Thursday’s town elections brought low turnout and few surprises, with voters in West Tisbury, Oak Bluffs and Edgartown easily approving spending requests.
Oak Bluffs voters backed incumbents in the contested races on the ballot. Erik R. Albert maintained his seat on the planning board in a three-way race with 186 votes, fending off challenges from William B. Vrooman (76 votes) and Abraham L. Seiman (59 votes).
About 10 per cent of registered voters, 358 of 3,794, cast ballots at the Oak Bluffs library on a mild spring day.
Lisa Anne Reagan retained her school committee seat. She received 262 votes to Mr. Seiman's 58. Linda M. Wilson was elected to one spot on the cemetery commission with 188 ballots; Christopher Gibson got 109 votes.
Selectman Gail A. Barmakian was elected to a third term on the board of selectmen with 262 vote. Jesse B. Law 3rd was the top vote getter, re-elected as town moderator with 296 votes.
Also elected without contest were: Priscilla L. Sylvia, land bank commission, 265; James D. Butterick, board of health, 254; Richard D. Combra Jr., park commission, 277; William B. Vrooman, finance and advisory, 222; Michael J. Taus, finance and advisory, 217; Herbert H. Kiehn Jr., finance and advisory, 206; William R. Alwardt, wastewater commission, 256; Colleen E. Morris, constable, 247; David Oliveira, constable, 237; Duncan Ross, water district moderator, 273; Michael S. deBettencourt, water district commission, 290.
In Edgartown there was a three-way race for two spots on the board of library trustees. Justine Shemeth Deoliveira (271 votes) and Olga M. Church, (202) were elected to the board. Stephen W. Miller received 137 votes.
Voter turnout in Edgartown was about 12 per cent, with 387 of 3,321 voters casting votes at town hall.
Three ballot questions were easily approved. The vote was 281-99 in favor of an additional $260,000 in real estate and personal property taxes to purchase an ambulance, while $350,000 to rebuild and resurface town streets was approved 293-88 and $210,000 to construct a bike path on Meetinghouse Way won approve by a margin of 250-131. All three spending items were also approved at town meeting Tuesday.
Michael Donaroma, who ran unopposed for board of selectmen, was elected to his fifth term with 270 votes.
Glen Searle was the top vote getter in Edgartown, winning re-election to the park committee with 333 votes.
Elected without contest were: Donna L. Goodale, board of assessors, 316 votes; Harold T. Zadeh, board of health, 305; William C. Bishop, constable, 315; Thomas A. Durawa, financial advisory committee, 321; Steven C. Jordan, financial advisory committee, 261; Michael Jon McCourt, planning board, 270; Kelly M. McCracken, school committee, 300; Scott Ellis, water commission, 319; Edward W. Vincent Jr., land bank representative, 234.
In West Tisbury about 10 per cent, 246 of 2,487 registered voters, came to the polls.
A single question on the ballot asking to exempt spending for a new highway barn from the provisions of Proposition 2 1/2 was approved 144-87. Voters approved the $857,000 expenditure at the town meeting Tuesday night.
There were no contested races. Town clerk Tara Whiting was the top vote getter, with 214 votes. Selectman Cynthia Mitchell was elected to a third term on the board of selectmen with 186 ballots.
Elected without contest were Daniel A. Waters, moderator, 208; Richard Cohen, board of assessors, 191; Brent B. Taylor, tax collector, 197; Jeremiah Armstrong Brown, tree warden, 200; Linda M. Chapman, library trustee, 172; Wayne Smith, library trustee, 163; Charles A. Hodgkinson, finance committee, 183; Douglas Ruskin, finance committee, 156; Mark (Hap) Bernard, parks and recreation; 186.
There were no candidates for one seat on the board of health; Hans Van Nes received 29 write-in votes and David Merry received 22 write-in votes.
Comments
Comment policy »