By Vicki Greene, Contributing Writer
photo/submitted
Marlborough – For the second time in as many weeks, a long-serving elected city official has decided not to seek re-election. City Council President Edward J. Clancy has served 18 years on the Council, the last three as President and announced in a statement last week that he will not seek re-election. Clancy noted that he will serve out his current term through the end of December.
Clancy ran for City Council after retiring from a 40-year teaching career in Marlborough only to find that being a City Councilor is a full-time job.
“Being retired (from teaching) I was able to devote all my efforts to the position of City Councilor and I found that it was a very consuming job. Basically, I had just switched to a new career,” he said. “I have taken my election, to the position, very seriously and have represented the citizens of Marlborough to the best of my abilities.”
Clancy admits that “it (public service) gets in your blood.” He said he will remain in Marlborough with his wife, Barbara, and stay close to his two children and grandchild. He will continue in his position on the city’s Conservation Commission, a position that he has held for more than 50 years. He acknowledged that he is the “longest continuously serving conservation commission member in the state.”
Clancy, along with Allan White, was honored by Massachusetts Association of Conservation Commissions in March for their continuous years of dedicated service on the Marlborough Conservation Commission. (White has been on the MCC for 40 years.)
Clancy’s announcement comes one week after the announcement that his colleague and Vice President of the Council, Joseph Delano, has also chosen not to seek re-election.
The Council President said the two announcements coming so close together was simply a matter of timing and deadlines. Decisions whether to proceed with the election process is always at the end the summer prior to an election year.
“I told Joe about a month ago (about my decision) and could see Joe sink but it’s time,” Clancy said.
For months, Clancy said, he’s been talking about not seeking re-election with his wife who has been asking him if he’s “sure this is what he wants to do.” To that he said, “it’s time to pass the gauntlet so others can fight to the fight.”
Clancy made it clear in his statement that his “decisions have always been to support the City’s Educational System, upgrades to all the infrastructure, fiscal restraint and to make Marlborough a great place to develop roots and to raise families.”
“I’m going to be 80 soon,” Clancy said. “I want to be able to go to Florida and relax.” Clancy ended his official statement by saying “it’s time to enter my long-delayed retirement.”
He has represented people living in Ward 6, that runs from up the middle corridor of the city from the center to the northern border, for 18 years. Clancy noted that his district is large but as for who might run in his district he said he knows there are people who are interested but he hasn’t talked much about his decision until issuing his public statement.
If residents people are interested in running for any City Council seat deadlines are fast approaching. The last day to obtain nomination papers from the City Clerk’s Office is Friday, Aug. 16 at 5 p.m. Candidates then have until Tuesday, Aug. 20 to return nomination papers to be certified. Once certified they have until Tuesday, Sept. 3 to turn them into the Clerk’s Office to become an official candidate.
