SOUTHWICK – Although unopposed board of selectmen candidate Douglas Moglin seems to be a shoe-in for today’s election, the Southwick resident is not taking anything for granted
“I am a ‘don’t count your chickens before they’re hatched’ kind of guy,” Moglin said yesterday. “I just heard today there’s a write-in candidate, so you never know.”
The Republican caucus nominee, Moglin said it’s rare for a write-in to win but he still wanted to encourage everyone to vote.
“Even if I wasn’t running I would vote,” he said. “Voting is so important – it’s a sacred right that we have in the United States and I’d love to see people come out to vote.”
The only contested race on the ballot is for the Southwick Public Library board of trustees. Democrat Patrick Ayotte will face Republican Kristi Deedy for that one-year term.
Moglin is no stranger to small-town politics, which he stumbled into by accident more then 15 years ago.
“When I first moved here I went to a Planning Board meeting to find out where my street was located and I was asked if I was interested in volunteering,” he said. “At the time I did not have any kids and I had the time, so I said yes and I loved it so much. I learned a lot about the town it’s residents and businesses.”
Moglin served as an associate member of the Planning Board for a few years and then was elected to the first of three five-year terms. He is currently in the midst of one of those terms and serves as the Planning Board chairman.
If elected, Moglin said he would resign from the Planning Board although the town bylaws do not limit how many municipal committees and boards a resident conserve on at one time.
“I think I would best serve the town as a member of one board,” he said.
Moglin has been asked to run for selectmen in the past but the timing was never right.
“I have a daughter and for most of my time on the Planning Board she was very young,” he said. “Now she is getting older and playing sports through school so I am not coaching and have more time to devote to the Board of Selectmen.”
Moglin’s wife and daughter are supportive of his new venture in Southwick politics.
The polls are open at Southwick Town Hall from 7 a.m. – 8 p.m.
