By Max Bowen-max.bowen@northstarteporter.com
It’s time.
It was the opening line in Keith Lapointe’s announcement that he would not seek a second term on the first North Attleborough Town Council. In a written statement sent to the Reporter, Lapointe, who serves as council president, said that his decision came about after a tremendous amount of self-reflection.
“While I love this Town, I love being involved, and I love having a direct voice in the direction of our future; I also fundamentally believe that government does not exist for the pleasure of the participants, but rather at the pleasure of the people,” wrote Lapointe. “In order to be a Councilor that our community deserves, each representative must be “all-in” and willing to do the work really needed, day in and day out.”
In addition to serving as a Town Councilor, Lapointe was also a selectmen for one term. Following the passage of the new Town Charter, a different form of government was created. Among the many changes was the end of the Board of Selectmen and the creation of the Town Council. Lapointe ran for a seat on the council, earning the most votes and becoming its first president.
Lapointe wrote that serving in both positions is a lot of work and can be time-consuming, which in part led to his decision not to run for re-election. Lapointe thanked his family and campaign team for their support and all those that work in town government, as well as the volunteer leaders.
“It is time to step aside, so that others can commit themselves fully to the work needed to continue our positive trajectory into the future,” he wrote. “It’s been an amazing run and I am so proud to have been part of the team of people that have come together to honor North Attleboro’s history while working to ensure it is a great place to live for generations to come.”
All nine positions on the council are on the ballot for the April 6 Town Election. At this time, councilors Jo Ann Cathcart, Justin Pare, John Simmons, Julie Boyce, Andy Shannahan, Darius Gregory, and Kathleen Prescott have announced their intention to run for re-election. Residents Andrea Slobogan, Bruce Pearson, John J. Donahue, Daniel Donovan, Mark Gould, and Kenneth P. Nasif have pulled papers to run for a seat on the council.
Fellow council member Michael Lennox has also announced that he will not seek a second term. In a written statement, he said that when he first ran for selectman six years ago, it was the beginning of a journey of service to his neighbors and fellow residents, as well as a tremendous learning experience.
“The opportunity to serve you as both a member of the town’s final Board of Selectmen, in addition being one of nine first ever Town Councilors, has been a wonderful honor,” wrote Lennox.
Lennox thanked his wife Beth, whom he said encouraged him to run all those years ago, as well as those who served as mentors, and the many people who offer their time to North Attleborough.
“I’m so very thankful to you all,” wrote Lennox. “Perhaps one could not be more fortunate in their life but to know all of you and share these community experiences together.”
Lennox said that every journey has its end, and that it’s a time to be embraced—both the pursuit of the opportunity to serve the community, but also stepping back and examining the other priorities of one’s life. He wrote that his decision creates a new opportunity for someone else to step up and serve North Attleborough as a member of the council.
“It may not be easy, but one must accept it often takes a bit more persistence to get up and go the distance on
anything worthwhile,” he said. “There is still so much to be done… perhaps you can be the next to help advance the success of our town.”
