Election is last before new government

By RICK COLLINS
The Patriot Ledger

Voters tomorrow will elect the final slate of Braintree officials before the coming change to a mayor-town council form of government.

Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

It is the last time voters will cast ballots in April. Town elections in the future will be held in November.

Town Clerk Donna Fabiano is predicting a 29 percent turnout, slightly lower than the town’s average.

Two of tomorrow’s three races are for seats that will be abolished in January.

There are five candidates for two available slots on the town’s final board of selectmen. Current board Chairman Charles Ryan faces challenges by former Selectmen James Casey and Timothy Egan, finance committee member Alan Flowers and businessman and political neophyte Joseph DiStasio.

Selectman Joseph Hubbard is not seeking re-election.

Either William Sweeney, the town’s former auditor and town administrator, or Albion “Dick” Fletcher, a long-time town meeting member and member of several committees, will hold the honor of serving as the last town meeting moderator.

Current Moderator Edward Ryan is not seeking re-election.

Longtime planning board member William Grove faces a challenge from zoning board of appeals member Walter Cartwright III.

The planning board will continue in the next government, but will become an appointed panel. Planning board members are expected to hold on to their seats at least during the first few months of the mayor’s initial term.

Unopposed in their re-election bids are Assessor Robert M. Cusack, board of health member Philip B. Nedelman, municipal light board member Anthony L. Agnitti, school committee members Margaret T. Dunlea O’Reilly and Sean E. Powers, trust fund commissioner James T. Carden and Thayer Public Library trustees John M. Pelose and Patricia A. Pilgrim.

Parks and playgrounds commission candidate James M. Daiute is also unopposed.

The municipal light board, school committee, library trustees and housing authority board will remain independently elected boards in the new form of government. All others will be appointed by the mayor.

Pre-election campaign finance reports reflect the quiet nature of this year’s elections.

Joseph DiStasio, a town meeting member who has never run for townwide office before, has spent the most money, $8,221.45, primarily on printing and mailing costs.

Of that money, $8,000 is listed as a personal loan to his campaign. He received $150 from Matthew Kewick and $100 from Daniel Flynn III, both of Quincy.

Charles Ryan has spent $4,123 since January, but some of it has been donations to local charities and other Massachusetts political campaigns. Thanks to two years of strong fundraising, Ryan entered the election season with more than $15,000 and currently has $11,668 on hand.

This spring, among his donations, were $300 from Braintree resident Roger Aiello and $100 from Lt. Gov. Timothy Murray’s political committee.

James Casey raised $4,425, mainly during a March fundraiser, including $250 from Leo McDonald, and $150 donations from Leonard Arabia, Dawn Marie Durant and Robert Regan.

Flowers donated a little more than $1,000 to his campaign and has spent $872.

William Grove was the only other candidate who raised money and filed a report. He loaned his campaign $528.36, which was used for printing and mailing costs.

His opponent, Walter Cartwright, did not file a finance report and neither did Egan, Cusack, Nedelman, Agnitti, Daiute or Pelose.

The remaining candidates filed forms saying they did not raise or spend any money.

Rick Collins may be reached at rcollins@ledger.com.