York Town News
Get nomination papers now for Board of Selectmen and other elections in May
By Jennifer L. Saunders
YORK - With the unexpected resignation of Selectman Torbert Macdonald, Jr., last week due to illness, discussions of the upcoming May election have come to the forefront in town.Exactly when nomination papers to fill Macdonald's seat will be made available depends on the Board of Selectmen's next meeting, scheduled for this Monday, Feb. 26, explained Town Clerk Mary-Anne Szeniawski, as the selectmen must formally accept Macdonald's resignation and announce the vacancy to fill his post.
"A vacancy actually has to occur before they call for the election," Szeniawski explained last week.
Macdonald's resignation letter stated he would resign upon the election of a replacement. He has resigned due to his ongoing battle with Lyme disease.
Macdonald explained last week that he was under the impression he could serve out the remainder of his term, as much as his health will allow, after announcing his decision to resign. Macdonald said his goal was to continue to serve the town until he could see the remainder of his unexpired term filled at the May election. That way, he said, the town would be spared the cost of a special election.
Szeniawski confirmed there is time to include Macdonald's term with a full set of other offices to be decided at the polls in May. The question that is being explored is whether or not he can continue to serve until that date. Szeniawski said her understanding is that the town's charter requires the seat to be vacant before nomination papers can be circulated.
If the selectmen call for the special election on Monday, she said, those papers will be available for the public on Feb. 27 and the vacancy will be included on the May ballot.
In the meantime, she said, papers are currently available for a full set of other seats on various town boards and committees.
Selectman Len Dorrian's term expires at the May election, as do the York School Committee terms currently held by Chairwoman Patty Hymanson and Mary-Jane Merrill. On the Budget Committee, three-year terms currently held by Chairman Greg Orso and Rudy Freitag will also end at the election.
Other races to be decided will be for the town treasurer's post, currently held by Margaret McIntosh, and a five-year term each on the York Water District Board of Trustees and York Sewer District Board of Trustees. Those posts are currently held by Ed Walsh and Robert Hoyt, respectively.
As of Tuesday afternoon, Feb. 20, McIntosh was the only candidate to have taken papers out. If she returns those papers, she will be included on the ballot to seek another term as treasurer in May.
Those interested in seeking election to any of the posts may pick up nomination papers at the Town Clerk's Office at Town Hall during regular business hours. Papers, with the required number of signatures, are due back no later than April 4 for candidates to be included in the May election.
For more information, call 363-1003.
