Corrected and updated March 27, 2017
The chairwoman of the Warner Free Lecture Trustees, Lisa Foley, was one of several candidates to speak about her bid for re-election at the March 20 candidates forum.
(Photos by Lisa Aciukewicz)
Before the selectmen candidates settled in for their nearly 90-minute question-and-answer session at Monday’s Candidates Night, six other candidates introduced themselves to voters and explained why they were running for office. Four of the candidates are unopposed in their quests, while two—Hank Fitek and John Lee—are competing for a single spot on the Cemetery Commission. Each person had two minutes to introduce herself or himself.
Cemetery Commission
Hank Fitek told the audience he has lived in Harvard for 37 years. Back in the 1980s, he said, he was on the Bare Hill Pond Committee. More recently, he has volunteered with the Council on Aging and with Harvard Help, which provides rides for people who do not drive. He has a background in customer service and volunteering, he said, and decided to run after speaking with Bruce Dolimount, a longtime cemetery commissioner. “I will do what’s necessary for the cemeteries,” Fitek said.
John Lee joked that because he was running for both the Cemetery Commission and for a third term on the Community Preservation Committee, perhaps he should get four minutes. But he kept his introduction short anyway. Lee said he grew up in Harvard and had served on a number of committees in the past, mainly Parks and Recreation. (He is also currently on the War Monument Restoration Committee.) He emphasized the cemeteries’ place as part of Harvard’s history, where the town’s earliest residents are interred. The cemeteries are public spaces that require a lot of respect, he said, adding that he would support some additional investment in the upkeep of the Town Center Cemetery.
Warner Free Lecture Trustees
Lisa Foley, the current chairwoman of the trustees, is running for re-election. “I absolutely love it,” she said of her term on the board. Foley said she wants to find ways to engage all parts of the town’s population with the lectures.
Shannon Molloy said she decided at the last minute to run for office because she wants to make a contribution to the town. She is also concerned, she said, about impending cuts in support for the arts at a national level.
Community Preservation Committee
Beth Williams has served on this committee since 2012. She is running again, she said, because she believes strongly in its mission of protecting open space, preserving historical buildings, and supporting affordable housing.
John Lee is also running for another term on the Community Preservation Committee (see above).
School Committee
SusanMary Redinger has served on the School Committee for six years and is its current chairwoman. “It’s important to me to see the next three years through with the Hildreth Elementary renovation, which may be the most impactful of the last couple of decades,” she said. Redinger said she wants a building the town can be proud of but also one that is cost-effective. She noted that Harvard’s multimillion-dollar contract to educate Devens children will be up for renewal in the next few years.
Editor’s note: This article has been corrected and updated. In the original article, the name of Shannon Molloy, a candidate for Warner Free Lecture trustee, was spelled incorrectly.
