Edgartown voters said no to fluoride in town water and no to a new Katama airplane hangar and re-elected Arthur Smadbeck to the board of selectmen in the town election Thursday.
In Oak Bluffs Greg Coogan and Jason Balboni won a three-way race for two seats on the board of selectmen. In West Tisbury, where there were no contested races on the ballot, voters said yes to a $400,000 budget override by a vote of 182 to 142.
Voter turnout was strong in Oak Bluffs and Edgartown, where people held campaign signs in the Oak Bluffs library parking lot and along Main street Edgartown on a sunny day that finally felt like spring. Voter turnout in Oak Bluffs was about 28 per cent, with 1,021 voters out of 3,865 casting ballots. Turnout was nearly identical in Edgartown, with 969 voters — 27 per cent —out of 3,627 turnout out at the polls.
It was a slower day in West Tisbury. About 13 per cent of registered voters, 326 of 2,524, came out to cast ballots.
A controversial initiative to put fluoride in Edgartown's water was overwhelmingly defeated with a vote of 700 against and 253 in favor. The question was placed on the ballot after the town board of health voted to add fluoride to the water and residents mounted a petition to place the issue before voters.
Voters were more amenable to spending articles, saying yes to budget override proposals for paving streets, repairing sidewalks, wastewater improvements, and a street sweeper, but a proposal to spend $1.2 million on a new airplane hangar at Katama Airfield was narrowly defeated, 466 in favor and 469 against. The hangar was approved Tuesday at the annual town meeting but needed approval at the ballot box as well.
Eight-term selectman Arthur Smadbeck was elected again, defeating challenger Gail Gardner by a vote of 500-444.
“I would like to thank all the voters of Edgartown who came out to the polls today and I thank everybody that voted for me. I appreciate that,” Mr. Smadbeck told the Gazette after the results came in. “I will continue to do my best for Edgartown.”
Ms. Gardner said she was pleased with the results of her first run for public office. “I think I did really really well, and I think it’s very hard to beat an incumbent,” she said. “Given that and given the fact that I’ve never been involved in politics, I did really well.”
She said she would continue to be involved with town government. “I'm going to involved one way or another,” she said. “It was a great experience. I loved it, I had a good time doing it. I met wonderful people.”
In a three way race for two seats on the board of selectmen in Oak Bluffs, incumbent Gregory A. Coogan and Jason M. Balboni were elected, defeating Rich Michelson. Mr. Coogan will serve his sixth term on the board with 686 votes. Mr. Balboni received 707 votes and Mr. Michelson 362.
Mr. Coogan said his dog, Abbie, was his good luck charm. “I’m glad to be back. I’ve got things I want to finish,” he told the Gazette.
Mr. Balboni has served on the finance and advisory board and as vice-chairman of the personnel board. He will fill the seat vacated by former selectman Kathy Burton, who did not seek reelection.
“I’m feeling great,” Mr. Balboni said. “I'm really excited to get started...I’ve got to let it sink in now.”
Mr. Michelson said he was pleased with the results from his first run for office. “I will stay involved and try to help out,” he said. “I wish [the other candidates] well.”
In other contested races in Edgartown, Paulo DeOliveira, Robert E. Coad, and Morton Fearey Jr. were reelected to fill three seats on the financial advisory board, defeating challenger Jane R. Chittick. Mr. DeOliveira received 717 votes, Mr. Coad received 652 votes, Mr. Fearey received 498 votes and Ms. Chittick received 364 votes.
Scott William Morgan defeated Robert H. Strayton for a seat on the planning board by a vote of 600 to 176. And James E. Kelleher defeated Fred R. Domont to remain on the water commission by a vote of 593 to 231.
Scott Ellis was the top vote getter as he was re-elected as constable with 792 votes.
