Heidi Frail, School Committee Incumbents Secure Reelection
April 9, 2025
• Voters on Tuesday reelected the Select Board vice chair and both School Committee members, as well as several newcomers running for open seats.
A desire for change and a say in town government prompted dozens of residents to run for public office, forming hotly contested races for Town Meeting and School Committee. Following Tuesday’s election, however, familiar faces largely remained.
Select Board Vice Chair Heidi Frail handily won her reelection bid against Vikram Kaul, earning 4,624 votes to Kaul’s 2,273, according to unofficial results from the town clerk’s office.
School Committee incumbents Andrea Longo Carter and Alisa Skatrud also retained their seats, and Sri Baqri won the third open seat following Connie Barr’s departure from the race. Carter, who faced her first challenge in her 10 years on the committee, was the top vote-getter with 4,368 votes. Skatrud followed with 3,894 votes and Baqri with 3,632, according to unofficial results. Teacher Leanne Ratti and elementary school psychologist Scott Marder received 2,505 votes and 2,294 votes, respectively.
More than 1,500 voters casted their ballots for Barr, who did not withdraw prior to the deadline to do so. Her name appeared on ballots through Tuesday. She endorsed her colleagues and Baqri upon exiting the race.
Preliminary results indicate 7,340 residents voted out of 25,066 registered voters, meaning voter turnout was just under 30%. That’s nearly 10% higher than last April’s election turnout but not as high as the turnout for the January referendum.
Once sworn in, Frail will enter her second three-year term on the board and, following their reorganization, will likely assume the role of chair.
Standing outside Newman Elementary School this afternoon, Frail and other campaigners clutched their signs against heavy winds and frigid temperatures. The turnout and amount of engagement — despite the temperamental weather — prompted Frail to remark, “This is what democracy looks like.”
She anticipates her next term will center largely on managing change, both in Needham with new leadership, as well as with changes with federal funding that can impact infrastructure projects. “Fostering community,” she added, is also key.
“In addition to local issues, there are some really serious national issues that are coming home, and people are really concerned about their rights and their livelihoods,” Frail said. “So making people feel safe and seen, that’s I think one of the most important things that a Select Board can do.”
Kaul could not be reached for comment before publication, but in a message posted to his Facebook page, he thanked his supporters and signaled his intention to remain involved.
“Losing is never easy, but it’s also an opportunity to learn and grow. I’ve gained invaluable insights into the needs of our community and have been inspired by the passion and dedication of so many residents,” Kaul wrote. “I remain dedicated to serving this town and will continue working hard to earn your trust and support in the future. Together, we will build a brighter tomorrow.”
School Committee candidates flocked to Newman Elementary during drop-off and pick-up, hoping to get more eyes on their signs and messaging.
Baqri’s two children, both in elementary school, picked up the election bug — her nine-year-old remarked recently that she’s ready to run another campaign, Baqri said, and they both made their own signs encouraging people to vote for their mom.
The well-being of children and staff are central to her election bid, and despite committee members’ varied opinions and backgrounds, it’s important that they coalesce around that goal by shaping policy, she said. Baqri, a scientist by training, delighted in the fact that Barr, a practicing physician, is passing the hypothetical torch to her.
Baqri encouraged residents to continue to be involved.
“For the next generation of kids, it starts here,” she said. “It’s about setting an example for young parents and my own kids.”
Carter stopped by Newman in the morning before jumping between polls. Needham Local spotted her at Town Hall in the early afternoon, eager already to hear the results.
By the end of the school year, Carter said she hopes the committee settles the teachers’ contract. They’ll also discuss how to bring the updated Portrait of a Needham Graduate strategic plan to life, as well as how to implement a new elementary literacy curriculum — a topic that dominated much of the race.
In a contested race, Carter said she appreciates voters researching the five candidates and taking the time to do so, but she shared words of caution.
“It’s great to have that level of civic engagement. I would say I hope people are doing it for the right reasons,” Carter said. “I hope people really want to serve and listen and learn and are, again, approaching it with an open mind and curiosity.”
Skatrud pointed to a “really strong anti-incumbent bias” in this election, stating Tuesday morning that her reelection didn’t feel like a sure bet. Despite that, she said her neighbors, strangers and even a poll worker said they supported her on the ballot.
As cars drove past the Rosemary Recreation Complex, Skatrud outlined the top priorities the committee will face in the next couple years. This will be her second term on the committee.
“I think the biggest challenge is just going to be maintaining the quality of the schools with what we expect to be some budgetary challenges,” she said. “Our building projects, particularly Pollard coming up next, is really important. I think continuing to upgrade our curriculum, including the literacy curriculum, but doing that in a thoughtful way that is really responsive to our students, and what we’re hearing from our educators [is important].”
Attorney Eric Greenberg secured the open five-year seat on the Planning Board against longtime resident Ken Buckley. The race for the Needham Housing Authority board was decided by just over 200 votes, with Geoff Engler winning the seat over Barbara McDonald.
Both Buckley and McDonald belong to the Needham Residents for Thoughtful Zoning, an advocacy organization behind January’s zoning referendum that endorsed a series of candidates this election cycle, including Kaul for Select Board and Marder and Ratti for School Committee. The group also endorsed library trustee candidate Vipul Bhushan, who lost against incumbents Cathleen Cahill Allison and Robert Petit.
In the wake of that referendum, and the upcoming Town Meeting vote to possibly confirm that zoning, Frail reiterated the responsibility of both the town and its residents to keep up with local news. She echoed comments from Carter regarding the increase in civic engagement this election
“I appreciate that a lot of people found the MBTA zoning to be a catalyst for their involvement, and I think that’s great,” Frail said, “but I do think that we need to make sure that we’re looking at the breadth of town issues.”
The full election results, including for Town Meeting, will become available on the town clerk’s website later this week. Needham Local will update this story as needed.
Vipul Bhushan is a member of the Needham Community Television Development Corporation board of directors, which oversees Needham Local and the Needham Channel. The NCTDC did not contribute to the reporting or editing of this article.
