January 20, 2011

Benson, Wetherbee announce bid for reelection

By CHELSEY POLLOCK
and APRIL GUILMET
Union Leader Correspondent
DERRY/LONDONDERRY 
While Wednesday marked the opening of election filing periods in area towns, clerks’ offices were far from overrun with potential candidates by day’s end.
In Derry, both council Chairman Brad Benson and Vice Chairman Neil Wetherbee threw their names in for re­election on opening day. 
But by late Wednesday afternoon, no one else had filed for the two open three-year terms — one for councilor-at-large and one for councilor from District 3. 
There was also little first day interest in the two three-year Derry School Board terms opening up in March, district staff said on Wednesday afternoon. 
Board member Mark Grabowski has said he will not seek reelection, to instead spend more time with his family. Incumbent Wendy Smith says she is interested in another term and plans to run. 
No one else had officially come forward to file by late Wednesday.
The terms of Londonderry town councilors Paul Di-Marco and Mike Brown both expire this March, but by late afternoon yesterday, just one resident had stepped forward. Former Budget Committee member Tom Freda announced his candidacy for Town Council on Wednesday. Freda ran unsuccessfully for the council last year. 
Londonderry’s school openings include two three-year terms on the School Board, as the terms of school board members John Robinson and George Herrmann are both expiring this coming March. 
Robinson filed for re-election yesterday afternoon, School Board Clerk Lynn Mac-Donald said. 
All three incumbents from the Salem Board of Selectmen filed for re-election Wednesday. 
Selectmen Chairman Michael Lyons and Selectman Everett McBride are asking voters to support them for three more years. Selectman Susan Covey, who was appointed in August to fill Arthur Barnes’ seat until the election, is running for the final year of his term. 
Budget Committee member Stephen Campbell also filed for a three-year selectman position Wednesday. 
On the school side, Salem School Board member Bernard Campbell filed for reelection to another three-year term on Wednesday. His is the only seat up for grabs in March, and no one else had come forward as of late Wednesday afternoon, said district treasurer Linda Cornwell. 
In Windham, School Board members Michelle Farrell and John Hollinger are up for reelection. As of Wednesday afternoon, Farrow was the only incumbent to file, said school district clerk MaryAnn Horaj. 
Stephanie Wimmer, a board member for the Windham Endowment Fund for Community Advancement, has also stepped forward for a threeyear spot on the board. 
Terms for Windham selectmen Chairman Charles Mc-Mahon and Selectman Galen Stearns are also up in March. No first-time filing information was available by close of business day on Wednesday. 
In Pelham, there are two School Board seats up for grabs, as member Linda Mahoney has said she will not seek re-election to her threeyear post. Member Lorraine Dube has also announced that she will resign from her post, leaving a one-year term open for the March election. 
As of Wednesday evening, school district clerk Pat Murphy said no one had filed for either position. 
No information was available about town filings in Pelham, where selectmen Chairman 
Douglas Viger and member William McDevitt are up for re-election. 
Filing periods will close on Jan. 28. 

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