By Bethany Bray
After an exciting U.S. Senate race, Andover town election in March could be a real snoozer.
As of Tuesday, not one challenger had taken out papers to run for Board of Selectmen, moderator, Andover Housing Authority or the Greater Lawrence Technical High School Committee.
The only contested race as of Wednesday morning was the School Committee race, where attorney Paula Colby-Clements will challenge Dick Collins and Debra Silberstein.
Nomination papers are due Feb. 2 and require 50 signatures for each position. Town election will be Tuesday, March 23.
Last year, Andover saw a robust race with five candidates for two seats on the School Committee and three residents for two selectmen seats. A majority of the candidates had pulled nomination papers before the Christmas holidays.
Colby-Clements, a professor at the Mass School of Law in Andover, came in fourth behind then-incumbent Art Barber, taking 11 percent of votes. "My commitment remains the same, and that's really my motivation (to run again). Having kids in the schools, I recognize that there's a lot of tough decisions that had to be made and a lot of changes that need to be made," said Colby-Clements, naming the Bancroft Elementary School building project, union contract renegotiations and balancing the budget. "I felt compelled to try and jump in and help." Colby-Clements, 41, lives on Chestnut Street with her husband, Gregg and three children Jordan, 9; Emily, 7, and Jack, 4. She is past president of the Andona Society, the organization that puts on ClownTown. Silberstein and Collins confirmed Tuesday, Jan. 26 they have gathered signatures to run for another term.
It's the same with Selectmen Alex Vispoli and Jerry Stabile Jr.
Town Moderator Sheila Doherty has also pulled papers, along with Francis O'Connor, who sits on the Housing Authority.
Marilyn Fitzgerald, who is finishing the term vacated by the passing of the late Jerry Silverman last July, will run for a two-year term on the Greater Lawrence Technical High School committee.
In previous years some candidates have waited until the last minute to declare they would run.
