The deadline to qualify for the Annual Town Election ballot has closed and there will be just one competitive race this spring: a 1-year term for Water Commissioner.
But that’s not the only decision of consequence Abington voters will have to weigh in on. In fact, the ballot will contain two major policy questions: an override to pay for the South Shore Vocational Technical High School, and changes to the Abington Town Charter.
Town Election Day is Saturday, April 26. Polls will be open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Everyone votes at the Beaver Brook Elementary School.
Here are the candidates for the seats up for election:
- Select Board: Amanda Zompetti (incumbent)
- School Committee: Caroline Ellis
- Planning Board: Robert Soper (incumbent)
- Board of Health: 3-year terms–Aaron Christian, Katherine VanNest (incumbents); 1-year unexpired term–Carol Dolan
- Library Trustees: Gerard Haas (incumbent), Laura Brink (incumbent), John Leahy
- Sewer Commission: 3-year terms–Leo Lane and Michael Donovan (incumbents); 1-year term–no candidate
- Water Commissioners: 3-year term–Donald Harrington; 1-year term–John Tassinari (incumbent), Amanda Hunter
- Assessors: 3-year term–Ann Welch; 2-year unexpired term–Joseph Shea
- Housing Authority: No candidate.
Override ballot question
Local voters in January overwhelmingly approved spending $276 million on a new South Shore Vo-Tech High School. Now towns have to figure out how to pay its annual share. The ballot question will actually lack an exact dollar figure, because the town’s share may fluctuate over the years depending on school enrollment. It’s estimated that Abington’s share will average about $1 million annually. Town leaders are asking voters to approve a debt exclusion override otherwise it will have to cut $1 million from the town budget elsewhere. A document posted by the school estimates that the new project will add more than $200 to the average Abington home’s annual tax bill. Overrides must be approved by a two-thirds margin.
Town charter changes
Town Meeting last year approved 15 amendments to the town charter recommended by the Charter Review Committee. Now they have to be ratified at the ballot box. (The changes could also be ratified through a special act of the Legislature, however Abington chose to go the Town Election route after the last round of changes in 2014 took more than two years to be enacted by the House and Senate.) The amendments include updating the Board of Selectmen to the Select Board; encouraging town committees to adopt rules that improve public outreach and participation; making changes in the way vacancies are filled on elected boards; adjusting the town budget writing timeline; and allow the police department to drop out of the state civil service program, among others..
The last day to register to vote for the Town Election is Wednesday, April 16.