By Ryan O'Connor
Staff Writer

Town elections in Goffstown, New Boston and Weare will take place on Tuesday, March 14.

Those running for office and the issues which will be voted on include the following:

Town of Goffstown

Seven residents are running for only two seats on the board of selectmen including Nicholas Campasano, John Caprio, Richard Gamache, Pamela Manney, Suzanne Tremblay, Howard Witherspoon and incumbent Chairman Gossett McRae.

The planning board has the only other contested race with Chairman Richard Georgantas, Vice-Chairman JoAnn Duffy and current alternate Alan Yeaton running.

While the budget committee is technically uncontested, the four candidates who filed, Daniel Cloutier, Steve Fournier, Philip Plourde and Calvin Pratt, will run against write-ins Vivian Blondeau, Roger Richards, William Hart, and Catherine Donovan-Simard for four open positions.

The warrant includes amended Article 24, which rather than requesting an endorsement from the town to consolidate the police and fire departments, now requests that voters ask the selectmen to stop all efforts in regards to the consolidation.

The town will also vote on the collective bargaining agreements for the police and public works departments, an $1,821,000 appropriation toward the current phase of the road improvement plan which began in 2002, and the operating budget of $16,316,220.

Goffstown schools

All school office positions are uncontested including James Raymond for school moderator, Larry Emerton for school treasurer and JoAnne Duffy for school clerk.

Articles on the warrant include an Article 2, which asks voters to approve $306,510 in state funding to go toward the construction of the new kindergarten, an article requesting the responsibility of the default budget to be handed over from the school board to the budget committee, and the operating budget of $33,114,203, which includes the anticipated costs of running the kindergarten.

Town of New Boston The race for a seat on the board of selectmen is a two-horserace between Gordon Carlstrom and Michael Pimenta.

Other contested positions include cemetery trustee with one seat open to either Warren Houghton or Richard Moody; the fire ward where Bart Lanzillotti, Dan MacDonald, Dave Rugg, Daniel K. Teague, Richard Therrien are running for three spots; and library trustee with Jed Callen, Eric Seidel and Stephanie Silverman running for two positions.

Warrant articles include the town operating budget of $3,129,263, a new library roof, a new forestry/pumper truck, a new recreation field and a new back hoe for the highway department.

There are also several articles requesting the establishment of capital reserve funds for town projects such as a new community center, renovations to the town hall and the eventual replacement of the Gregg Mill Road Bridge.

New Boston schools

The New Boston School district is void of anyone running for office.

Articles on the warrant include a budget deficit appropriation of $198,500, the new collective bargaining agreement for school support staff and this year’s operating budget of $9,371,161.

Town of Weare

Two seats on the board of selectmen are open to five residents who are running including incumbent Leon Methot, Walter Bohlin, Thomas Clow, Keith LaCasse and Joshua Solomon.

Other contested positions include library trustee with Susan Morin and Terri Wahnowsky running against each other for for one position and the board of fire-wards (nonmember fire deptartments) with Peter Buono and Bradford Macauley running.

Articles on the warrant include the amended and essentially nullified article to take Supreme Court Justice David Souter’s home by eminent domain, two new police officers for the town, and an article asking the town to raise up to $1,800,000 to purchase the Ferrante property with the purpose of protecting the town’s rural character.

In addition, the town operating budget of $4,151,331 will be voted on.

Weare schools

Like Goffstown and Weare, the school ballot lacks opposition.

Incumbents Matt Thomas and Paul Levanowsky are both running for re-election on the school board, while current Vice-Chairman Dick Ludders is running for another term on the John Stark School Board. James Gleasonis is also running for John Stark School moderator.

Warrant articles include the operating budget of $11,060,349, and the collective bargaining agreement for district teachers.