The Vineyard can expect to see a handful of new municipal leaders when annual town elections roll around this spring.
Three sitting select board members have decided to step down this year, creating rare chances for non-incumbents to enter the political scene.
Oak Bluffs will have two openings, with board members Brian Packish and Ryan Ruley both deciding to not run for reelection at the end of their term this year. Chilmark will also have a new member, with Warren Doty stepping down after eight consecutive terms.
Mark Leonard, Dion Alley and Thomas Hallahan have all filed nomination papers in Oak Bluffs for the two seats on the five-member board. So far, real estate agent Russell Maloney and retired school administrator Marie Larsen are running for Doty’s spot. Nomination papers are due back on March 8.
Mr. Packish, a former planning board member, and Mr. Ruley, an Edgartown cop, both announced in December that they wouldn’t be running again.
Mr. Leonard, who retired to the Vineyard about seven years ago after a career in the Army and a life of consulting in Washington, D.C., has served on the town’s affordable housing committee.
Mr. Alley, a Navy veteran and semi-retired technology executive, ran against select board member Gail Barmakian last year and lost narrowly by a handful of votes. He currently serves on the Cape and Vineyard Electric Cooperative board, as well as the Oak Bluffs energy committee.
Mr. Hallahan is the senior director of administration at Sheriff’s Meadow Foundation. He previously served as executive director of Hospice of Martha’s Vineyard and has a background in education and finance.
In Tisbury, Abbe Burt’s seat on the select board will be up for grabs. Ms. Burt was elected to the position in January to serve out the remainder of Larry Gomez’s term after he resigned in the fall for health reasons. She previously said she planned to run for the full term; nomination papers for that race are due March 21.
West Tisbury select board member Jessica Miller and Edgartown select board member Margaret Serpa are both running uncontested.
Juli Vanderhoop, an Aquinnah select board member, is also running for reelection and is the only person who has filed nomination papers as of last week. Papers in Aquinnah are due on March 20.
Note: A previous version of this story mistated how many terms Warren Doty served.
Comments
Comment policy »