Category: Belmont Voice

  • Unofficial Results Show Yates Winning Select Board Seat

    Receiving roughly 60% of the vote, Planning Board Chair Taylor Yates was elected Tuesday night to serve a three-year term on the Select Board. 

    According to unofficial results, Yates received 2,525 votes to Paul Joy’s 1,736 votes. Joy currently serves as chair of the Economic Development Committee. 

    “[My] number one reaction is gratitude,” Yates said Tuesday night. “Gratitude to my campaign team … they were in the trenches with me the whole time; gratitude to all of our volunteers and donors that gave us what we needed to get this campaign over the finish line; gratitude for all the voters for affirming a positive vision for Belmont’s future, and of course, gratitude to my family who really pulled together to support me on this.”

    In a statement, Joy congratulated Yates on his victory. He thanked the town clerk’s office for a smooth election and the League of Women Voters and the Pan Asian Coalition for their candidate panels. He also thanked his campaign team’s effort for their work leading up to the election.

    “This election didn’t turn out the way I, my team and those who voted for me had hoped,” he wrote. “But that does not mean that my work for Belmont will come to an end.  I am a Precinct 7 Town Meeting Member. I remain committed to helping to build community across Belmont based on the core foundational principles of democracy and shared governance.”

    According to the Town Clerk’s office, 4,470 ballots were cast out of 18,970 registered voters for a turnout of 23.6%. Yates said he’d hoped to see more voters at the polls.

    “Turnout was lower than I expected and I hope we as a town can find ways to encourage more turnout,” Yates said. “Not everybody in the world gets to vote so it’s a pretty precious right we have here.”

    The moderator race was much closer, with unofficial results showing Michael Crowley besting Mark Paolillo by 11 votes. With a few ballots still to be counted, including hand-counted ballots, military ballots, and write-ins, Crowley noted the race still could “go either way,” but declined further comment.

    In total, Crowley took 2,129 votes, compared to Paolillo’s 2,118. 

    In the race for School Committee, Zehra Abid-Wood and Brian Palmer were elected to serve three-year terms, with 3,213 votes and 2,797 votes, respectively, according to unofficial results. Candidate Michael Todd Thompson received 1,125 votes. 

    “I’m thrilled. I’m really, really happy, and I’m hopeful that now the work can begin,” Abid-Wood said from Town Hall Tuesday night, where election results were called. “I think there’s been a lot of really good work done with the school committee.”

    She said she is ready to serve where the committee needs her. 

    “My goal is to watch and learn and absorb,” she said. “I’ve done a lot of research going into this, a lot of context for what’s happening with the school committee. I see my role as other members of the school committee to be there as a voice for the community, and to both support school administration, the district administration, and to hold them accountable to deliver on what they say they will do great.” 

    For the Board of Health, Julie Lemay was elected to serve a three-year term with 3,103 votes, compared to Michael Todd Thompson’s 677. 

    Edward Barker and Tara Donner were elected to serve three-year terms as a Trustee of the Public Library with 2,301 votes and 2,233 votes, respectively. Mark Carthy received 2,156 votes. 

    Unofficial Ballot Totals

    The numbers available are unofficial totals from the precincts and ballots tabulated in advance – no hand-counted, military, or write-in ballots.

    Moderator

    • Crowley 2,129
    • Paolillo 2,118

    Select Board

    • Joy 1,736
    • Yates 2,525

    Board of Health

    • Lemay 3,103
    • Thompson 677

    Trustee of the Library

    • Carthy 2,156
    • Barker 2,301
    • Donner 2,233

    School Committee

    • Abid-Wood 3,213
    • Palmer 2,797
    • Thompson 1,125

    Eli Cloutier is a Boston University student working with The Voice as part of a partnership between the Belmont Voice and the Boston University Department of Journalism.

  • Motivated to Run: First Time Town Meeting Candidates Speak

    Belmont resident Katherine Sigel said approval in 2024 of a Proposition 2½ override — which allowed Belmont to increase property taxes by more than 2½% — sparked her interest in running for a seat on Town Meeting.

    “Being involved in the override campaign last year really made me get behind the community and fight for the battles that I believe in,” said Sigel, who serves as director of corporate and foundation relations at the St. Francis House, a homeless shelter in Boston. She is running to represent Precinct 5.

