Blackstone election on the horizon Voters go to polls April 1 to decide Constable, Board of Selectmen races

BLACKSTONE — Annual town election voters go to the polls Monday, April 1 to decide two election races, including contests for Board of Selectmen and Constable.

Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the following locations: • Precinct 1, Senior Center, lower level of Municipal Center, 15 St. Paul St. • Precinct 2, St. Theresa’s Parish Hall, 630 Rathbun St. • Precinct 3, Main Conference Room, upper level of Municipal Center, 15 St. Paul St.

There are five candidates running for two available three-year seats on the Board of Selectmen, including incumbent Selectmen Robert J. Dubois and Michael A. Catalano, Jr. and candidates Stephen P. Goudreau, Taylor R. Greene and Catherine M. Norcross-Melson.

Dubois, a Blackstone Democrat, has served in town government for 30 years, 14 times as chairman of the selectmen. In addition to serving as a selectman, he was a member of the Planning Board, Zoning Board of Appeals, Capital Outlay Committee., Worcester Selectmen’s Association, Massachusetts Housing Opportunity Partnership, Worcester County Advisory Board, Massachusetts Central Planning Commission, Massachusetts Transportation Advisory Group, and Worcester County Sheriffs Association. He was also a past president of the Friends of the Council on Aging and is a former chairman of the Democratic Town Committee.

Catalano is a Democrat and former member of the Blackstone Board of Health, Water and Sewer Commission and Finance Committee. He has served on the Board of Selectmen for the past six years. He is the health agent for the town of Bellingham.

Norcross-Melson has served on the Finance Committee for the past two years. She ran unsuccessfully for selectman in 2017.

Goudreau, another member of the Finance Committee, also came up short when he ran for a selectman’s seat in 2017.

Greene, a political newcomer, is a former Woonsocket police officer and town resident for the past three years.

There are also six candidates on the election ballot running for five three-year constable positions, including John H. Therrien, Frederick S. Gremza, Cheryl A. Marino-Page, Rye Rivet, Joshua Edward Benjamin and James Cunningham.

Other candidates on the ballot this year, include:

• Jessika Andreas, 3-year term on the Board of Assessors.

• Tammy A. Lemieux, 4-year term on the Blackstone-Millville Regional District School Committee (Blackstone seat).

• Tara L. Larkin, 4-year term on the Blackstone-Millville Regional District School Committee (Millville seat).

• Kasey A. Bik, 3-year term for collector-treasurer.

• Kevin J. Ryan, 3-year term on the Board of Health.

• Celeste M. Langlois, 3-year term on the Parks and Recreation Commission.

• Owen T. Bebeau, 5-year term on the Planning Board.

• Tara C. Sullivan, 3-year term for town clerk.

The last day for candidates to file financial reports is Monday, March 25. The last day to file a recount petition after the election is Thursday, April 11.