Politics - Marblehead Current

Marblehead’s 2023 election saw highest turnout in years

25Jun

By Will DowdNo Comments

Local History, Local News, Municipal Matters, Politics, Top Stories, Uncategorized

Marblehead’s 2023 election saw highest turnout in years

Marblehead witnessed its highest voter participation in approximately a dozen years on June 20. Out of 16,315 registered voters, 6,613 cast their ballots, a 40.5% turnout — 4.5% higher than last year. As the result of a 2019 Town Meeting warrant article, the annual town election was moved from May to June, and turnout has been up since the change took effect in 2020. “My main motivation back in 2019 was to combine the two elections [voting to elect leaders and referendums on proposed Proposition 2 1/2 overrides] into one to increase voter turnout,” said Walter Horan, the sponsor of the warrant article. "So, I'm thrilled with the turnout." From the 1970s until 2019, Marblehead's town elections took place a week after Town Meeting. If Town Meeting approved an override, a speci...

Changes coming to School Committee amid budget crisis

20Jun

By Leigh BlanderNo Comments

Local News, Marblehead Public Schools, Municipal Matters, Politics, Top Stories, Town Election Guide, Uncategorized

Changes coming to School Committee amid budget crisis

Voters sent two familiar faces to the School Committee, as the district is forced to cut 30-plus positions and several programs with the failure of the tax override. Jenn Schaeffner (a former School Committee member) and former Glover School Principal Brian Ota beat incumbent Sarah Gold and Paul Baker. Schaeffer won 3,052 votes and Ota 2,497. Gold received 2,390 votes and Baker received 2,262. Former Glover School Principal Brian Ota will join the School Committee. Jenn Schaeffner is returning to the School Committee. "I'm very excited," Ota told the Current moments after initial results were reported. "The School Committee has its work cut out for it. We have to do a deep dive, a poll to the town to find out why the last two override requests failed." Ota said the district wi...

Marblehead voters head to polls to decide tax override, candidate races

20Jun

By Leigh BlanderNo Comments

Education, Local News, Marblehead Public Schools, Municipal Matters, Politics, Public safety, Top Stories, Town Election Guide

Marblehead voters head to polls to decide tax override, candidate races

Marblehead voters are heading to the polls today, June 20, deciding a $2.5 million permanent tax override, along with several hotly-contested races for Select Board, School Committee, Board of Health and more. Override supporters say the tax increase is necessary to fund dozens of town positions in the schools, public safety and public works, along with programs. Critics say the town has mismanaged its finances and should live within its means. Read more about the override debate here. For a complete election rundown, check out the Current’s 2023 Election Guide at marbleheadcurrent.org/election2023. The Guide includes a tax override calculator to help residents determine the impact of the override on their individual tax bill. The polls will be open June 20, 7 a.m. to...

Armini, Singer testify on safety of EV charging stations

14Jun

By Colin A. YoungNo Comments

Beacon Hill, Environment, Local News, Municipal Matters, Politics, Top Stories, Uncategorized

Armini, Singer testify on safety of EV charging stations

Marblehead Select Board member Alexa Singer got an up-close look at the network of electric vehicle charging stations in Massachusetts last fall, and the professional pilot and aviation educator came away horrified. Marblehead Select Board member Alexa Singer, left, and State Rep. Jennifer Armini offered testimony atop Beacon Hill on Wednesday. COURTESY PHOTO / STATE REP. JENNIFER ARMINI “Imagine unlocking your car, getting out in the pouring rain with an umbrella as there is no shelter overhead, you have your credit card, your cellphone, your keys in hand; you’re trying to start the charger, looking at a tiny little screen with your back to your vehicle. You have to insert and replace the charger multiple times, still trying to hold that umbrella.” She continued: “Now it’...

Marblehead Current launches override calculator

9Jun

By Leigh BlanderNo Comments

Local News, Marblehead Public Schools, Municipal Matters, Politics, Public safety, real estate, Top Stories, Town Election Guide

Marblehead Current launches override calculator

Marblehead voters head to the polls on June 20 to approve or reject a $2.5 million permanent override and elect many town leaders. It has been 18 years since Marblehead has approved a general override. Launching today within its comprehensive Election Guide, the Marblehead Current is including an override calculator which allows residents to input their property's estimated value and learn their additional tax burden should the override be approved. The calculator, created by Marblehead resident and web developer Ed Lewis, shows additional taxes for year one, and also quarterly within that year. Unlike a debt-exclusion (temporary) override, which comes off the rolls once a building or project is paid for, a general override becomes a permanent part of the tax base. This means the...