    As a parent of two children at Belmont Middle and High School, Sigel said her top priority is the school system. The schools, she said, make Belmont “really stand out.”

    Sigel is one of 97 candidates running to fill 102 seats at Town Meeting, which meets several times a year to debate and vote on issues affecting the town and school budgets, zoning regulations, and other issues. The April 1 election also has contested races for Select Board, School Committee, and town moderator, among others.

    Both candidates for moderator, Mark Paolillo and Michael Crowley, said they want to see the number of people interested in serving on Town Meeting increase. Of the 97 candidates running, 67 were incumbents hoping to retain their seat. The Voice spoke with seven of the 20 new candidates to understand their priorities and what prompted them to run for a seat on Town Meeting.

    Roger Diebold, running to represent Precinct 1, is an entrepreneur who develops medical devices. He said he’s been in Belmont for just over a year and wants to get more involved in the community.

    As with Sigel, the override was the driving force behind Diebold’s decision to run for Town Meeting. He has two young children in the school system, which was a big reason he moved to Belmont.

    “Override was pretty close to not passing,” Diebold said. “That made me think I should get more involved.”

    Jeff Broderick, vice president of product operations for the software company Acquia, started volunteering for the Economic Development Committee last summer and has been increasingly involved in Select Board events, stemming from an increased interest in town politics.

    Broderick, who is among the candidates for Precinct 3, wants to bring more business into Belmont and hopes to make the town more friendly to business owners.

    “I want to see Belmont invest in an economic development coordinator or a similar role in order to have a concerted focus,” Broderick said.

    Michelle Rule, a project manager in the biotechnology industry, said she sees new businesses face delayed openings because of permitting issues. She wants to explore options that “simplify that process.”

    Campaigning to represent Precinct 6, Rule sees the town struggling with its budget each year, especially with school funding. For her, the size of classes is a concern. Her kids, who attend the high school, have classes with 26 students in them, Rule said – which she said is high.

    “It impacts the quality of education, the individual attention a child can get,” she said.

    Precinct 5 Town Meeting member candidate Andrew Flamang, who grew up in town and graduated from Belmont High in 2001, has a background in consulting and is working on a software startup. Belmont needs to balance preserving its character with developing its commercial base, he said, so the town remains an attractive place to live.

    Cassandra Biette, who graduated from Belmont High in 2011 and moved back to town in 2019, has been a fourth-grade teacher in Lexington for six years. Biette is running to represent Precinct 6.

    Biette hopes to represent the younger generation in Belmont. When she was a child, her mother served on Town Meeting. People her mother served with are still involved, she said.

    Biette added that as a renter, she feels she can bring a valuable perspective to Town Meeting.

    Cabell Eames, who works for the Charles River Watershed Association, also rents. She agrees that the renter’s perspective is important to have on Town Meeting, as most of the members are homeowners. Eames is hoping to represent Precinct 6.

    “When you’ve been in Belmont for 10 years as a renter, that’s a badge of honor,” Eames said. “Because it’s really hard.”

    Eli Cloutier is a journalism student at Boston University. This story is part of a partnership between The Belmont Voice and the Boston University Department of Journalism.

  • Marauders Shut Out Bishop Feehan in Round 1

    The Belmont Marauders got their playoffs going with a 6-0 win over Bishop Feehan. (Eli Cloutier/Belmont Voice)

    Coach Tim Foley can’t say enough good things about sophomore Liam Guilderson. The first two words Foley used to describe him were “skilled and fast.”

    Guilderson used his elite speed and puck skills to net a hat trick, propelling Belmont to a 6-0 win over Bishop Feehan at Ryan Arena in the first round of the Division 1 state tournament.

    “He’s a player that has the old school creativity with new school skills,” Foley said postgame.

    The Marauders jumped in front just 35 seconds into the first period as Guilderson buried his first of the game from the slot.

    Unfortunately for the Shamrocks, their best look of the opening frame led directly to Guilderson’s second tally of the period.

    Junior Christopher Morrison rang the right post from the slot, but Belmont jumped out in transition, speeding through the neutral zone. Guilderson picked out the top corner of the net from the left circle to give Belmont a 2-0 lead just 3:19 in.

    Bishop Feehan responded after falling behind early, generating quality looks off stout forechecking, but sophomore netminder, Ethan Bauer, was up to the task.

