18 run for JPNC seats

A total of 18 candidates are running for the 20 seats on the Jamaica Plain Neighborhood Council in its Sept. 24 election.

The council will see major turnover, with many incumbents not running. The Whole Foods debate, which the JPNC has been deeply involved with, may be a big campaign issue. Several of the newcomers have been involved in the debate on one side or the other.

The candidates include:

At-large (neighborhood-wide): Edward “Red” Burrows (incumbent), Francesca Fordiani (incumbent), Richard Parritz, Michael Reiskind (incumbent), Martha Rodriguez and Joseph Wight.

Area A (Egleston/Hyde/Jackson Squares): Oliver DeLeon, Arazeliz Reyes, Brian Squadrille and Jeffrey Wiesner.

Area B (eastern JP): David Baron (incumbent) and Jesse White (incumbent).

Area C (western/southern JP): Karley Ausiello (incumbent), Benjamin Day, Andrea Howley (incumbent), Ken Sazama, Hyun Shin and Christian Young.

The JPNC has five seats in each area and at-large. That means that this year, the at-large and Area C races will be competitive. But in Areas A and B, the council later will have to appoint at least four members to fill vacant seats.

Longtime incumbents who are not running include Steve Backman, Pam Bender and Stephen Lussier. Among other incumbents not running again are Steve Laferriere, who headed the JPNC’s controversial Ad Hoc Committee on Whole Foods.

The JPNC is an independent, volunteer, elected body that advises the city on a wide variety of neighborhood issues.

David Taber contributed to this article.

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