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Town avoids primary election to fill vacant Select Board seat

Date: 3/5/2012

March 5, 2012

By Chris Maza

chrism@thereminder.com

LONGMEADOW — The town of Longmeadow will not need a primary election prior to its May 15 Special Town Election to fill a vacant seat on the Select Board.

Two candidates — Richard Foster and Mark Barowsky — have stepped forward and submitted nomination papers, which were certified on Feb. 29, Town Clerk Katherine Ingram told Reminder Publications. Whoever wins the seat would complete the remainder of former Selectman Christine Swanson, which expires in 2013.

Had a third candidate filed nomination papers, a primary would have been required to take place on April 17, costing the town an additional $9,100.

"Three residents took out papers, but only two returned them," Ingram said. "They have just been certified, so as long as neither of them withdraws their nomination, that is what the ballot will look like."

The deadline to withdraw from the race or submit an objection is 5 p.m. on March 15.

Foster is a member of the Capital Planning Committee, having served in that capacity for two years.

"With that position, I have had more interaction and have come into contact with the Select Board more than a regular citizen," he said. "I think I have seen more of the operational side of things."

A retired facility manager for the National Parks Service, Foster said the development of an "expanded vision for long-term planning for the community" is his primary focus.

"One of the top priorities has to be developing a long term plan, especially with the financial constraints this town is facing," he said. "We have to find a way to care the infrastructure in a town that is almost fully-developed residentially and lacks businesses to create a stable tax base. We can't keep going back to the taxpayers asking for more. We have to identify new revenue streams."

Barowsky is a long-time member of the Finance Committee, having served in that capacity since 2004, including two years as its chair, while also acting as a member of the Capital Planning Committee for two years.

"With that experience, I think I have a pretty good handle on what's going on it town," he said.

Barowsky said his involvement in the town's finances, as well as his experience as a small business owner will offer a unique perspective to the challenges of the town.

"They're all financial. It's always a question of having enough money to do the things that need to be done," he said. "I think my background on the Finance Committee is something that's lacking on [the Select Board]. I've also owned my own business for 22 years and have stayed debt free, so I think in terms of looking at things financially, I have a very good track record."

Barowsky agreed with Foster that home owners have had to bear the brunt of the town's financial needs.

"We have 5,500 households and a limited commercial base, so it's always been the homeowners who have been asked to belly up to the bar to pay for whatever the town needs," he said.

A Special Town Election became necessary after a citizen's petition was brought before the board requesting such action be taken in the wake of Swanson's resignation. By law, once a citizen's petition is presented, the town is obligated to host the election.

Swanson announced her intentions to resign due to her family's relocation to Savannah, Ga., in the fall of 2011, stating she would remain on the committee until her house sold or Jan. 1, whichever came first.

She officially resigned at the Jan. 3 Select Board meeting.



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