NEW SALEM — There are no contested races in Monday’s annual town election, but voters will usher in a new Selectboard member.

Polls will be open at Town Hall from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Selectboard

Richard Taupier is running for a two-year Selectboard seat that is being vacated by Carl Seppala, while incumbent Zara Dowling is running unopposed for a three-year spot.

“My decisions on the Selectboard will reflect the belief that we need comprehensive and consistent community development and management goals,” Taupier said in a statement. “We as residents should be making investments in a vibrant community that serves the needs of current residents and helps us attract and retain new families and residents who can contribute now and in the future.”

Taupier has lived in New Salem with his wife, Beth Haggerty, for the past 37 years and their two sons graduated from Swift River School. He said he previously served on the School Committee for 12 years, including eight as chair. Most of his career was spent with the University of Massachusetts Amherst in administrative and faculty roles. He was also an assistant secretary for the Massachusetts Executive Office of Environmental Affairs for 10 years.

Taupier said he has a master’s degree in natural resource economics and doctorates in environmental planning and history.

Dowling has spent six months on the Selectboard and is now running for a three-year term that expires in May 2026. She has lived in town for 11 years and has served on the Conservation Commission and Energy Committee. She works for the UMass Clean Energy Extension.

“I’d like the Selectboard to address building infrastructure and establish a plan for building maintenance over the coming years,” she said in a statement. “There are a number of infrastructure issues that need addressing in the near term, including a floor and heating system for the Highway Garage, a renovated space for the Police Station, the Town Hall and storage space for town files, as well as other minor maintenance issues. Plans to address these issues have been developed over the years, but they need to be reviewed, possibly updated and revised, and brought to Town Meeting for funding and implementation.”

Other positions

Nancy Slator is a write-in candidate for a three-year seat on the Swift River School Committee. She said she is running because there were no candidates for the two open spots on the committee. She plans to retire in June after 24 years as a schoolteacher, the past 20 at Ware Junior-Senior High School. She has lived in New Salem since 2015 and has been editor of the New Salem News since 2016.

William Lafley is seeking reelection to a three-year seat on the Board of Assessors, which he chairs.

Cameron Dunbar is running for a three-year term on the Municipal Light Board and Mailande Dewitt seeks a three-year seat as a New Salem Public Library trustee, a position to which she was previously appointed.

Reach Domenic Poli at: dpoli@recorder.com or
413-930-4120.

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