Selectman Meadow Wysocki’s decision not to run for re-election leaves an open seat on Epsom’s Select Board that both Michele Clark and Adam Perry hope to fill.

Here’s a little more information on each candidate, why they’re running, and what they hope to accomplish.

Meet the candidates

Michele Clark has lived in Epsom for seven years. Starting out as a former public school teacher, Clark led a career in school administration, policy development, international humanitarian efforts, and teaching as a professor. She has volunteered with Friends of the Library and has served on the heritage commission. Now retired, she is pursuing her love of art, spending time with her grandchildren, and searching for ways to get involved with her community, which led her to cast her name for selectmen.

“I believe in good governance,” Clark said. “Having run different organizations in the past, I’ve had some experience, and it would be a real honor to continue the good governance that Epsom already displays. Our budget this year is lower than it was last year. That means there’s some really good management that goes on.”

Adam Perry grew up in Epsom and now works as a general contractor. Being involved with the town has been an integral part of his life, including volunteering for park-related projects and moving through the ranks as Boy Scout to Eagle Scout. He believes his 39-year-long connection to Epsom and the work he does would allow him to bring a good perspective to the board.

“I would just like to bring out a get-things-done attitude,” Perry said. “I’m younger than the average selectman, as far as I understand. I would like to just make things smoother and make the town better in any way I can possibly can.”

Clark wants to be a leader who listens to her constituents. She hopes people will come to her with their concerns so she can find ways to address them.

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“Obviously, budgets and expenses are primary, and making sure our first responders are adequately compensated is important,” Clark said. “We’re a very diverse community. In many people’s eyes, Epsom is a little bit of a bedroom community for people who look around Concord. For other people, it is the place where they’re raising their children, where they’re coming to retire, where they have a very strong investment in this as a sense of place and a sense of home. So I would like to focus on what makes Epsom a better home for all of us.”

She wants to determine ways to serve the different age groups and professional demographics of people in town to foster an environment of engagement and deepen people’s connection to the place they call home.

Perry, too, sees ample opportunity for collaboration within different groups in Epsom and hopes his term as selectmen will help facilitate that spirit.

“There’s lots of topics in town, but none of them that I can really hammer down on as the exact issue that I’m running after. I’m just trying to keep things smooth and alleviate any tensions that have built up from different departments or different people in town.”

BUDGET: This year’s operating budget has an estimated tax rate of $3.96, eleven cents less than the tax rate in 2024. This tax rate would mean $1,584 in property taxes on a $400,000 house. If the voters choose a default budget instead, the estimated tax rate will be $4.02. If the school budget passes, there will be a $2.98 increase in the tax rate, meaning an additional $1,192 in property taxes on a $400,000 home. The default school budget would have a $3.18 increase in the tax rate.

HOT TOPIC: The school ballot contains a warrant article introduced by state reps. Dan and Carol McGuire that, if passed, would institute a $100,000 spending cap per student per year. The cap, which initially stood at $25,000, faced widespread pushback at the session. Residents made and passed a motion to raise the cap to four times its original size. Residents will vote on the budget cap, along with all the other items on the Chichester town and school warrant, on Tuesday.

WHEN AND WHERE: Voting day will take place on Tuesday, March 11 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Epsom Bible Church. Residents will cast their ballots for town officials, approve the budget, and decide on the tow n’s warrant articles. For the school board, two candidates, Jennifer Smith and Brian O’Sullivan, are running for two open seats, leaving the race uncontested.

For more information, visit epsomnh.org.