Current launches its comprehensive Election Guide

31May

By Leigh BlanderNo Comments

About Us, Community resources, Local News, Marblehead Public Schools, Municipal Matters, Politics, Public safety, Top Stories

Current launches its comprehensive Election Guide

Marblehead voters head to the polls on June 20 to approve or reject a $2.5 million permanent override and elect many town leaders. The Marblehead Current has got you covered with its comprehensive Election Guide that features up-to-date information on the override question and races for Select Board, School Committee, Board of Health, Recreation and Parks Commission, Light Commission and Abbot Public Library Board of Trustees. You'll find news articles, candidate Q&As and statements, editorials and letters to the editors, plus clips of the League of Women Voters of Marblehead's candidate's forum, courtesy of Marblehead TV. Find the Election Guide HERE. The Current will accept election-related letters to the editors until 5 p.m. on Friday, June 9, for our print edition and 5 p.m...

MHS alum to premiere political thriller at Warwick during reunion

30May

By Leigh BlanderNo Comments

Art, Culture, Education, Local News, Marblehead Public Schools, Politics, Top Stories

MHS alum to premiere political thriller at Warwick during reunion

Coming home for your 50th high school reunion can be a little intimidating. Less so for Greg Newberry, who will be premiering a film he wrote, produced and directed at the Warwick Cinema the same weekend as his Marblehead High reunion. A poster for Greg Newberry's movie. It will premiere at the Warwick on June 3. COURTESY PHOTOS The Warwick will screen “Who is Amos Otis?” on Saturday, June 3, at 1 p.m., followed by a Q&A with Newberry. Newberry now lives in Cincinnati where — when he’s not making movies — he works in advertising. “This will be the film’s first screening in a theater,” Newberry said. “It’s fitting that it’s at the Warwick, where I was schooled on film growing up.” Newberry remembers watching classics like “The Godfather” and “Cool Hand Luke” at the Warw...

Discord among Select Board aired over COVID relief funds

24May

By Will DowdNo Comments

Education, Local News, Municipal Matters, Politics

Discord among Select Board aired over COVID relief funds

Members of the Marblehead Select Board recently expressed conflicting views regarding its allocation of the town's remaining $3.3 million in federal COVID relief funds from the American Reinvestment Plan Act (ARPA). During a public meeting on May 10, these contrasting opinions arose as the Select Board considered, and ultimately approved, two ARPA funding requests worth $93,513 for the Marblehead Public Schools. These proposals were the most recent recommendations from an ARPA working group chaired by Town Administrator Thatcher Kezer. Marblehead Select Board members Alexa Singer and Erin Noonan believe the town should revisit criteria established to guide decision making around federal COVID relief funds. CURRENT PHOTO / NICOLE GOODHUE BOYD ‘Circumstances have changed’ The wo...

Gov. Healey signs Marblehead’s election-lottery bill

12May

By Will DowdNo Comments

Local News, Municipal Matters, Politics, Top Stories, Uncategorized

Gov. Healey signs Marblehead’s election-lottery bill

Gov. Maura Healey signed a home-rule petition on Wednesday that establishes a lottery process that will determine the order of candidates listed on town election ballots in Marblehead. With Gov. Maura Healey's signature on Wednesday, Mablehead officially joined Massachusetts communities with a lottery process that determines the order of candidates listed on town election ballots. COURTESY PHOTO / OFFICE OF THE HEALEY-DRISCOLL ADMINISTRATION The Massachusetts House and Senate gave their final approval to the proposed legislation last week. The bill originated as a citizen petition passed as Article 39 at Marblehead Town Meeting in 2022. The bill will require Town Clerk Robin Michaud to hold a lottery for each race, drawing the names of all qualified candidates to determine their ...

On Town Meeting’s final night, voters endorse remote access, transparency

4May

By Will Dowd, Kris Olson and Leigh BlanderNo Comments

Local News, Municipal Matters, Politics, Top Stories

On Town Meeting’s final night, voters endorse remote access, transparency

After three nights of sometimes raucous discussion, Town Meeting wrapped up on May 3 with votes to form a Traffic Safety Committee, urge town committees and boards to make meetings more accessible and transparent, and to create standard operating procedures manuals for the Select Board and regulatory boards and commissions. “Let’s write it down, let’s follow it to the best of our knowledge,” said School Committee Chair Sarah Fox who spoke in favor of Article 54, sponsored by the Marblehead group PowerUp, to create manuals. “It will help volunteerism in this town. The more people know what a board does, the more likely they will get involved.” A much smaller crowd at Town Meeting's third night. CURRENT PHOTOS / LEIGH BLANDER It took an extra 30 minutes to get the 300-resident quo...