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Familiar names as well as new entrants suggest Haverhill could have several contested races when voters go to the polls later this year to choose a mayor and members of the City Council and School Committee.
Former Haverhill Firefighters Local 1011 President Timothy Carroll recently took out nomination papers to seek the Ward 6 City Council seat, now held by incumbent Councilor Michael S. McGonagle, who has also taken out nomination papers.
Carroll told WHAV a seat on the City Council provides another means for him to serve residents.
“I just want to give back to the community. Since, I am no longer the president of Haverhill Fire (Local 1011), I want to continue to give back to the community in other ways,” he said.
Likewise, former Haverhill mayoral candidate Guy E. Cooper plans to seek the Ward 4 City Council seat currently held by incumbent Melissa J. Lewandowski. Both have taken out nomination papers, returned them with signatures and qualified to be on the ballot.
Over on the School Committee side, the very first time voters will choose members to fill three at-large seats, four newcomers have taken out papers so far. The latest to pull papers are Fred A. Simmons and Davis Nguyen. They join Daniel Spheekas and Josiah Morrow for the citywide school seats. Incumbent School Committee members Paul A. Magliocchetti and Richard J. Rosa, who currently serves as vice chair, have both said they will not seek re-election. Magliocchetti, Rosa and member Maura L. Ryan-Ciardiello were elected to four-year terms in 2021 before a state home-rule petition reduced school terms to two years. Ryan-Ciardiello has issued no formal statements about her plans.
Meanwhile, Jennifer “Jenny” Arndt, who pulled papers for Ward 3 School Committee, said last week she is withdrawing from the race.
“After much thought and prayerful reflection, I’ve made the decision to withdraw from the Haverhill School Committee race. While I remain deeply committed to supporting our schools, I’ve come to realize that the timing just isn’t right for my family, and I believe I can be most effective serving our community through volunteer work and creative collaboration outside of elected office,” she said in a statement.
Ward 6 School Committee member Yonnie Collins formally announced her campaign for re-election. As the first black person on the Haverhill School Committee, she said in a statement, she has “prioritized championing discussions about a ‘belonging’ amendment to school policies, which would encourage further involvement from all members of the school community, including students, families, educators and other representative groups.”
In the mayor’s race, Michael Rogers recently took out nomination papers. If he returns the papers and qualifies, he would challenge first-term Mayor Melinda E. Barrett.
In related campaign news, City Council President Thomas J. Sullivan plans to kick off his at-large campaign this Thursday, June 26, from 5:30-7:30 p.m., at Joseph’s Trattoria, 6 Moulton Way, in downtown Haverhill.
A complete list of candidates and offices, frequently updated, appears below.
| Campaign | Qualified for Ballot |
|---|---|
| Mayor | |
| Barrett, Melinda E. | |
| Rogers, Michael | |
| City Council-At Large | |
| Sullivan, Thomas J. | |
| Morales, Michael | |
| Rentas, Pedro | |
| Jordan, Timothy J. | |
| LePage, Colin F. | |
| Michitson, John A. | |
| City Council Ward 1 | |
| Basiliere, Ralph T. | Y |
| City Council Ward 2 | |
| Diodati, Daniel | |
| Hobbs Everett, Katrina E.J. | |
| City Council Ward 3 | |
| Ferreira, Devan M. | |
| City Council Ward 4 | |
| Quimby, Kenneth E. | |
| Lewandowski, Melissa J. | Y |
| Cooper, Guy | Y |
| City Council Ward 5 | |
| Toohey, Shaun P. | |
| City Council Ward 6 | |
| McGonagle, Michael S. | |
| Carroll, Timothy | |
| City Council Ward 7 | |
| Rogers, Catherine P. | |
| School Committee-At Large | |
| Spheekas, Daniel | |
| Morrow, Josiah | |
| Simmons, Fred A. | |
| Nguyen, Davis | |
| School Committee Ward 1 | |
| School Committee Ward 2 | |
| Sapienza-Donais, Toni | Y |
| School Committee Ward 3 | |
| Arndt, Jennifer | |
| School Committee Ward 4 | |
| Simmons, Fred A. | |
| Basler, Amanda | Y |
| School Committee Ward 5 | |
| Story, Jill Taylor | |
| School Committee Ward 6 | |
| Collins, Yonnie | |
| School Committee Ward 7 | |
| Grannemann, Thomas W. | Y |