Elected without contest in Edgartown were E. Garrett Orazem, board of health, 627; James K. Carter, financial advisory committee, 711; Herbert L. Foster, library trustee, 699; Julie L. Lively, library trustee, 674; Sean E. Murphy, moderator, 747; Kevin L. Searle, park commissioner, 774; Megan E. Anderson, school committee, 709; Melissa A. Kuehue, town collector, 767; Sean E. Murphy, wastewater treatment commissioner, 703.
Chris Scott received 143 write-in votes for a vacant seat on the board of assessors. There were no candidates listed on the ballot for the seat.
In Oak Bluffs incumbent cemetery commissioner Jesse B. Law 3rd was reelected with 483 votes. Challenger Catherine Elizabeth Buck received 389 votes. And in a race for a two-year term on the planning board, Josephine (Jojo) M. Lambert defeated Abraham L. Seiman by 644 votes to 221.
Oak Bluffs voters also approved two spending questions on the ballot, approving a $275,000 budget override for school and government funding by a vote of 620 to 329 and saying yes to a debt exclusion for repairs to the Oak Bluffs school, with 693 in favor and 239 against.
Elected without contest in Oak Bluffs were Jesse B. Law 3rd, moderator, 832 (top vote getter); William A. White, board of health, 773; Richard D. Combra Jr., tree warden, 761; Antone Mitchell Lima, park commissioner, 748; Donalexander Goss Sr., planning board (five-year term), 650; Mark Crossland, planning board (four year term), 707; Kristine A. O’Brien, school committee (three years), 652; Bernadette E. Crossland, finance and advisory committee, 644; Raymond J. Moreis Jr., finance and advisory committee, 685; Walter W. Vail, finance and advisory committee, 635; Hans O. Vonsteiger, wastewater commissioner, 675; Nelson S. Oliver, water district commissioner, 772.
Kathryn Ann Shertzer was elected to a two-year seat on the school committee as a write-in candidate with 503 votes. She defeated William Arthur Engler, who received 315 votes.
In West Tisbury Jeffrey (Skipper) Manter was elected to his sixth term on the board of selectmen without contest. He received 268 votes.Town clerk Tara Whiting was the top vote getter as she was reelected with 300 votes.
Also elected without contest in West Tisbury were Daniel A. Waters, moderator, 294; Timothy A. Barnett, board of health, 271; Michael Colaneri, board of assessors, 241; Brent B. Taylor, tax collector, 241; Jeremiah Armstrong Brown, tree warden, 271; Caroline R. Flanders, library trustee (three years), 259; Robert JP Hauck, library trustee (three years), 241; Frances A. Finnigan, library trustee (one year), 261; Gregory W. Orcutt, finance committee, 251; Lisa Amols, parks and recreation committee, 246; Jeffrey (Skipper) Manter, parks and recreation committee, 253; Timothy A. Barnett, constable, 260.
In Edgartown election officials reported a busy day at the polls as a steady stream of voters ducked behind the town’s classic red white and blue striped curtains to cast ballots. As 7 p.m. neared, town constables watched as the ballot tally neared 1,000 voters but ultimately fell short of 1,000 voters.
Constable Will Bishop reported that one person voted for the first time, receiving a standing ovation from others in the room.
Things were also busy in Oak Bluffs, where all three selectmen candidates stood in the parking lot with signs, all sporting “Proud to Be from OB” stickers.
“It’s my duty to vote,” Debbie Lister, 65, told the Gazette.
Joan Burden, 68, put her I Voted sticker on her cane. Her daughter Sarah York drove her to the polls.
West Tisbury was quiet, with just a few cars in the parking lot outside the public safety building and a slow trickle of voters. Town clerk Tara Whiting said 250 people had come through by late afternoon, with increased activity around lunchtime.
But still some voters made sure to get to the polls. “I try to get here every time. You’ve got to vote,” said Neal Galligan, 67, who has voted in West Tisbury for the last 20 years.
Landry Harlan and Julia Wells contributed reporting.
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