School Committee May Have Only Contested Race in Watertown Election

The deadline for candidates to enter the race for town offices is Thursday, July 28, and it appears the only contested race in the Novermber Town Election may be for School Committee.

Veteran Watertown politician Clyde Younger appears to be out of the race for Town Council. He had pulled papers to run for either Council President or District D Councilor, but he told the Watertown Tab this week that he would not be running for the council.

As of Tuesday at 11 a.m., Town Council President Mark Sideris is the only candidates for that position.

At large councilors, who are elected by the entire town, have four incumbents, and three have had their papers certified by the Clerk’s office – Susan Falkoff, Anthony Palomba and John Donohue. Steve Corbett, the Town Council Vice President has pulled papers and said ge plans to submit them.

There are also four district councilors, representing different sections of town. Three incumbents have pulled papers – Angeline Kounelis in District A, Cecilia Lenk in District B, Vincent Piccirilli in District C. Kounelis and Piccirilli have had their signatures certified and Lenk said she will be submitting the signature sheets by the deadline.

In District D, incumbent John Lawn was elected to the Legislature, as the state representative from the 10th Middlesex District. He will step down, and as of now, newcomer Kenneth Woodland is the only person who has had his papers certified.

Three School Committee members are up for reelection: Anthony Paolillo, Eileen Hsu-Balzer and Christopher Beach. Beach and Hsu-Balzer have pulled papers, but Paolillo announced he will not be running for reelection. None has had their signatures certified, as of Tuesday at 11 a.m.

Challengers Michael Shepard, Julie McMahon and David M. Stokes have pulled papers, but none have had their signatures certified.

The third board with elected officials is the Library Board of Trustees. Three incumbents will have their terms expire: Michael J. Hanlon Jr., Katherine Button and Timothy Tracy. All took out papers, and Hanlon and Button got their papers certified.

The deadline to have signatures certified by the Town Clerk’s office is at 5 p.m. on Thursday, July 28.