Groveland Voters to Choose Selectmen, New Town Clerk; Brodie to Retire

Former host of WHAV’s Open Mic Show John “Jack” Bevelaqua is one of five candidates for Groveland town clerk. (WHAV News file photograph.)

No matter what happens during Groveland’s annual town election in May, there will be many new faces in Town Hall.

Voters are not only being asked to fill a vacancy on the Board of Selectmen and name a new town clerk Monday, May 6, but identify people to fill four posts where none have expressed interest in the jobs. After a dozen years as town clerk, Anne Brodie tells WHAV she is looking forward to quieter times.

“I’m ready to not have a commitment and want to spend more time with family and grandchildren,” she said. Brodie conceded, however, she is thinking ahead to some volunteer time helping the little ones at the library or seniors at Nichols Village. Elected to the first of four three-year terms in 2007, she said elections were the most hectic events—especially presidential ones.

Vying to succeed her are Katherine Young, Bonnie Wood, Elizabeth Cuniff, Norma Bird and John “Jack” Bevelaqua. The latter, a former host of WHAV’s Open Mic Show, spent 20 years on the town’s Health Board. He is currently a member of the Elm Park Committee. Bevelaqua says he thinks of his campaign as a homecoming.

“I filed my nomination papers two weeks ago and I’ve been traipsing all over Groveland, passing out campaign literature, meeting a lot of people I haven’t talked to in many years, finding a lot of old friends,” he said.

Since none of the contenders for town clerk is experienced, selectmen have asked all of the candidates to “shadow” Brodie. She said that is better than what she was offered when she won the job, saying, “There was no one here to show me the ropes. I had to fly by the seat of my pants.”

Voters are also being asked to choose between Daniel MacDonald and Kathleen Katrinelis to complete the last year of the unexpired term of Lisa Dube-Carpenter who resigned. They’ll also decide whether William G. O’Neil wins another term. He is being challenged by Debra Young for the three-year-term.

Vacancies exist for seats on Health, Water and Sewer and Planning Boards, as well as for tree warden. No one filed nomination papers for those posts by last week’s deadline, but anyone with five or more write-in votes is eligible.

Others incumbents are running unopposed.

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