. So we’re basically using debt to cover operating costs. We continue to use free cash to cover operating costs,” Albert said. “So, it’s absolutely true that we have a fiduciary responsibility, but from what I see from the Select Board so far, nobody’s been responsible.”
Alexa Singer, the remaining candidate in the race, was unable to attend the forum due to a work conflict. In a statement read by the moderator, Singer emphasized her commitment to tackling the town’s challenges.
“I know the challenges facing Marblehead. I do my homework and listen to all sides. You need the right people at the table — and I am one of them,” she said.
At one point, the topic turned to the town administrator’s role in collective bargaining with the teachers union. Noonan, Murray, Fox and Grader supported the administrator’s participation, while Albert said it wasn’t his to decide.
“The town administrator’s job is not to bargain with the teachers,” he said. “The town administrator’s job is to carry out the will of the elected officials, and those elected officials in this case are the School Committee.”
Noonan countered, “[Kezer] has 30 collective bargaining agreements underneath his belt, including 12 with schools. I’ve made my position known, and I hope that going forward that he is at that table with the union negotiators.”
The candidates also discussed their plans for overseeing the various boards, commissions and committees to which the Select Board appoints members. After last year’s election, some members expressed discomfort in appointing volunteers without some vetting.
Grader advocated for a balanced approach, respecting the time and effort of volunteers while also encouraging fresh ideas and turnover when necessary.
“We can probably do a lot more to let the chairs of these committees know that we expect that the folks that are on the boards that aren’t doing a great job or not attending, but they should move over and let new volunteers come in,” Grader said. “But having said that, I mean, volunteers, that is a very delicate thing. Because you don’t want to discourage people from stepping up as well.”
Albert, on the other hand, called for a more aggressive approach, suggesting that many of the volunteer committees should be eliminated.
“Get rid of as many of these volunteer committees as possible,” Albert said. “We have, for example, the Moderator’s Committee to Study the Financial Impact of Article 44. Why do I need to appoint somebody to that committee?”
As a result of a vote at the 2023 Town Meeting and subsequent passage of a home-rule petition, the top two vote-getters for the Select Board in the June 11 election will receive three-year terms, the next two will get two-year terms and the fifth-place finisher will serve for one year.
Rec and Parks forum
The night also featured a forum for the Recreation and Parks Commission, where five of the six candidates vying for five open seats shared their visions for the town’s parks and recreation facilities. Three candidates participated in person: current commissioners Karin Ernst and Linda Rice Collins and newcomer Richard Jordan. Incumbents Shelly Bedrossian and Rossanna Ferrante were unable to attend but submitted written remarks. Incumbent Matthew Martin did not participate in the forum.
Political newcomer Jordan said his experience with the town’s parks and programs inspired him to run.
“I grew up here in town, and we were fortunate enough to participate in a lot of programs that the town has to offer,” he said.
If elected, Jordan pledged to focus on improving facilities like Green Street Park, which he noted is used by schools and residents but “needs some work.”
Jordan, who runs two marine-related businesses, said he supports measures to increase revenue, such as reviewing usage fees, but stressed “we don’t want to exclude people from participating.” He also called for better signage at all town parks.
Ernst, seeking a second term, pointed to her work on initiatives to address demand for pickleball and generate additional beach revenue to fund janitorial services at the community center. While acknowledging budget constraints, she expressed confidence in the passion of parks and recreation staff.
“We have to do what we can do with what we have,” she said.
Rice-Collins, an incumbent since 1998, cited her education background and previous work on issues like organic land management, Memorial Park renovations and the town dog park. She said her priorities include expanding program offerings, improving transparency of commission meetings and finances, and completing ongoing projects.
“I believe I have the credentials and background to help the Recreation and Parks Department expand our offerings and provide safe playing surfaces, parks, trails, courts and beaches,” Rice-Collins said.
In her statement, Bedrossian highlighted her business acumen and policy-focused approach, including leading a beaches working group that projects raising at least $50,000 in additional revenue this year. She also co-led a racquet sports group that analyzed municipal pickleball and tennis facilities and implemented a scheduling system and maintenance standards.
Ferrante wrote in her statement, “We are going deeper into scrutinizing the financial aspects of how projects are run and find opportunities for more revenue.
On the growing popularity of pickleball, Ernst said the commission developed a court scheduling policy that considers “what’s best for the town and the neighbors” while still providing ample playing time.
Regarding the town dog park located off Lime Street, Rice-Collins said she has been working with the dog park committee chair to obtain parking spaces and an access road, and to identify new gate and ground surface materials. Ernst agreed the park needs improvements but said resurfacing should wait until access issues are resolved.
Laura Gallant returned nomination papers for the Marblehead Housing Authority but missed the deadline to withdraw her name, effectively ceding the race to Kristin duBay Horton.
Polls will be open Tuesday, June 11, 7 a.m.-8 p.m.
