Rockland town election has four contested races
6 min read
ROCKLAND – The race for selectman, school committee, board of overall health and park commissioner are all contested in Rockland’s April 9 town election.
Rockland selectman candidates
There are three candidates for competing for two seats on the Rockland Board of Selectmen, none who have beforehand held the position Lori Childs, of North Avenue, John Ellard, of Magnolia Generate and Donna M. Shortall, of Union Street.
Childs, a mom of four and a Female Scout leader, said she is running as a way to give again to the community. She served on the town’s finance committee for 3 yrs.
Important concerns for her incorporated taxes, drinking water and sewer. While not from improvement, she does not support the proposed Shingle Mill Chapter 40B apartment complex.
“I just see a good deal of items going on in Rockland that people today do not want,” Childs said.
Ellard, a father of two who attended Rockland universities, was on the town’s finance committee and was the chairman of the committee. He was city treasurer for nine and a 50 percent yrs. Ellard thinks his “being familiar with of how a municipality works” makes him suit for the task.
He hopes to handle Rockland’s infrastructure desires, including the h2o cure plant, the sewer plant and likely a new fire home. Ellard needs to be frugal.
“We want to find ways to be smarter with our with our cash …,” Ellard stated. “… Squeeze each nickel out of the budget that we can so that we can offer the stage of products and services that the people today of Rockland ought to have without having taxing them out of their households.”
Shortall, a lifelong resident of Rockland, has worked in the faculty system for 12 decades as a paraprofessional. She was town clerk for additional than 5 a long time and retired in December 2020. She is operating for selectman mainly because she enjoys the city and hopes her encounter will allow her to bring a distinctive viewpoint.
Preparing the sewer plant for the current and future is a key concern for her, she mentioned. She emphasizes offering providers to all inhabitants of Rockland.
“I sense really strongly that every person desires to be taken care of,” Shortall stated.
Rockland School Committee candidates
Emily Davidson, of Smith Lane, and Melissa Mauro-Compact, of Heritage Travel, both candidates for reelection, are between 3 vying for two open places on the college committee. Michael Quinn, of Pond Street is on the ballot for the initial time.
Davidson grew up in Rockland and graduated from the college system in 2011. Along with serving on the university committee, she is a member of Reimagine Rockland, the committee for the elementary university challenge, the constructing committee for Phelps Elementary School and was on the scheduling committee for Drop Fest.
She is running for reelection to remain involved. She reported she hopes to see the elementary school venture accomplished.
“To have a great town you require to have a robust school district and revitalize Rockland,” Davidson stated.
Mauro-Small has been a resident of Rockland for 12 many years and is a pediatrician. She was on energetic responsibility in the Air Drive for four years and has 4 children in the Rockland faculties. Mauro-Small ran for the time period she is now finishing because of the mental health and fitness disaster she determined in young ones.
“I assume what I bring to the plate is a thing that other individuals never, which is a emphasis on making certain that we are meeting the social emotional requirements of our young ones,” Mauro-Small said.
Quinn has been a resident of Rockland for a few decades and is a father to 3 in the college method and a few who are property schooled. He was in the Military, has coached Rockland Youth Soccer and is a member of the Rockland Veterans of Overseas Wars.
“The main rationale that I am functioning is that I and a whole lot of other mom and dad just felt like the university committee was not there symbolizing us, advocating for us, or listening to us,” he claimed.
If elected he strategies to advocate for community comment period all through the meetings, “medical flexibility” with masks, education on paths other than four 12 months colleges, such as trade colleges, certifications or military services recruitment, and transparency on third bash influences on the faculty committee. He also wishes to make information on house education, as effectively as the day, time and area of school committee meetings additional available.
Rockland Park Commissioner candidates
Richard Furlong, of Union Avenue, and Brian Martin, of Vinton Terrace are functioning for Rockland Park Commissioner.
Furlong is up for reelection and has been included in town federal government for at minimum 30 yrs and a resident of Rockland for 58 many years, he claimed. He at present serves as chairman and discipline coordinator for the recreation office, is a member of the Rockland Eagles and a element-time 911 dispatcher. He was president of Rockland Minor League and worked as a firefighter and EMT with the Rockland Fire Section for 36 yrs.
“We are just attempting to do the ideal we can for the little ones in town … the people, the individuals of the town,” Furlong explained.
He said he will do the job on the elementary school undertaking and the eventual new turf, the new fencing and lights at the girls’ softball industry.
Martin grew up in Rockland and has been a resident for a lot more than 40 decades. He has coached youth basketball and softball and is president of the youth softball league. He is a veteran and operates for the Plymouth County Sheriff’s Section.
If elected he programs to dedicate time to the place encompassing the new faculty and Reeds Pond, Hartsuff Park and spruce up the fields.
“I hope to accomplish making these fields for the youth courses search respectable to the other towns,” Martin claimed.
Rockland Board of Overall health candidates
Two candidates, Michelle Kennedy, of Centre Avenue, and Rita (Margaret) Roche, of Spring Avenue, are competing for one particular seat on the Rockland Board of Health.
Kennedy is a lifelong resident of Rockland and a mother of three. Her young children have been included in youth sporting activities and she has been the fundraising director for the youth soccer program and has assisted on the Rockland Getaway Stroll committee. Kennedy wants to function with other local community groups as perfectly, these as Hold Rockland Stunning.
“I always feel like Rockland is chasing a normal and I feel it is time to established a regular,” Kennedy stated.
If elected she will assess the spending plan and hopes to maximize interaction with residents through open up query time, an more e-mail box for queries, a suggestion box in front of town corridor, a probable publication and improved use of social media. She desires to go as a result of the Republic deal to make certain it benefits the inhabitants, “tackle” abandoned properties and make sure the place of work is open up a lot more frequently. Kennedy claimed interaction and shopper provider will be a precedence.
Roche grew up in Rockland, graduated from the university system and is a mom of 4. She worked as a registered nurse for 25 a long time at Boston Children’s Medical center.
“I just want to make certain that our town is shown in a way that we can be proud of,” Roche said.
Roche claimed she will address the trash condition, is passionate about disease command, advocates for “liberty of choice” with masks and the vaccine, and will operate to hold the city informed.
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Access Alyssa Fell at [email protected].
Joe Difazio contributed to this report.
