More than 50 Edgartown residents, including a baby or two, turned out Saturday afternoon for a candidates’ forum hosted by the League of Women Voters of Martha’s Vineyard.

The town election is April 10, following the annual town meeting April 8.

Moderated by Bea Phear, the event began by talking with two of the three candidates for the select board. Seven-term incumbent Michael Donaroma and wastewater commission chair Walter Alexander (Alex) Morrison, who also holds the archaic town post of measurer of wood and bark and weigher of coal, were in attendance.

Glen Searle, who also is seeking Mr. Donaroma’s seat, was unable to take part at the last minute, Ms. Phear told the audience.

“He had a plumbing emergency to attend to,” she said.

Each candidate was given five minutes for an opening statement and then they both answered questions posed by Ms. Phear, after which she opened the forum to audience participation.

Mr. Donaroma’s remarks emphasized his long tenure on the board and Edgartown’s financial stability over the years.

“The town is in excellent condition right now. We have a cash reserve of something like $4 million, almost $5 million in reserves. We have a positive cash flow of somewhere around $14 million. Our tax rate is...probably the second or third lowest in the state,” he said.

“We have a great town hall and we’re the envy of the Vineyard,” Mr. Donaroma said.

Mr. Morrison agreed, but said the select board could use a member who represents younger Edgartown residents.

“I know the town is run well, and that’s great. But as a new generation, I want to be part of that. And I think it’s important to have a balanced board,” he said.

Mr. Morrison also noted he comes from a family tradition of town involvement.

“My grandfather [Bob Carroll] was a select board member in the 60s. He helped make Collins Beach public access. He donated the land that’s in front of the Harbor View Hotel,” Mr. Morrison said.

“My father was involved in the fire department, and my mother’s currently on the council on aging,” he added.

Mr. Donaroma said the priorities for his eighth term include keeping the town budget and tax rate stable in the face of rising expenses.

The planned expansion of Edgartown’s sewer plant tops the list, Mr. Donaroma said, followed by extending the sewer system to Ocean Heights and financing the town’s share of the regional high school building project.

Wastewater is a key issue for the town, Mr. Morrison said, but he is also concerned about growth and development, including the proposed Edgartown Gardens condominium complex off Upper Main Street on land owned by Mr. Donaroma.

The two men also agreed on the need for a solution to backed-up traffic at the Triangle area.

“I don’t think I’m ready for traffic lights yet, but it needs some consideration,” Mr. Morrison said.

Mr. Donaroma said a possibility exists of the town working with Sheriff’s Meadow Foundation, which owns land just west of the Triangle shopping center, to develop a bypass or roundabout.

Both Mr. Morrison and Mr. Donaroma own landscaping companies in Edgartown that bear their names, leading one audience member Saturday to ask how much business each of them does with the town.

While Mr. Donaroma’s company has bid and won contracts for public landscaping and holiday lighting over the years, he said he is often the only bidder and gives the town a good price.

Mr. Morrison said he did some work during Covid-19 to sanitize town buildings and police cars, but has not done business with the town since then.

He also addressed potential conflicts in the upcoming town meeting warrant.

“The only thing that affects both our businesses is the leaf-blowing bylaw,” Mr. Morrison said.

Apart from the select board race, a five-year term on the planning board is the only other contested seat out of 17 on the Edgartown ballot.

Incumbent Michael Shalett, who currently chairs the planning board, and challenger Taylor Pierce followed the select board candidates at Saturday’s forum, using the same question and answer format.

Planning board member David Ignacio, who is running unopposed for a second two-year term, also joined the panel taking questions from Ms. Phear and the audience.

Like Mr. Morrison, Mr. Pierce introduced himself as part of a longtime Island family. His grandfather, Manuel F. Correllus, was the first superintendent of the state forest.

Now raising his own young children on the Vineyard, Mr. Pierce said he wants to be part of planning for a future in which they can stay in Edgartown themselves.

Mr. Shalett, who is seeking re-election for a second term after initially being appointed to the planning board, said a key issue for the town is year-round housing that’s attainable for essential workers and young families.

The planning board recently lost its chosen applicant for administrator because she couldn’t find housing she could afford, Mr. Shalett said.

After the board candidates spoke, Ms. Phear invited candidates for uncontested races to come forward and introduce themselves.

Library trustee Maggie Morrison, who is married to Alex Morrison, is running for another three-year term. There are two seats up for election to the library board; the second candidate, Theresa Janeczek, was not at the library forum.

Ms. Morrison also is the sole candidate for a three-year seat on the park commission.

Donna Goodale is seeking re-election to a three-year term on the board of assessors, and Julia Tarka is running for re-election to the financial advisory committee, which has two three-year seats to fill with the second one open to write-ins.

Steve Ewing is running unopposed for re-election to three-year terms as town moderator and the Martha’s Vineyard Land Bank’s representative.

The audience had just one question for these candidates, and it was directed at Mr. Ewing: What are the chances that the annual town meeting could be completed in a single night?

“We’re going to try to get through one night like we always do,” Mr. Ewing responded.

“Everybody show up. Keep your remarks concise. Don’t repeat yourselves [and] stick to the point.... I mean that,” he said. “If that all happens, it’ll be one night and you would get out before 11.”