Doucette To Seek A Harwich Select Board Seat

 HARWICH – Former town clerk Anita Doucette has filed nomination papers for one of the two seats on the select board up for election in May. 

The former town clerk of 30 years also served for 20 years on the bylaw/charter review committee, and she said she has a good understanding of how town government works.

“I have an idea how this town should function and thought I could serve the town best on the select board,” Doucette said.    

“My mission is to work with the select board and town administration on how to best serve the town using communication and leadership qualities,” she said. “I am concerned about tax impacts on young people and how we are going to constrain budgets as we face major water and wastewater costs. I can help.” 

The town needs proven leadership, she said, citing her 30 years as town clerk, the second longest town clerk tenure in the town’s history. For 10 years, Doucette taught leadership programs as chair of education with the Massachusetts Town Clerks Association and with the New England Association of City and Town Clerks.    

 “Basicaly, I’ll listen to the concerns of the townspeople and make informed decisions, not based on personal bias,” she said. “As long as I have a town administration that gives us information based on fact then we can move forward. I’m not referring to any one person. This is the way it has to operate.”

 She added, “I just feel we need to go in a positive direction.”

 Doucette is the president of the Harwich Historical Society. She also served on the town’s recreation and beach commission and the board of registrars and is a former president of the Harwich Junior Women’s Club. She is a 1970 graduate of Harwich High School.

“I’ve got history in this town,” she said.

Doucette joins Mark Kelleher and Kathryn McManus as candidates who have had their nomination papers certified for the two positions for select board on this year’s ballot. Incumbent Select Board member Julie Kavanagh will not seek re-election. Select Board member Michael MacAskill, whose term is also expiring on May 20,  has not announced his intentions. Efforts to reach MacAskill for a comment were unsuccessful.

Doucette sees housing in general as a major issue facing the town, especially for young families. Affordable housing is a necessity, she said.   

 Doucette also took out nomination papers to run for a seat on the charter commission, should voters approve a ballot question in the annual election establishing the commission. However, select board members are not allowed to serve on additional boards and committees under the town charter, so Doucette made the decision to pursue only the select board position.   

 “I’m a supporter of the charter commission ballot question,” Doucette said, citing her participation in a charter update in 2006. “There are new people and new influences and we need to make it clear what we must follow.”

 The last day to take out nomination papers for positions on the May 20 annual town election ballot is Friday, March 28. The papers must be filed with the town clerk’s office by Tuesday, April 1 for board of registrar certification. The last day for candidates to withdraw is Thursday, April 17.