The town’s water department is in the midst of a $32 million overhaul of its treatment plants to remove forever chemicals from the water supply. It’s also looking for ways to find more capacity to unlock additional economic growth.
But there’s apparantly not much interest among Abington residents in helping oversee these efforts. Nobody is currently running for either of the two open seats on the town’s board of water commissioners.
As of now, Abington’s Annual Town Election ballot is going to be thin. Not a single seat up for election has a competitive race and several seats don’t even have a single candidate running.
Anyone interested in running for town office has until March 10 at 5 p.m. to turn nomination papers into the Town Clerk and earn a spot on the ballot. Candidates who decide to run after that date can do so by waging a write-in campaign.
Here’s a rundown of who is up for re-election and who has taken out nomination papers:
Select Board — Amanda Zompetti won a special election last September to fill a vacancy on the board, and is now running for a full three-year term. The Pilgrim Street resident has already returned her nomiation papers and will be on the ballot. Nobody else has taken out papers to run for the town’s executive board.
School Committee — Danielle Grafton will not seek a third term on the board. Caroline Ellis, of Hampton Way, is the only resident to take out nomination papers so far.
Planning Board — Robert Soper, of Reed Street, who has served on the board since 2002, is seeking a another term. He has already returned his nomination papers. Nobody else appears interested in running for the seat.
Board of Health — This board has two seats up for re-election, as well as a one-year unexpired term. Both incumbents — Aaron Christian, of High Street, and Katie Van Nest, of Colonial Road — have taken out nomination papers. No other candidates have declared their candidacy, and nobody has taken out nomination papers for the one-year term.
Board of Library Trustees — Three of the board’s nine seats are up for election. Incumbents Gerald Haas, of West Street, and Laura Brink, of Hancock Street, have already returned their nomination papers. The third seat is currently vacant; John Leahy has taken out nomination papers for the third seat.
Board of Assessors — Incumbent Ann Welch, of Highland Road, is seeking another term on the board. She currently does not have any opposition. UPDATE: Joe Shea has taken out papers for the vacant two-year seat on the board.
Housing Authority — The authority, which manages the town’s publicly owned housing units, currently has a vacant seat on the board. That seat, which is a five-year position, is up for election this year, but nobody has so far expressed interest in it.
Water Commissioners — Abington’s three water commissioners serve on the board of the Abington/Rockland Joint Water Works, which manages the town’s water supply. There is a three-year seat open and a one-year seat open. Commissioner John Manning passed away in August. If nobody runs for the seats, Abington will have just one water comissioner.
Sewer Commissioners — This five-member board sets sewer rates, licenses drainlayers, and approves connections to the wastewater system. Three seats are up for grabs, including two three-year terms, and an open one-year seat. Incumbents Mike Donovan, of Summit Road, and Leo Lane, of Blueberry Road, are interested in seeking reelection. Nobody has taken out papers for the one-year term.