No matter what type of elected office a person opts to run for, it is rare to face no opposition. But that is the case with not one, but two burgess candidates, as a fully unopposed slate of Borough of Newtown officials stand for election — or re-election — on Monday, May 3.

It was way back on February 9 that a special meeting of 22 qualified borough residents nominated the slate that all borough residents can cast ballots for. Polling will be held May 3 between 6 am and 8 pm in the Newtown Registrars of Voters Office at the Municipal Center on the Fairfield Hills campus.

The borough’s top elected official, Jay Maher, told The Newtown Bee he is proud to welcome two new burgess candidates to the district’s leadership.

“Those two new burgesses, Sarah Phillips of Main Street, and Jared Modzelewski of the Boulevard, are lifelong Newtown residents that now reside in the Borough and are proud to serve our community,” Maher said.

They are running to replace Betsy Kenyon and Bill Eder.

“Betsy has long served on the Board of Burgesses and has been instrumental in the creation of the historic district, the continued support for the installation of sidewalks and many other projects,” Maher said. “Bill was also a valuable member of our board — always prepared and eager to share this wise thoughts. He most recently led the effort to renovate the Soldiers and Sailors monument.”

The Borough of Newtown is an independent 2.3-square-mile government tax district encompassing around 800 residential and commercial properties on and around Main Street and Mt Pleasant Road between Diamond Drive to the west and Borough Lane to the South.

While it overlaps and shares many services with the Town of Newtown, the borough by charter has its own government and elected slate of officials, some of whom receive a modest stipend for their work or service.

The slate of officials for May 3 is as follows:

Warden: Joseph M. ‘Jay’ Maher III

Burgesses: Christopher S. Gardner, Jared A. Modzelewski, and Sarah J. Phillips

Clerk: Ann A. Scaia

Treasurer: Paula B. Brinkman

Tax Collector: Jodie S. Enriquez

Board of Assessment Appeals: John S. Madzula

Zoning Commission: David M. Francis and Margaret Hull

Zoning Commission Alternate: Vacant

Zoning Board of Appeals: Jane Maher and Mary Thomas

Warden Maher also took the opportunity to remind borough residents that on May 11, a special meeting in person in the theater of Edmond Town Hall will present the 2021/22 budget to Borough residents.

“This year’s proposed budget is $216,720,” Maher said. “This reflects a decrease of $8,800 from the current budget. The proposed mill rate is 0.64, a modest decrease from the current 0.66 mil rate.

“We encourage Borough residents to attend this meeting as our charter requires a minimum of 20 Borough residents to participate in this vote to validate the process,” Maher added.

Associate Editor John Voket can be reached at john@thebee.com.