    Bauer, who’s grown in confidence as the season’s progressed, was excellent throughout, earning his fourth shutout of the season.

    “He’s given us a chance to win almost every game we’ve been in this year,” Foley said. “You know that he’s gonna come to play.”

    Senior Nolan Kelleher pushed the Marauders’ lead to 3-0 at 4:27 of the second period. From behind the net, freshman Gabe Kioumejian found Kelleher driving the net, who beat Shamrocks goalie Logan Petrucci for his third of the year.

    “He’s always in the opponent’s face,” Foley said. “And that’s a good thing.”

    Guilderson completed the hat trick at 5:30 of the third period. After a clean toe drag to center the puck in the slot, he beat Petrucci glove side high to make it 4-0.

    Freshman Henry Packard scored his first varsity goal at 6:39 of the final frame. His older brother, junior Leo, assisted the tally.

    “Scoring that goal with his brother is huge,” Foley said. “It’s very important that they’re able to bond with each other.”

    Freshman Thomas Courtney’s power play goal at 10:12 of the third sealed the deal for the Marauders.

    Up next for Belmont is Winchester, whom the Marauders have already beaten twice this season, 4-1 and 3-1. Despite that, Foley is still looking for more out of his team.

    “We need to play the whole 45 minutes at the pace that we’re capable of playing at,” he said.

  • Belmont Girls Shut Down Arlington Catholic, Win Tournament Game 1

    Before the Belmont High School girls hockey team began its quest for a state title, Coach Brendan Kelleher told his captain to “go out and write the script.”

    That’s precisely what senior Sadie Taylor did.

    Just 52 seconds into the Marauders 2-0 win over Arlington Catholic in the first round of the Division 1 state tournament, Taylor’s 13th goal of the season gave Belmont the lead.

    Driving the net, Taylor received a feed from freshman Alexcia Fici and beat Cougars goalie Katlin Sacco.

    “Sadie’s the engine that drives this thing,” Kelleher said postgame. “Her energy and compete levels are through the roof.”

    The game took a fast pace early, with Belmont forechecking hard. As a result, Arlington Catholic struggled to break the puck out.

    “Today was a day that we wanted to turn the aggressive meter up a little bit,” Kelleher said.

    The Cougars best look of the opening frame came with just under three minutes to play. From the slot, seventh-grader Amelia Paes rang the right post.

    • Elsie Lakin-Schultz took a shot over the opponent’s defense. (Rachel Zhong/Belmont Voice)
    • Alexcia Fici followed the puck to gain possession. (Rachel Zhong/Belmont Voice)
    • Alexcia Fici chased after the puck from the opponent. (Rachel Zhong/Belmont Voice)
    • Kate Townsend gained control of the puck. (Rachel Zhong/Belmont Voice)
    • Mia Smith and Amelia Long chased the puck. (Rachel Zhong/Belmont Voice)
    • Sadie Taylor went after the puck in the face-off. (Rachel Zhong/Belmont Voice)
    • Belmont High School Varsity Girls Hockey captain, Thea Monovich shouted as she walked out of the locker room to begin the second period. (Rachel Zhong/Belmont Voice)

    1 / 7

    Freshman Amelia Long’s first goal and point of the season extended the Belmont lead to 2-0 with 15 seconds to play in the first period. She ripped a shot from the point, which made its way through traffic and beat Sacco five-hole.

    “Couldn’t think of a better time,” Kelleher said. “Everyone on the team went over and congratulated her.”

    The second period began much like the first ended — with Belmont pressing hard. The Marauders dominated the first half of the frame with their quick passes and team speed.

    Arlington Catholic settled into its game after sophomore Elsie Lakin-Schultz was assessed a body-checking minor at 8:47. The Cougars possessed the puck in their offensive zone, peppering junior netminder Jil Costa with shots — but she stood tall between the pipes. Costa recorded her ninth shutout of the season in the victory.

    Belmont continued to lock down defensively in the third period as the Cougars pushed to get on the board.

    “They’ve grown up a lot,” Kelleher said. “They give us all confidence.”

    Now only four wins stand in between Belmont and a first state title. Up next: the winner of Reading versus Pope Francis.

    “We’ll reset, we’ll enjoy it today, and we’ll be back at the rink tomorrow,” Kelleher said.