HATFIELD — Candidate filing for the May 16 election at Town Meeting is closed, and while there are several uncontested races, there will be competition for some of the town’s highest-profile positions.

Selectman Marcus Boyle resigned from his post on the three-member Select Board in February, and three candidates filed to fill out the final two years of his term: Cindy A. Doty, Francis L. Gougeon and Gerald Gower.

Brian F. Moriarty is running for another three-year term on the Select Board unopposed.

Doty, 60, said her experience in law enforcement would would bring added depth to the board, where Selectman Edmund Jaworski has management experience and Moriarty has a specialty in education issues.

Doty is town director of emergency management, and has served on the town Energy and Recreation committees.

She said she retired about six years ago after a 25-year career with the Massachusetts State Police, where she rose to lieutenant. Doty said that while she doesn’t have “anything that’s got me angry,” one of the first things she’d like to assess is whether the town receives adequate return from the Hampshire Council of Governments, an organization that pools the purchasing power of several local communities.

In general, she said she’d like to find ways to save the town money.

“I’m fiscally conservative but less conservative on social issues,” Doty said.

Gower, 65, said he bought a house in Hatfield a few years ago, and rented in Hatfield for a few years before that.

“The people here are terrific and the traditions are outstanding,” Gower said.

When asked if he ever was involved with town government before, he said yes, briefly — on a budget committee in New Hampshire. He declined to specify where in New Hampshire for “personal reasons.”

Town Clerk Lydia Szych said Gower’s previous address on his voter registration form shows he lived in Winchester, New Hampshire.

Winchester Town Clerk Jim Tetreault confirmed that Gower served on the budget committee for part of 2004 and 2005 before resigning.

Gower said he was not able to gain influence within the committee’s established power structure and resigned in frustration.

“I ended up resigning,” he said. “There was nothing I could do” to influence the committee.

Gower said he will have to work hard to pull out a victory in Hatfield. He said he knows lots of people in town, but does not have deep connections.

Gougeon, 76, has served on several committees in Hatfield. Most recently, he said he has served on town Finance Committee, the Capital Improvement Planning Committee and the Personnel Committee.

He also served on committees to find Hatfield’s police chief, fire chief and town administrator.

He has deep roots in Hatfield schools, serving as superintendent from 1986 to 1993 and as interim superintendent in 2009 and 2010. He also served on the School Committee from 1982 to 1984, he said.

“I think it’s important for people to give back and this is my way of trying to give back,” Gougeon said.

If elected, he’d like to improve efficiencies in Town Hall.

“I’d like to take a look at the operation of town departments and town hall offices with a goal of hopefully making things run more smoothly” and improving communication, he said.

As Hatfield’s former representative to the Hampshire County of Governments, he said he shares some of Doty’s concerns about its operation.

Several other offices are open this May. Here’s a rundown of the office and who is running:

• Assessor, 3-year term: Ronald J. Punska is running for re-election unopposed.

• Assessor, 2-year term: Incumbent Scott McCoy faces Christopher G. Smith.

• School Committee, 3-year term: Incumbent Catherine J. Englehardt faces Bridget S. Rodrigue.

• Elector under the will of Oliver Smith, 1-year term: Incumbent Lydia Szych is unopposed.

• Cemetery Commissioner, 3-year term: Incumbent Jonathan W. Bardwell is unopposed.

• Board of Health, 3-year term: Incumbent Kerry E. Flaherty is unopposed.

• Library Trustee, 2-year term: Amy Goclowski is running unopposed.

• Planning Board, 5-year term: Incumbent Paul S. Dostal is running for re-election.

• Moderator, 3-year term: Incumbent Joseph A. Lavallee Sr. is unopposed.

• Town Clerk, 3-year term: Incumbent Lydia Szych is unopposed.

• Town Collector, 3-year term: Incumbent Laura Lee Drouin-Bertram faces Michael Paszek.

• Town Treasurer, 3-year term: Incumbent Drouin-Bertram is facing Paszek.

No one filed for two other offices: a four-year Planning Board term and a five-year Redevelopment Authority term. If anyone is interested in mounting a write-in campaign, Szych said they should contact her office.

Jack Suntrup can be reached at jsuntrup@gazettenet.com.

]]>