June election takes shape

Crowded contest for School Committee

BY WILLIAM J. DOWD

Marblehead’s town election on June 20 will feature seven contests, including for School Committee and Select Board.

There is a five-way race for two open seats on the School Committee. Candidates include incumbent Sarah Gold, Paul Baker of Overlook Road, former Glover School principal Brian Ota of Merritt Street, Karen Tal-Makhluf of Trager Road and former School Committee member Jennifer Schaeffner of Casino Road.

Six candidates for the Select Board will battle over five seats. All five incumbents are running: Jim Nye, Moses Grader, Alexa Singer, Jackie Belf-Becker and Erin Noonan. Former Select Board member Bret Murray of Abbot Street is hoping to unseat one of them.

A Planning Board contest will not be on the June ballot after all. James Full of Cheever Avenue did not return papers before the deadline, leaving incumbent Robert Schaeffner and Marc J. Leibman of Orchard Circle uncontested for two, five-year terms.

Others races to watch:

Board of Health: Incumbent Todd Belfbecker’s three-year term expiresthis year. He tells the Current that he has decided to give up his seat after 15 years on the board, which he called “very bittersweet.” However, three non-incumbents have returned papers: Thomas McMahon of Gregory Street, Thomas Massaro of Lafayette Street and former Board of Health member David Becker (Todd’s father) of Nonantum Road. McMahon ran unsuccessfully against Helaine Hazlett in 2022.

Municipal Light Commission: The Marblehead Municipal Light Commission has a three-year term and a one-year unexpired term that voters will need to fill. Incumbent Lisa Wolf will face former light commissioner Walter Homan of Haley Road for the three-year term. Homan lost to Light Commissioners Jean-Jacques Yarmoff and