Campaign season begins in Blackstone
BLACKSTONE – The stage is being set for the April 4 annual Blackstone town election with eight potential candidates, including an incumbent selectman, taking out nomination papers to run for 18 available seats on the ballot.
With just about four weeks remaining for residents to take out papers, one candidate for selectman is already the first out of the gate to get on the ballot – incumbent Selectman Robert J. Dubois.
There are two three-year seats on the Board of Selectmen up for grabs in the election, one held by Dubois and the other by incumbent Selectman Michael A. Catalano, Jr., a Democrat and former member of the Blackstone Board Health, Water and Sewer Commission and Finance Committee.
Catalano has yet to announce if he will run for re-election.
The deadline to file papers with signatures of registered voters – a minimum of 29 for town offices and 35 for regional school committee – is no later than 5 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 16.
Dubois, a Blackstone Democrat, returned to the board in 2013 after having previously served on the panel for 24 years. He was first elected in 1986 and was chairman from 1992 to 2002. He was chairman again up until the spring of 2011 when he was defeated in his re-election bid. He was elected again in 2013 and has served as chairman twice since then.
Dubois also has served on the Capital Outlay Committee, Worcester County Selectman Association, Massachusetts Housing Opportunity Partnership and the Worcester County Advisory Board. He also serves on the Massachusetts Central Planning Commission, Massachusetts Transportation Advisory Group, and Blackstone Democratic Committee. He formerly served on the Zoning Board of Appeals, Planning Board, and Friends of COA.
Dubois is a graduate of Blackstone Millville Regional High School (Class of 1971), and earned his Associates degree in business from Quinsigimond Community College, and his Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Management from Bryant College.
He is retired after having spent many years working at the Worcester County House of Corrections.
Also taking out papers were:
• Claudette C. Dolinski, town clerk (3-year term).
• Steven J. Perrault, collector- treasurer (3-year term).
• Margaret T. Keegan, Blackstone Housing Authority (3-year term).
• Robert A. Gilbert, Board of Assessors (3-year term).
• Gerald P. Rivet, Planning Board (5-year term).
• Joshua E. Benjamin, constable (5-year term).
• Frederick J. Stone, constable (5-year term).
Rounding out the ballot this spring is a three-year seat on the Board of Health held by incumbent Kevin J. Ryan; two five-year constable seats held by incumbents Cheryl A. Marino-Page, Leo H. Martinelli; and two three- year seats on the Parks and Recreation Commission held by incumbents Celeste M. Langlois and Robert J. Morse.
There are also two fouryear seats on the Blackstone-Millville Regional School Committee – one Blackstone seat held by incumbent Wendy L. Greenstein and one Millville seat held by Erin P. Vinnaco.
None of the above incumbents had taken out papers as of yesterday.
There is also a vacant unexpired three-year seat available on the Parks and Recreation Commission and a vacant three-year constable position.
The town official election calendar is as follows:
• Tuesday, Feb. 16: Last day to file nomination papers.
• Wednesday, March 2: Last day to withdraw and or object to nomination papers.
• Tuesday, March 15: Last day to register to vote in the annual town election.
• Monday, March 28: Last day to file financial reports.
• Monday, April 4: Annual town election.
• Thursday, April 14: Last day to file a recount petition.