By DAN TOMASELLO
LYNNFIELD — The Town Election on April 8 will feature a second contested race.
Canterbury Road resident Stephanie Slate pulled nomination papers for a three-year term on the Board of Library Trustees on Monday, Feb. 3. She is running against Center Village resident Karin Round and former Planning Board Co-Chair Alan Dresios. Library Trustee Richard Mazzola recently announced that he is not running for re-election, and Library Trustee Faith Honer-Coakley has yet to take out papers.
Slate moved to town in 2021 with her husband, Richard. The couple’s son Jeremy was born in 2022.
“I want to help ensure that our library remains a valued resource for all generations to grow and connect,” said Slate about her decision to run for a seat on the Board of Library Trustees. “I earned my bachelor’s degree from Boston College in Communications and Perspectives — a philosophy honors sequence—before receiving the Bernard Lonergan, S.J. scholarship to continue my studies. With that support, I earned my master’s degree in Philosophy at BC. As you can imagine, pursuing a master’s in philosophy meant spending a lot of time in the library — I saw the security staff more than my own father. But my love for libraries started long before grad school.”
While growing up in Raynham, Slate and she and her family were “regulars at our local library, attending story hours, holiday cookie decorating events, Girl Scout meetings and even pet contests.”
“In elementary school, I learned the Dewey Decimal System, researched book reports using physical card catalogs and experienced firsthand how foundational libraries are to learning,” said Slate. “I still remember the pride of getting my first library card, filling out the form on the back page of ‘Put Me In the Zoo’ and the satisfaction of returning it on time.”
Slate said her “original career path was academia.”
“I became a philosophy professor, moderating student debates, pulling stories from the news and posing the age-old question: What is the best way to live,” said Slate. “Unfortunately, after the 2008 financial crisis, many universities downsized or eliminated their philosophy departments. I pivoted to marketing, working across business-to-business, business-to-consumer, nonprofits and agencies. I spent the last five years at Forrester Research, first as a liaison for chief marketing officers and vice presidents, developing curriculum to help them stay on top of industry trends. Later, I joined Forrester’s Total Economic Impact (TEI) team, writing business value case studies to help organizations make data-driven decisions. I now work at Box as a senior value engineer, continuing to analyze business impact for customers and prospects.”
After Slate’s son Jeremy was born, she began searching for “mom friends like many new mothers do.”
“I was fortunate to find the Lynnfield Moms Group,” said Slate. “I’ve served as co-director of sponsorship for three years, continually inspired by the women in our community. Together, we’ve spearheaded projects like revamping Jordan Park’s playground and are currently raising funds to renovate Newhall Park. I’m also a member of the Lynnfield Historical Society because of my deep love for history. If you haven’t heard me rant about Dr. Joseph Warren, you’re missing out. I attend the Lexington and Concord reenactments every year and was honored to participate in a ceremony recognizing Captain Bartlett’s militia, who fought at the Jason Russell House on April 19, 1775. The Lynnfield Historical Society is planning something truly special for the 250th anniversary this April.”
Slate noted that, “There’s a Greek concept called Eros —the deep, almost irresistible desire to know.”
“That curiosity drives me in everything I do,” said Slate. “Right now, I’m on a mission to visit all 50 state capitol buildings, with just five left: Juneau, Alaska; Boise, Idaho; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; Little Rock, Arkansas; and Boston — saving the best for last. I’m also continuing my writing journey, having contributed to Open Court Press’ Popular Culture and Philosophy series and now working on a novel.”
Round recently returned her nomination papers to the Town Clerk’s Office, and they have been certified. Dresios, who took out papers on Jan. 31, had yet to return them when the Villager went to press on Monday.
Additional candidates
In addition to the contested Board of Library Trustees race, three candidates are running for two seats on the School Committee.
The rematch of the April 2024 Town Election features School Committee Chair Kristen Grieco Elworthy, School Committee Vice Chair Jenny Sheehan and Winchester Drive resident Kimberly Baker Donahue running for two seats on the school board that both have three-year terms. Elworthy and Sheehan were elected to one-year terms on the School Committee last year.
Elworthy and Sheehan recently had their respective nomination papers certified by the Town Clerk’s Office. Baker Donahue’s nomination papers were certified on Tuesday morning.
Planning Board member Ed Champy submitted his nomination papers to the Town Clerk’s Office on Wednesday, Feb. 5, and they have been certified. He is running for a second five-year term.
“I have enjoyed being part of the town and I love being involved,” said Champy in an interview with the Villager. “I think my overall experience in real estate planning and development can lend a hand. We have a great team. The administrative team is top-notch and the Planning Board has members who have diverse legal expertise and experience.”
Select Board Chair Dick Dalton is running for a fourth three-year term. He recently had his nomination papers certified.
Town Moderator Steve Walsh pulled nomination papers on Tuesday, Jan. 7, and is looking to serve a second one-year term. He was elected as town moderator during the April 2024 Town Election.
Board of Assessors member Richard O’Neil Jr. took out papers on Jan. 10, and is looking to serve another three-year term.
Housing Authority Board of Commissioners member John Nunziato pulled nomination papers on Friday, Jan. 24. He is running for a second five-year term.
Town Clerk Amanda Haggstrom stated in the candidates’ guide for the Town Election that office hopefuls will need to receive a minimum of 50 signatures from registered voters in order to have their name appear on the ballot.
“Be sure to submit more than the required number, 50, for certification so you do not fall short in the event of signatures not certified,” Haggstrom stated. “All signatures and addresses must be legible and written substantially as registered. If the voter’s signature is illegible, you may ask them to print their name next to the signature. The law allows a voter to insert or omit a middle name or initial and still have the signature deemed valid.”
The last day to submit nomination papers is Tuesday, Feb. 18 at 5 p.m. The Town Clerk’s Office will be closed on Monday, Feb. 17 due to Presidents’ Day. The last day for candidates to have their name removed from the municipal ballot is Thursday, March 6 at 5 p.m.
Due to the $63.5 million public safety buildings and Town Hall project, the Town Clerk’s Office has been relocated to the Senior Center/Lynnfield Public Schools Central Office, 525 Salem St. The Town Election will take place on Tuesday, April 8.
For more information about the April Town Election, residents can visit https://www.town.lynnfield.ma.us/town-clerk/pages/running-office-lynnfield.