Who's on the ballot? Newcomers challenge incumbents in Hampton area Select Board races

HAMPTON — A political newcomer, looking to be a voice for young families, is challenging two incumbents for a seat on the Board of Selectmen.

Carleigh Beriont, a Harvard University lecturer and mother of two, is running for office for the first time. She challenges incumbents Rich Sawyer, a former Hampton police chief, and Jim Waddell, who is seeking his fifth term on the board.

Beriont, a historian with a focus on World War II, said young families need more representation in local politics but that many don’t have the time to run for office. She decided to run so she could give them more representation on the town’s executive board.

“I think I offer another perspective than what is currently on the board,” Beriont said. “It’s not always easy for parents of young children, working parents, to find time to participate in government.”

Waddell and Sawyer said they are seeking reelection to continue the work their board has accomplished in the last few years. They say that has included keeping the tax rate from increasing and completing several key projects like road improvements.

“We have a board that works well together,” Waddell said. “I think we continue to get things done and help the town to grow in a positive manner.”

Beriont, originally from New Jersey, said she has lived in New Hampshire for seven years with her husband. Her children are both in the early stages of their school years: one is in kindergarten at Centre School and the other will join soon.

Beriont said her top issues include affordable housing, which she said is a concern for young families in Hampton. She said she knows residents in town who rent and are concerned about how few affordable options exist to buy a home on the Seacoast.

“I think it’s a very tight market for purchasing homes,” Beriont said.

While the Board of Selectmen does not directly oversee land use issues like the planning and zoning boards, Beriont believes the best use of her experience and skill set is on the town’s executive board. She hopes to improve communication and inclusion with all groups in town.

“When you are raising kids, you think a lot about the future and about the town you’re living in,” Beriont said. “Hoping to shape what it might look like.”

Beriont said she has watched several meetings of the board and has been a diligent voter in Hampton. She believes the board has done good work but believes it’s important to give voters another option.

“I’m really running to offer Hampton voters another perspective,” Beriont said. “To give them a choice in who represents them on the select board.”

The incumbents spoke highly of each other, Waddell saying he would endorse Sawyer for his work on the board. Sawyer called Waddell the “patriarch” of the board for his experience and ability to listen and communicate.

“I think Jim Waddell is a model we can all follow in how to act with dignity when you’re serving on a board,” Sawyer said.

Sawyer and Waddell pointed to the success of warrant articles in the last three years at Town Meeting. Sawyer said despite the budget being rejected last year by voters, contracts and road work projects have gained the approval of voters.

Waddell pointed to road projects like the ongoing High Street construction that passed for $7 million at the 2022 Town Meeting. The work includes the replacement of sewer from Lafayette Road to Locke Road, as well as new drainage.

He also pointed to contracts passing at the polls, like police union contracts that were approved last year. He said that has been accomplished with the tax rate remaining stable.

The town’s growth was also an issue that Sawyer said is important to watch as more people move to town and developers look to build more residential units. The Kane Company is eyeing development in the area of Liberty Lane, and Al Fleury has a proposed 94-unit apartment project before the Zoning Board.

“There’s a lot going on,” Sawyer said. “A lot for people to consider.”

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Pinette faces two challengers in North Hampton Select Board race

NORTH HAMPTON — A three-way race for one seat on the Select Board at the March 12 election pits incumbent Jonathan Pinette against a former Winnacunnet School Board member and former meteorologist.

Pinette is seeking his second term on the Select Board. He is being challenged by Henry Marsh, who served 15 years on the Winnacunnet School Board, and Brendan Fennell, who previously worked as a meteorologist and is now “a stay-at-home dad.”

Pinette said he’s running again because he wants to leverage his past town service experience to serve his neighbors in positive ways.

Pinette previously served on the town Budget Committee, Zoning Board of Adjustment, Ethics Committee and Economic Development Committee.

If re-elected, Pinette hopes to “work with all constituencies to foster productive engagement, communications, and resolutions regarding the balance between financial, educational, business and environmental resources.”

Marsh said he decided to run for Select Board after the departure of former Police Chief Kathryn Mone and many other members of the town’s Police Department. He believes he has the time and experience as a recruiter to help recruit candidates to fill the vacancies in the Police Department.

Fennell, who unsuccessfully ran for a seat on the Select Board last year, said he's running “to bring a fresh perspective” to North Hampton’s local government.

“The treatment of everyone in town is not equal, and we need to put a more friendly face on local government,” Fennell said.

Fennell said he’d like to address issues surrounding the recent revaluation of town properties.

“I think a lot of people are upset about the revaluation,” he said, “and we need to address it in a more open way."

Kyle faces challenger for Seabrook Select Board

SEABROOK — Incumbent Select Board member Theresa Kyle is being challenged at the March 12 election by political newcomer Mary Messina.

Kyle, who is seeking her fourth term on the board, said she's running because she “loves the people of Seabrook and the town.”

She also fears the "town is in a dark place."

“There are misconceptions out there being spread by some people about our employees and our (union) contracts,” she said. “I’m running because I feel I am a buffer between the people trying to harm our town employees.”

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According to Kyle, if reelected, she feels she can act as a thoughtful and reasonable influence during employee union contract negotiations, preventing hostilities that have led to having an outside mediator to settle disputes.

“I feel I can be fair to both sides and make negotiations a proper give-and-take situation,” Kyle said.

Messina said she's running to stop “runaway budgets.”

"In the last 10 years, the budget grew significantly from $18.7 million to $31.5 million, 68.5% increase, on average a 6.9% increase (per) year," Messina said.

"It is becoming more difficult for young families, the elderly, and those on fixed incomes to make ends meet," she said.

If elected, Messina said she would stop the chaos on the board and bring financial accountability to the town.

"I will work to bring fiscal change, mutual respect, and prosperity to Seabrook’s future," Messina said.

In March 2023, Messina was one of two whose lawsuit against the town was dismissed by the court after they tried to prevent town officials from presenting the 2023 default budget to voters. According to court documents, before the February 2023 deliberative session, Messina and another filed suit requesting an injunction, claiming officials illegally put together the default budget.

Reporter Angeljean Chiaramida contributed to this report.

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This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Hampton area board of selectmen races heat up with new faces