CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL LIST OF CANDIDATES RUNNING IN HULL’S ANNUAL ELECTION ON MAY 18.

By Christopher Haraden

Hull Redevelopment Authority member Adrienne Paquin is the latest elected official choosing to leave office when her term expires next month.

Paquin, who said she is planning to move out of Hull, was elected to the authority in 2023. Last week, select board member Jason McCann said he would not seek a new term, and neither Celia Nolan nor Duncan Stone are running to retain their seats on the board of library trustees.

Assessors Mario Grieco and Rochelle Terranova also are not looking to return to their respective five-year and one-year terms, and Town Clerk Lori West said this week nobody took out nomination papers for either position, which will leave two of the five slots on the board of assessors empty – unless candidates emerge with write-in campaigns between now and the May 18 election.

Also last week, planning board member Cindy Borges, elected to a five-year term in 2024, announced her intention to step down after the election. Because of the timing of her intended resignation, her seat will not appear on the ballot. The vacancy likely will be filled by a joint vote of the planning board and the select board.

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In a letter published in this week’s Times, Paquin said she hoped that future HRA members would be committed to listening to feedback from an upcoming survey of residents about the future of the HRA land. She also endorsed C. Anne Murray, who is running to replace her.

“As I have said time and time again, the town of Hull today is not the town of Hull of 1961. We have different needs and priorities,” she wrote. “I hope that some future HRA makes a decision that looks with wisdom and perspective to the future, as opposed to being stuck in the rut of typical residential/commercial development.

“I would also call upon everyone to demand transparency from our town,” she continued. “I am someone who believes in a government that works for the people, but it has been discouraging to work with the town.”

In addition to Murray, the five-year seat on the redevelopment authority is being sought by Valerio Romano, who – like Murray – unsuccessfully sought appointment to an HRA vacancy last year. Charles Richardson, who was appointed to the seat in September, is running unopposed to finish his three-year term.

With McCann’s departure from the select board race, there are five people seeking the two available three-year terms on the select board. Incumbent Jerry Taverna will be challenged by Michael A. Sampson, Susan Short Green, Patricia Lynn Cormier, and Christopher Niland.

One seat on the planning board will appear on the May ballot – the five-year position now held by Jeanne Paquin. She is being challenged by Lisa French.

Mark L. Kohn will face off against incumbent light board members Patrick Cannon and Jacob Vaillancourt for the two three-year seats available on the light board.

The school committee has two three-year terms available, with three candidates – current members Courtney Littlefield and Aleeza Hagerty and former member Ernest Minelli.

Running unopposed are housing authority member Anne-Margaret MacEachern and assessor Pamela Sinton-Coffman, as well as Thu-Hang Tran and Amy Hyde, who are the only candidates for two three-year terms on the library board.

The last day to register to vote in the May 18 annual town election is Friday, May 8.

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