Stacie Norton Bennett takes second shot at School Committee

Back in February, Stacie Norton Bennett interviewed with the hopes of being appointed to a vacancy on the School Committee. 

She was ultimately not successful, but that’s not stopping her. On Tuesday, Bennett pulled nomination papers for a three-year term on the School Committee, joining an increasingly crowded field.

Bennett is a former teacher and now serves director of programming and youth services for the Salvation Army in Worcester. She has two children in the Grafton schools.

There are three School Committee seats on the ballot for the Town Election and incumbent Jennifer Connelly has announced she will not seek re-election. To date:

• Incumbent Amy Marr, the current School Committee chair, has pulled nomination papers for re-election to her three-year seat;
• Mariagraciela Vargas-Baker, who was appointed to the School Committee in February, has also declared for the one year remaining in the term of Rahul Rathi, who resigned in December.;
• Liora Bram, a communications and marketing professional who serves as co-chair of the Special Education Parent Advisory Committee, has pulled nomination papers for a three-year seat;
• Cherilyn Reno, who has degrees in biochemistry and linguistics, is running for a three-year seat;
• Craig Juelis, a former principal in Medway and North Attleboro, has declared for a three-year seat.

The candidates for Select Board recently increased to four vying for the seats now held by incumbents Peter Carlson and Doreen DeFazio, who are not seeking re-election.

The Select Board field now includes:

• Finance Committee member Andy Jefferson; 
• Richard Whitney, a current member of the Community Preservation Commission and a retired businessman;
• Carl Palmer, a senior cybersecurity analyst;
• Ann Marie Foley, who has served on multiple town committees, specializing in recreation and environmental projects.

In other races:

• Town Clerk Kandy Lavallee has returned papers for what may be her final election — the town is considering making her position appointed rather than elected.
• On Planning Board, David Robbins and Prabhu Balaji Venkataraman are seeking re-election.
• Dana Wilson is seeking re-election to the Board of Library Trustees. There are two 3-year seats on the ballot.

Papers must be returned by 5 p.m. on Tuesday, March 29 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 14.

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