LEYDEN — Less than a month ahead of the annual town election, the candidates for three contested seats in Leyden hope to bring stability, transparency and accountability to town government.
The past year has been one of change for the Selectboard. The investigation into emails sent by former Police Chief and Emergency Management Director Dan Galvis, the sudden resignation of longtime member Jeffrey Neipp and ongoing concerns about the whereabouts of town-owned equipment have been top-of-mind at Selectboard meetings over the past several months.
Erik Johnson and Katherine DiMatteo, both Leyden residents since the 1970s, are running for a three-year term on the Selectboard.
Johnson, who previously served as constable and on the Finance Committee, feels residents have “lost their trust” in the way things are run in town, adding he’d like to see more transparency in government. Johnson stressed his experience in various departments, including plowing snow with the Highway Department, as an asset.
“I have deep roots in this town. There’s a lot of history here,” Johnson said.
“I would like to represent everyone and keep everyone in mind,” he added. “I don’t have any agenda other than returning to civility.”
DiMatteo, who has served as Leyden’s town moderator for about 20 years, thinks her administrative experience managing businesses, budgets and staffs would be beneficial to a role on the Selectboard.
“Leyden’s been through a lot of changes,” she said. “I’d like to bring some stability to the town.”
Citing climate change and economic strain, DiMatteo said if she is elected, she’d aim to find ways for the town to resiliently face such challenges, adding that she’d like to increase collaboration and participation among residents.
“I can be calm in emotional situations, situations of conflict,” DiMatteo said. “I’ve always been practical, realistic and sensible, and I see that’s the way we have to approach in Leyden the decisions that are made for the town.”
Gary Russell and Glenn Caffery are running for a two-year term on the Selectboard. The seat was left vacant when Neipp resigned earlier this year.
A Leyden resident and business owner for more than 30 years, Russell has served as constable and worked as a police officer in town.
“With all the troubles we’ve gone through, there’s been a lot of negativity in town lately,” Russell said. “I plan on working hard for the town to get everything back on track.”
Russell said he hopes to work closely with other boards to bring transparency, oversight and accountability to government. He wants residents to ask questions openly and be proud to call Leyden home.
Caffery, a former resource economics lecturer at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, said his time at the university gave him a “deep value for accountability of public funds” and an appreciation for “working in a scrappy environment” that he hopes to take to the Selectboard.
“Leyden has had a really tumultuous year,” Caffery said. “We have a lot of healing to do.”
He said he hopes to update the town’s technology infrastructure and increase local participation by making board meetings more accessible.
“Leyden has been through the ringer, and yet, I’m full of hope,” Caffery said.
Other than the two Selectboard seats, the only other contested race in Leyden this year is for town moderator.
Moderator candidate Jack Golden, a former member of the Zoning Board of Appeals and other small committees, thinks DiMatteo has served Leyden well as moderator and doesn’t feel like any changes need to be brought to the job.
“I’d like to continue along that path,” said Golden, who currently serves on the Public Safety Advisory Committee. “I feel like I’m a moderate kind of person. I’m able to get along well with lots of different types of people.
“Especially as our town, as well as the whole country, has grown into a more divisive entity, I felt like I could bring a nice attitude to town,” he added.
Former Selectboard member Lance Fritz is also running for town moderator. He said he’s served as moderator once or twice before to fill in.
“It’s a task that I found enjoyable, and people say I do a good job at it,” Fritz said, calling the role of town moderator “more of an umpire.”
“It’s whatever the people want,” he said of his candidacy.
The election will be held June 27 at Town Hall. Polls will be open from noon to 8 p.m.
An earlier version of this article included incorrect polling hours.