Table of Contents
Get our free local reporting delivered straight to your inbox. No noise, no spam — just clear, independent coverage of Marblehead. Sign up for our once-a-week newsletter.
Rossana Ferrante, who chairs the Recreation and Park Commission and has served across three town boards over the past decade, pulled nomination papers for the Select Board this week — the first resident to do so for either of the two open seats in what is shaping up to be one of Marblehead's broadest local elections in recent memory.
Ferrante, of Stony Brook Road, was among 11 residents listed on the official candidates sheet posted at the Town Clerk Office as of Thursday afternoon. Neither Select Board incumbent — Erin M. Noonan nor Alexa J. Singer — responded to more than one inquiry about whether they plan to seek reelection.
This is an early snapshot: Marblehead voters will fill 24 seats across 11 elected bodies on June 9. Nomination papers became available Monday, March 16, and must be returned to the town clerk's office by 5 p.m. April 21. Pulling papers is the first step in the process; candidates must still collect the required signatures and submit completed papers to qualify for the ballot. None of the 11 residents listed Thursday had yet returned their papers.
The election arrives at a difficult moment for town government. Marblehead is working through an estimated $7 million structural deficit for fiscal 2027, driven by Proposition 2½ limits, rising health insurance costs, a new trash contract and the loss of one-time funds that previously helped close budget gaps. Town officials are weighing service reductions, new fees and a possible override. At the same time, the town is navigating a lawsuit brought by Attorney General Andrea Campbell over noncompliance with the MBTA Communities Act.
'People. Process. Policy.'
In an interview with the Marblehead Independent, Ferrante said the Select Board felt like a natural next step after years of service across multiple town bodies.
"I don't see the role as political. I am not coming in with an agenda," Ferrante said. "I see the role as an opportunity to to fill some gaps in educating the community."
She summed up her approach in three words: "people, process, policy."
Ferrante has served on the Planning Board for seven years by her count and is in her third year on the Recreation and Park Commission, where she is chair. She also serves as vice chair of the Town Charter Committee. Professionally, she described a career spent in management roles overseeing operations, finances and staffing, and she holds a law degree from Suffolk University Law School. She moved to Massachusetts from Nevada in 1995, and she arrived in Marblehead about 15 years ago.
Asked what effective leadership looks like on a board where members do not always agree, Ferrante said, "my leadership style is making sure that the decision making process is logical and objective."
She said she would prioritize listening to different viewpoints and grounding decisions in evidence rather than emotion. She also pushed back gently on what she called an overused word in local government – a need for more communication.
"I see it more as needing full disclosure, so the community better understands the critical facts," she said.
Ferrante described her broader outlook as "having a very humble and accountable approach" and said she was focused on problem-solving rather than assigning blame. She said her work across the Planning Board, Recreation and Park Commission and Town Charter Committee gave her a wide view of how the town operates.
"Having the experience, having worked on the Planning Board and Rec and Park and Charter, gives me a unique perspective," she said.
Early movement
Beyond the Select Board, the clerk's sheet showed early movement in several other races during the first week.
Ferrante and Julie B. Selbst, who pulled papers for the Board of Health, were the only residents to pull for seats they do not already hold. Every other candidate listed as of Thursday was either an incumbent seeking reelection or an appointee looking to retain a seat — a sign that the first week drew more familiar names than new challengers.
Two residents pulled papers for the Board of Health, which is expanding from three to five members: incumbent Thomas R. McMahon of Shorewood Road and Selbst, of Nanepashemet Street. A third seat on the expanded board had not yet drawn a candidate.
Town moderator Jack Attridge of Beach Street pulled papers to seek reelection.
On the Cemetery Commission, incumbent David J. Meyer of West Shore Drive pulled for the regular three-year term. Sally Bull Sands of Franklin Street, who was recently appointed to fill a vacancy created by a resignation in December 2025, pulled for the two-year unexpired term.
Katherine H. Barker of Locust Street was the only resident to pull papers for either of the two open seats on the Abbot Public Library Board of Trustees.
Incumbent Robert John Schaeffner Jr. of Casino Road pulled for one of two open five-year terms on the Planning Board. The second seat had no listed candidate.
Christopher E. Kennedy of Stony Brook Road was the sole candidate listed for the Recreation and Park Commission, which has all five of its one-year seats on the ballot.
Both Water and Sewer Commission incumbents pulled papers: Barton Hyte of Alden Road and Gregory W. Burt of Russell Street.
Four races had drawn no candidates as of Thursday afternoon: the Board of Assessors, the Housing Authority, the Municipal Light Commission and the School Committee, which has two open seats.
Residents interested in running have until 5 p.m. April 21 to return completed nomination papers to the town clerk's office at Abbot Hall. The election is June 9.
If this helped you get your bearings early, please consider backing the Marblehead Independent. Right now, 104 monthly and annual contributors help keep this reporting free for everyone, and we’re working to reach 200 by July 31. This story took calls, record-checking and time to pin down what’s on the June 9 ballot, who has entered the field and why this election matters as Marblehead faces a projected $7 million fiscal 2027 gap, possible service cuts and a state housing lawsuit. If you’ve been meaning to support practical local reporting that residents can use before deadlines pass, this is a good time to join us. 🟦 Become a member here.
