MANSFIELD

A heated race is under way for the two open spots on the board of selectmen, with five men campaigning to win three-year terms in the seats currently held by Selectmen Louis Amoruso and David McCarter, who are both retiring.

Jess Aptowitz, Robert Goldman, Kevin Moran and Hasib Thomas all will appear on the ballot. There is also a write-in candidate, Dan Pascucci.

A sixth candidate, Christopher McGowan, dropped out of the race in April.

The polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. in the Mansfield High School gymnasium on East Street.

Profiles of the five candidates follow in alphabetical order. Jess Aptowitz

Jess Aptowitz can claim the most experience of any selectman candidate. "Bringing fiscal responsibility to Mansfield" is his slogan.

Aptowitz has spent five years poring over Mansfield's balance sheets on the town finance committee, which has long been pushing to cut back spending.

He also chaired the committee's public safety subcommittee, and served on the capital improvements committee.

Aptowitz worked for more than 20 years as an auditor. His work included overseeing a number of municipal electric departments.

If he wins Tuesday's election, Aptowitz will make a motion on his first night as a selectman for the town to no longer approve employee contracts without first making public a complete totaling of its effect on the budget, he said.

"We have a lot of good people, and we have to pair fair and equitable wages," he said. "But we also have to live within our means."

He suggests changing how the town bargains with its unions, and making the town budget a yearlong process. He also is concerned about the town's underfunded stabilization fund, and Mansfield's infrastructure needs.

Although Aptowitz does not want to see Town Manager John D'Agostino immediately fired, he said the town should "keep all our options open." Aptowitz also said he is "not on anybody's side," and wants to board to become more collegial.

Robert Goldman

When Robert Goldman ran unsuccessfully in the November recall election, he was supported by those who wanted to boot the town manager and his allies on the board.

This time, though, Goldman wants to be a "peacemaker" on the board of selectmen.

"The board needs to get away from personalities and people" and become more productive, he said.

When it comes to D'Agostino, Goldman wants to be "prudent," he said. He would let the town manager's contract expire in November 2009, rather than fire him and possibly open the board up to a lawsuit.

Goldman's mantra is fiscal responsibility, particularly when it comes to town employees' wages and benefits, which he says need to be better controlled.

The whole budget needs to be "more realistic," he said. He wants Mansfield's government to create a more transparent budget process, with more cooperation between different officials. He also supports a sweeping set of budget reforms recommended by the finance committee recently.

Goldman also is concerned about Mansfield's capital needs, although he said not all of them are equally pressing. The town needs to "get its fiscal house in order" before borrowing to build, he said.

"I just hope that people want a change from the status quo," Goldman said. "They want something new. ... And I'm always looking for something to move to the next level. And I know we can do it in Mansfield, and I'd like to be a part of that."

Kevin Moran

Kevin Moran would be a fiscal hawk on the board of selectmen, he says.

"I don't think we're displaying fiscal responsibility," Moran said. "The reason I got into this is because we need to see changes."

A political newcomer, Moran wants to give back to the town, and is interested in the big issues facing the board: the budget crunch, negotiations over the wastewater treatment plant, and the fallout from last year's lawsuit.

Moran thinks the board of selectmen needs to take a stronger line on fiscal issues, particularly union contracts and the annual budget. "We have to become more active and involved in the front end," he said.

Moran is strongly opposed to permanent property tax overrides. The only way he would support one, he said, is if the town first goes through the budget with a fine-tooth comb and eliminates all wasteful spending. He also wants the town to develop a more realistic model for forecasting future tax revenue.

Moran also said Mansfield's infrastructure needs are "a huge issue" that needs to be addressed before roads and buildings deteriorate further.

When it comes to D'Agostino's future and the federal lawsuit, Moran said he has "a strong idea what should happen," but does not want to rule out any options.

The board needs to move away from its infighting, he said, because it has "taken attention away from real problems."

Dan Pascucci

Dan Pasccuci, a write-in candidate, says he decided to get into the selectman's race after he saw the final list of candidates and decided voters needed another choice.

Pascucci casts himself as the candidate of new ideas and openmindedness. "We need a complete change of direction," he said.

He made a splash in last week's debate by saying D'Agostino could be kept on past November 2009 if the board negotiates a new contract, although he later said the possibility of that happening is "remote."

But he is also skeptical about the idea of appealing the lawsuit the town lost last August, and adds that the town may need a new legal team.

Pascucci said the town budget has "been managed rather poorly."

In the short term, he suggests officials create more realistic revenue forecasts; overhaul the town's system for negotiating with town unions by retaining a professional negotiator; start planning for future capital expenses; and find creative ways to cut costs - for instance, by buying refurbished rather than new equipment.

"Lots of little problems and inefficiencies, they add up," he said. But he also praised the town's employees as "really good."

Pascucci also wants to explore switching Mansfield's form of government to Representative Town Meeting. When he lived in Norwood, he was an RTM member there.

Hasib Thomas

Hasib Thomas could not be reached before press time. He was also unable to attend the two candidates' forums last week.

But Thomas's sister, Felicia Walker, who is a candidate for school committee, said Thomas is running because he wants to advocate for the needs of young people in Mansfield. He does not think there is enough for them to do in town, and he wants to work to change that, Walker said.

TED NESI covers Mansfield for The Sun Chronicle. He can be reached at 508-236-333 or at tnesi@thesunchronicle.com.