SALISBURY — With nomination papers available for the town election, the first candidate has emerged in a race for a selectman seat.
Nomination papers, first made available Jan. 17, are also available for a Triton Regional School Committee member from Salisbury. Both seats carry a three-year term.
The School Committee incumbent is Vice Chairperson Caitlin Hunter and the incumbent selectman is Wilma McDonald.
The Daily News received a media advisory from Terry Marengi Jr. stating his intention to run for the selectman seat.
The Daily News confirmed with Town Clerk Melinda Morrison that Marengi pulled and returned nomination papers for the position.
Marengi is the president of TCS Communications Corp. and North East Tower Associates. Both are in Salisbury. He also serves as vice chairman of Salisbury Community TV & Media Center and is a member of the Master Plan Committee.
Marengi said he had been thinking about running for some time. He said his father, a former selectman, told him he would know when the time was right.
“I just felt like this was a very important time in Salisbury’s history where we have a town manager that is running somewhere else,” Marengi said.
He said there are a lot of decisions to be made in town and he believes his technical background would be advantageous for the board.
“All these things combined together and just really inspired me to say, ‘I think it is time for me,’ and I’ve always had aspirations to run for a board seat,” Marengi said.
Growth was a point of emphasis for Marengi as he spoke about the town’s potential.
“I personally am just looking to make sure that it’s controlled growth managed in a way that’s responsible and positive for all the current residents that live here now and those future business owners and residents that come into Salisbury,” he said.
Marengi said his background as a business owner and personnel manager has prepared him to help lead that growth responsibly.
He said his decision to run had nothing to do with whose seat is available and expressed his respect for McDonald.
“She’s been in Town Hall since I was a kid and she’s done great things for this community,” Marengi said.
Marengi said he is excited to run and that he got an early start because he felt there was a lot to do and learn.
“I hope that people would respect what I’ve done for the community over the many years and what my family has done,” he said.
McDonald said “the more, the merrier” in regard to Marengi returning his papers.
McDonald referred to the last election season as “not the most polite with character assassination and things like that.” She said with more than a month left, there is no rush to take out papers.
“Too early for me,” McDonald said.
Candidates have until March 17 at 5 p.m. to take out papers and must return them by March 21 at 5 p.m. They then have until April 6 if they choose to withdraw.
The signatures of at least 41 registered voters are required for nomination papers to be accepted for the town election May 9.
Matt Petry covers Amesbury and Salisbury for The Daily News of Newburyport. Email him at: mpetry@northofboston.com.