It’s a race for Grafton Town Moderator as Concaugh pulls nomination papers

Grafton attorney Daniel M. Concaugh has pulled nomination papers for Town Moderator, marking the first contested race in the May 19 Town Election.

With incumbent Ray Mead stepping down after nearly two decades at the Town Meeting podium, Concaugh will face former Selectman Bruce Spinney in the election, should both men turn in papers.

“People need to have their say, but we also have to have an effective Town Meeting,” Concaugh said in a brief phone interview. “It’s the purest form of Democracy that we have in this country, and we have to maintain it.”

Concaugh is no stranger to town government. He was the town administrator in Upton and Millville before he returned to law school. He now works at Shields Health Solutions as a vice president.

He is a fourth-generation Grafton resident, has two children at Grafton High School and has volunteered for the Grafton Youth Lacrosse Association and served as moderator for the Grafton Water District.

Others now seeking signatures include:

• Select Board: Both Jennifer Thomas, the current chairperson, and Donna Stock are seeking re-election to their three-year seats. While Stock was elected only last fall, it was only to fill out the remaining months left in Spinney’s term after his resignation.
• School Committee: Rahul Rathi is seeking a three-year position. There are two seats up for election: one three-year, currently held by Melissa Mazan, and a one-year, now held by Heather Riley, neither of whom have pulled papers.
• Planning Board: Linda C. Hassinger is seeing re-election to her three-year position. Justin Wood has also pulled papers for a one-year seat.
• Housing Authority: Lisa Brovelli Kelley is seeking re-election to the five-year position.
• Library Trustees: There are two three-year seats available. Karen Durand is seeking re-election while Martin I. Estner pulled papers this week.

Prabhu Balaji Venkataraman, who won a write-in campaign last spring, withdrew his nomination papers this week. The town website lists his term as expiring in 2022.

Any registered voter of Grafton may pull papers.

• Papers can be pulled at any time during regular business hours;
• Papers must be returned to the Registrar of Voters, through the Town Clerk’s office, by 5 p.m. on Tuesday, March 31 for certification;
• Nomination papers must contain the names of at least 50 registered voters of Grafton, but candidates are urged to submit more than the minimum number required in case some names or signatures cannot be verified;
• Candidates may withdraw their nomination papers up until 5 p.m. on Thursday, April 16;
• The Annual Town Election is on Tuesday, May 19 from 8 a.m.-8 p.m.