Every town needs new blood. Every democracy needs competition in the so-called marketplace of ideas. It remains to be seen if that will happen in Andover this year.
With nomination papers due Tuesday, Feb. 2, no challengers have announced plans to run for two seats on the Board of Selectmen, Town Meeting moderator, Andover Housing Authority or the Greater Lawrence Technical High School Committee. The incumbents for each position have indicated they will seek reelection.
We encourage people with time and expertise to offer their services. This is a difficult time, but a time when much will be decided and the long-term future shaped.
Selectmen will help plan the new Interstate-93 interchange that will open up 700 acres, representing Andover's biggest development project in decades. The town is expected to vote this year on moving the town yard, which would change the look and use of an important section of the downtown. A decision will also be made on a new school and new Ballardvale fire station in the next three years, all of which will require specific overrides of Proposition 2 1/2 known as debt exclusions.
The last two major races in town have shown Andover residents are anything but apathetic toward voting. They thirst for and respond to competitive races with real choices. In the presidential election between Barack Obama and John McCain, Andover cast a town record number of ballots, nearly 80 percent of the vote. In this month's special election, 64 percent of voters turned out for a one-race contest during a cold, snowy day, creating traffic back-ups.
Last year, five candidates, including four challengers, fought for a spot on the School Committee. It made for a great race and gave voters a choice among intelligent people with some different ideas. One of these candidates, lawyer Paula Colby-Clements is running again this year, facing incumbents Debra Silberstein and Dick Collins. That's great news for Andover voters.
But in every other race, there will be no choice, unless people who are quietly on the fence bravely decide to make the commitment to run. Those interested only need to talk to the town clerk and collect 50 signatures.
