Mansfield Voters Face New Leadership And State Ballot Tuesday

Mansfield residents head to the polls Tuesday for the state election under a new town leadership structure. The Audrey P. Beck Municipal Building will host same-day registration for unregistered voters. Polls remain open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. across all district locations. Voters must present identification and proof of local residency to register at the Council Chambers. The Registrar of Voters maintains the official district maps and sample ballots online.

The town administration changed hands earlier this month. Deputy Mayor Ben Shaiken took office as mayor on Oct. 26. That date marked the effective resignation of Mayor Antonia Moran. The Town Council elected Shaiken to fill the vacancy at the same meeting. The shift ends the previous administration's direct oversight of daily operations.

Stephen Daly no longer serves as interim town manager. The council decided not to extend its contract with MGT Company. MGT had supplied Daly as acting manager since late July. He then transitioned to the interim role. Finance Director Amanda Backhaus replaced him on Oct. 27. Backhaus joined the Mansfield staff in June 2023. She currently oversees finances for the town, Mansfield Public Schools, and Regional School District 19.

Backhaus now leads the search for a permanent town manager. She holds the interim title while that process continues. The transition places a finance official at the head of municipal operations. This arrangement follows the departure of the external consulting firm that previously managed the role. The new leadership team operates out of 4 S. Eagleville Road.

The Sustainability Committee convenes for a special meeting Wednesday. The session begins at 6 p.m. in Conference Room C. Members will vote on a Plasmonic Reactor Systems Proposal. The agenda also includes a discussion of the Switch Together solar initiative. Committee members will review heat pump campaign updates. They will also address municipal campus updates during the meeting.

Community events fill the Saturday schedule in Mansfield Center. The Mansfield Public Library hosts its first Local Author Book Fair. More than 20 local authors participate in the event. They will sign and sell fiction and nonfiction titles for all ages. The fair runs from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. in Buchanan Auditorium.

The Friends of the Mansfield Library hold a book donation drop-off that same morning. Donations are accepted from 9 a.m. to noon. Households may bring up to two bank-box-size boxes of books. The library is located at 54 Warrenville Road. The event supports the library's collection and local literacy efforts.

The Darlene Murphy Craft Fair takes place at Mansfield Elementary School. The annual event runs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday. The school is located at 134 Warrenville Road. Vendors will display and sell handmade goods. The fair serves as a recurring gathering for local artisans and shoppers.