Hopefuls for the town's top board presented themselves to the public for the first time Monday night at a League of Women Voters candidates night.
Nine candidates competing for the one available selectman's seat, two spots on the Planning Board and two on the School Committee showed up for the forum at Old Post Road Elementary School. It is less than three weeks until the June 7 election.
The selectman candidates - Al Crosby, Eric Kraus and Cliff Snuffer - agree in opposing the power plant Competitive Power Ventures has proposed for Industrial Road.
But Snuffer argued he is the best one to lead the charge against it.
"I am the only candidate who has worked over a year, been very visible and attended all the meetings and forums about the power plant," Snuffer said.
Snuffer charged that selectmen have been conducting talks about the power plant in private. "I will not put up with the secret Board of Selectmen," he said.
Snuffer and Kraus listed fighting the power plant as their top priority. They also agreed that finding a way to finance a new police and fire station was important.
Crosby said the most important issue is bringing jobs back to Walpole.
Kraus said the candidates' agreement in opposition to the power plant is what really matters this election season.
"This election is not about the power plant," Kraus said. "All three candidates oppose it. We have publicly stated our opposition. I don't think anybody wants a business that will harm residents or the environment."
The candidates said business development is key.
"You have to allow the industry in," Crosby said, to broaden the commercial tax base.
The three agreed that Walpole must keep out noxious industry while becoming more attractive to clean development.
The power plant was a topic of conversation for two Planning Board challengers, while the two incumbents whose seats are up for election stayed mum on the issue.
Richard Mazzocca and John Murtagh, the challengers, listed their opposition to the power plant as a primary reason for running.
Current Planning Board Chairman Jack Conroy called the failure of Article 2 to pass Town Meeting in March "unfortunate." The measure would have altered the zoning use table for permissible business operations in town.
Many believed passing Article 2 at special Town Meeting would have hindered the ability of Competitive Power to negotiate a power plant deal in town.
Conroy said he and the Planning Board are committed to resolving the use table issue and would bring it up at fall Town Meeting.
Mazzoca and Murtagh stated their approval for an updated zoning use table.
Murtagh questioned incumbent Robert Hirshom about the Article 2 vote, as Hirshom voted 'no' on the measure as a Town Meeting member.
Hirshom said some residents were worried that voting 'yes' for Article 2 would hurt businesses that are already in town and development in the future.
Hirshom said Walpole needs industry because "citizens cannot shoulder the burden" of taxes by themselves.
James Taylor, who is running for a seat on both the school board and the Planning Board, was not present at the forum.
School Committee candidates Susan Flynn Curtis and Andrew Zitoli made their cases as well. They are competing, along with James Taylor, who was not present at the forum, for the seats being vacated by school board members Ellen Nadeau and Sheila Kemple.
Zitoli said he would like to bring his experience as a former Bird Middle School teacher and current Millis Middle School principal to the Walpole board.
Curtis, who has a business background, said she does not have experience a in education, but does have a "passion for public education." Her plan, she said, would be to spend around a year of her three-year term listening to the going-ons of the committee before participating heavily.
Jon Rockwood, running uncontested for town moderator, and Jack Fisher, running uncontested for assessor, also spoke briefly.
