O'Brien files as an independent

GILFORD — John O'Brien, who is serving his second term on the Board of Selectmen, is running for the New Hampshire House of Representatives as an undeclared, or independent candidate in Belknap District 2, consisting of Gilford and Meredith, which will elect four representatives in November.

O'Brien's candidacy increases the field to nine, four Republicans and four Democrats. O'Brien is one of four candidates from Gilford, joining Republican Kevin Leandro and Democrats Bill Johnson and Lisa Dimartino.

Shunning a partisan affiliation, O'Brien petitioned to for his place on the general election ballot, collecting nearly 175 signatures, more than the 150 required. "I got the signatures I needed in three weeks," he said, "including some from Meredith."

A former sales and marketing executive with the 3M Company, O'Brien retired to Gilford, where he owned a second home, and since has taken an active role in the community. "I have some experience to offer and it has been an opportunity for me to establish relationships and make contributions to the community," he said. He served for five years on a committee that proposed first building a free-standing police station and then renovating and expanding the department's existing quarters, both of which were roundly rejected by voters. He represented the Gunstock Acres Water District on the Budget Committee for several years before he was elected to a three-year term in 2006 and was elected to the selectboard in 2009.

As a candidate for selectman O'Brien remarked that the town sometimes appears divided into two camps over spending and taxes, and said that "I like to take a centrist position. My two biggest concerns are to avoid wasteful spending and not tear down the infrastructure," he continued. "I have tried to look at all aspects of the issues and have tended to vote on both sides. I try to encourage everybody to look at the picture."

O'Brien said much the same yesterday, placing himself in the "middle" of the political spectrum. "I like to take a problem or situation and use my judgment to find the best solution without following a party line," he said.

The other candidates in the race are Republicans Colette Worsman and Bob Greemore of Meredith, both incumbents, Herb Vadney of Meredith and Leandro of Gilford and Democrats Kate Miller and Sandra Mucci of Meredith and Johnson and Dimartino of Gilford.