ERVING — Seats on the Selectboard, Board of Assessors and Board of Health are all contested as residents prepare to cast their ballots in the election on Monday, May 5.

Though Gerald Sykes III and William Bembury are not on the ballot, both have launched write-in campaigns for a three-year term on the Selectboard. Incumbent Mark Burnett and challenger Jennifer Watroba are vying for a three-year seat on the Board of Assessors, and incumbent Leo Parent Jr. and newcomer Sally Delaney are both running for a three-year term on the Board of Health.

Polls will be open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. at Town Hall, 12 East Main St.

Selectboard member Scott Bastarache is leaving after serving his third, non-consecutive term, so write-in candidates Sykes and Bembury are looking to fill his seat.

Sykes, 38, has lived in Erving full-time with his wife and six children since 2023, and previously sat on school councils for Hillcrest and Sheffield Elementary schools. His wife, Kelly Sykes, 35, is running for a seat on the Erving Elementary School Committee.

Sykes said one of his goals, should he be elected to Selectboard, is to keep Erving’s traditions going. He mentioned preserving its nature as a low-tax, low-cost small town, while still keeping “an open mind, open eyes” approach.

“Erving is known for low taxes and the community, and I want to do my best to keep it that way,” Sykes said.

Sykes said he’s been supportive of the push to level-fund municipal departments for fiscal year 2026 to keep the cost burden on residents low, and if he’s elected, he wants to be an advocate for this budget practice going forward.

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He said good communication, organization and the ability to work under pressure are all skills he’d bring to the Selectboard. Sykes gained these skills through his full-time position as an environmental services technician, who is responsible for housekeeping, laundry and maintenance, at the Greenfield Rehabilitation and Nursing Center and in his former job as a float manager for RegalCare at Greenfield.

With this race for Selectboard being contested, Sykes said he thinks being a fresh face with new ideas would be beneficial for the town.

“I’m new, [I have] fresh ideas,” he said. “I’ve got the experience, that may not directly translate, but I’ve got a skill set that can work well.”

Bembury is a returning candidate for Selectboard, having served three terms from 2014 until 2023, and he now serves at chair of the Senior Housing Committee. He’s lived in Erving for more than 40 years, has served in law enforcement in Erving and with the Massachusetts Environmental Police, and served in the U.S. Marine Corps.

Bembury, 75, said he decided to run for Selectboard again after learning that no one had taken out nomination papers. One of his goals, should he be elected, is to continue working to advance the affordable senior and multi-generational housing development, called Evergreen Circle at Care Drive, though he intends to stay on the Senior Housing Committee as well.

“I want to keep my hand in the pie, and continue that process until it comes to fruition,” Bembury said. “Currently, that’s my goal.”

Bembury said that in the two years since he left the Selectboard, he’s kept up with what is happening in Erving, mentioning the progress on two bridge projects on Church Street and Farley Road, as well as the school budgets. In keeping up with the progression of these issues, he said he feels capable of returning to the board with knowledge of where things stand.

“I have the ability to step in to the Selectboard again and be able to be up to speed with what issues are a concern for the community and for the administration,” he said. “I think that’s currently what I bring to the process.”

Treasurer Jennifer Watroba, 43, is running for a three-year term on the Board of Assessors. Watroba plans to retain her position as treasurer should she be elected, and she said her interest in running for the Board of Assessors comes from wanting to learn from Principal Assessor Jacquelyn Boyden.

“I’m running because I have a genuine interest in learning more about the important role of the assessor,” Watroba said in an interview, quoting from her campaign notice in the Erving Around Town April 2025 newsletter. She added that, with cases involving the assessors pending at the Massachusetts Appellate Tax Board, she’d like to be involved in the process.

As the town treasurer, and coming from a financial background with a bachelor’s degree in finance from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and an associate degree from Greenfield Community College, she thinks her skills and knowledge of government and finances will serve well as an assessor.

Current Board of Assessors member Mark Burnett, 53, is running for the three-year term as the incumbent. He’s served on the board for 10 years and is a Massachusetts Accredited Assessor. He said his goal in seeking reelection is to continue looking out for Erving taxpayers and to be fair to all taxpayers — residential and commercial alike.

“I want everybody to be the same,” Burnett said, adding, “We want to be sure we treat them as a regular taxpayer,” in reference to FirstLight Hydro Generating Co.

Outside of his assessing background, Burnett said he’s not afraid to share his thoughts around town policies or goals, noting that he’s been vocal during Town Meetings. He said even if the opinion he has is unpopular, “I’m willing to share my thoughts.”

Leo Parent Jr., 78, is seeking to retain the Board of Health seat that he’s held for more than 40 years.

Parent, who also serves on the Council on Aging and has held several other positions in town, said he’s enjoyed being on the board. Some of the responsibilities Parent mentioned include working with local businesses and restaurants to make sure they are operating appropriately, and working with animal control when necessary.

“I have a good board,” he said, adding, “I mostly just try to keep things in Erving nice.”

Sally Delaney, 70, is the other candidate for this three-year term on the Board of Health. An Erving resident of 42 years, Delaney said she’s looking forward to serving on the board if she’s elected.

“Always ready to put in the time and effort to get the job done,” Delaney said in a statement. “Looking forward to serving on the Board of Health in Erving, if elected.”

There are several uncontested races on the ballot. They are as follows:

■Board of Assessors, one-year term — Jacquelyn Boyden.

■Tax collector, three-year term — Michele Turner, incumbent.

■Erving Public Library Trustee, three-year term — Devon Gaudet, incumbent.

■Moderator, three-year term — Richard Peabody, incumbent.

■Erving Elementary School Committee, three-year term — Kelly Sykes.

■Erving Elementary School Committee, one-year term — Daniel Hammock, write-in.

■Tree warden, one-year term — Glenn McCrory, incumbent.

■Planning Board, two seats with three-year terms — Jacquelyn Boyden, incumbent, and Thomas Glennon.

■Recreation Commission, two seats with three-year terms — Kathleen Sadler, incumbent, and Jacquelyn Boyden.

■Recreation Commission, two-year term — Thomas Glennon, incumbent.

■Recreation Commission, two seats for one-year terms — Kathryn Gaudet and Michael Jean, both incumbents.

■Constable, three-year term — Richard Newton, incumbent.

There are no candidates on the ballot for a one-year term on the Board of Health, which can be won by a write-in.

Erin-Leigh Hoffman can be reached at ehoffman@recorder.com or 413-930-4231.