Mattapoisett candidates share goals for town’s future ahead of elections

MATTAPOISETT — Candidates running for positions across town attended a Candidates’ Night at the Mattapoisett Public Library to make their case for why they’d be the best fit for the job.

The candidates up for election — and reelection — addressed a packed room Wednesday, April 29 as they spoke about why they’re running, what they would accomplish if elected and answered attendee questions. 

Select Board. Eric Beauregard, Nicole Doyon Lynch, Frances-Feliz Kearns, James Harlfinger and Judy Mooney, all up for seats on the Select Board, spoke during the event. Ned Kaiser, who is also running for a Select Board seat, was not present.

These six candidates are running for three open seats — two added this year in an expansion, and one soon to be vacated by current Select Board Chair Tyler Macallister. 

Beauregard said his time in the military gave him leadership, budget management and decision making skills which would translate well as a member of the Select Board. 

He said many people he spoke to as he campaigned are concerned about affordability and how their tax dollars are being used. Looking to the town’s future, he said it is important to make decisions carefully and transparently. 

“This role is about steady, accountable leadership. I'm here to represent the entire community and help make those decisions that will reflect what's best for this town,” Beauregard said. 

Lynch has a background in sales strategy and leadership, which she said prepares her to balance budgets and build relationships if elected for Select Board. 

She said her time in corporate America has taught her to listen to a range of viewpoints and find solutions to problems even if they come from someone she often disagrees with. For her, benefiting the town is the most important aspect of any decision. 

“My job is not to decide for you on all these issues. It's so you can can rely on me to provide all the data and all the information on all sides of an issue to make the very best decisions for Mattapoisett,” Lynch said. 

Kearns has a background in engineering and quality assurance, which she said has equipped her to understand complex systems, ask the right questions and make informed and responsible decisions.

She has also sat on the Old Rochester School Committee for six years, during which time she said she’s gained experience working with state representatives to secure funding for the district and would do the same for the town if elected to the Select Board. 

“If elected, I will bring a collaborative, thoughtful and community focused approach to the Select Board — one that values transparency, communication and working together,” Kearns said. 

Harlfinger said during his time working in newspaper publishing he developed a strong work ethic, and he became familiar with how municipal government runs and the many departments it contains in his role as a firefighter. 

He said he believes everyone in Mattaposiett deserves to be heard, and while he wouldn’t be able to answer every question as a Select Board member, he’s dedicated to seeking answers. 

“I can address them, take them to the proper channels and see if we can get them resolved,” Harlfinger said. “I plan to be here for everybody whenever I'm needed.”

Mooney is a former finance director and assistant town administrator, and said her time working closely with Select Boards and other committees gave her experience in long-term planning and day-to-day operations. 

If elected, she said she would prioritize fiscal responsibility, accountability and preserving Mattapoisett’s character.

“My goal is to bring experience, steady judgment and commitment to doing what’s right for our town. I care deeply about this community, and I'd be honored to serve it,” Mooney said. 

Library Board of Trustees. Jan Brodie, William Coquilette and Curtis Mendes, all running for the Library Board of Trustees, also spoke. The three candidates are running for two seats, one if which is currently held by Coquilette.

Brodie said she is a passionate library patron, and wants to support the library’s role as a community center, work with the director and staff, and contribute to strategic planning. 

“I read so much, I’m part of this town and I'm part of this library. I want to give back, but I also want to be part of its future,” she said. 

Incumbent Coquilette said he’s most proud of his role in hiring a new library director, and if reelected he would focus on building a long-term plan for the library’s future. 

“I’m practical, I’m not ideological. I do my homework, I listen to what others have to say, and then I work to create a consensus around key decisions,” he said.

Mendes said he wants to serve the town and support a place that’s central to the community, and would do so through strategic planning, balancing the budget and recruiting, 

“I want to give something back to the town,” he said. “I want to support this place, and I want to help it grow.”

Board of Health. Kathy Eklund spoke about her candidacy for the Board of Health. Michael King, also running for the open seat on the board, was not present. Both are looking to fill the one-year seat vacated by a former last year.  

Eklund said she would bring experience in disease control and prevention, as well as regulation compliance, to the Board of Health. She said the board already has members with engineering and waste treatment experience, and her experience would complement and complete the group’s areas of expertise. 

“It's all about people's health, environmental health — which is groundwater and air — and overall a healthy community,” she said.