Groton election will bring new faces to school committee, selectmen

PUBLISHED: May 12, 2017 at 12:00 a.m. | UPDATED: July 11, 2019 at 12:00 a.m.

By Anne O’Connor

GROTON — Voters will see at least one new selectman and two new school committee members after the town election.

One long-time selectman, Peter Cunningham, decided not to run.

Two three-year seats are on the May 16 ballot. Anna Eliot is running for re-election. Two former Groton-Dunstable Regional School Committee members, Alison Manugian and Becky Pine, are on the ballot as is Brooks Lyman who has run for a seat in the past.

Manugian resigned from the school committee to run for selectman.

Three names appear on the ballot for two three-year seats on the Planning Board. After the ballot was printed, incumbent Michael Vega announced in a letter to the voters that he is moving and would be unable to serve if elected. Incumbent Scott Wilson and Annika Nilsson-Ripps are on the ballot.

Peter Jeffrey challenges incumbent Bruce Eason for a slot on the Groton Electric Light Commission.

Two questions are on the ballot. A debt exclusion to purchase land for a senior center was not passed at Town Meeting so the results for that question are moot. The ballot was finalized before Town Meeting.

The second question is for a debt exclusion to fund a bond for the design or design and construction bidding of a new Senior Center. Town Meeting voted in favor of the $400,000 request and voters must approve the exclusion before the town can borrow.

Three-year seats on the Groton-Dunstable Regional School Committee, Board of Assessors, Board of Health, Commission of Trust Funds, Sewer Commission and Water Commission have one candidate each. One person is running for a one-year seat on the School Committee.

The Park Commission and Trustees of the Groton Public Library each have two seats open with two candidates on the ballot.

Follow Anne O’Connor on Twitter @a1oconnor.