Oak Bluffs voters went for change at their annual town election Thursday, approving a $13.3 million plan to rebuild the town hall and voting in newcomer Ryan Ruley as a town selectman, along with incumbent selectman Brian Packish.
The Oak Bluffs vote unseats incumbent selectman Mike Santoro.
“It’s a big deal,” Mr. Ruley said after the votes were counted Thursday evening. “It shows that the town wants change.”
In Edgartown seven-term selectman Margaret Serpa squeaked out a victory over challengers Juliet Mulinare and Joseph Monteiro, winning by just 27 votes.
“Guess what? I won,” Mrs. Serpa said after votes were counted Thursday evening. “I’m very grateful, and really appreciate the support.”
In Oak Bluffs, the town hall ballot question passed 500-338. The project was approved by a wide margin at the annual town meeting Tuesday night and needed approval at the ballot box as a debt exclusion.
With two previous rejections of a town hall renovation plan, the third time proved a charm, and the town can now move ahead on the project. In March, selectmen selected East Falmouth-based Dellbrook JKS as its construction manager.
“This means so much for our ability to serve the public here in Oak Bluffs,” town administrator Robert Whritenour said. “We’re deeply grateful [to the voters].”
In Edgartown a complicated land swap involving the Boys and Girls Club also passed muster with voters 529-162, along with other spending questions.
Voters streamed to the polls in both towns all day on Thursday, with long lines forming outside polling stations, despite the ongoing pandemic. Town clerks took extreme safety precautions to preserve social-distancing regulations, limiting the quantity of voters, wiping down ballot boxes and sanitizing pens after every vote was cast.
Turnout was strong considering the circumstances, town clerks said, with 745 voters casting ballots in Edgartown and 887 in Oak Bluffs.
The selectmen’s race in Oak Bluffs pitted two incumbent selectmen, Brian Packish and Mike Santoro, against challengers Ryan Ruley and Richard Weiss. Oak Bluffs is the only Island town with five selectmen.
Mr. Ruley, a police officer in Edgartown, won the most votes on Thursday, finishing with 489. Mr. Packish, a businessman, came in second with 484.
This will be Mr. Packish’s second term.
“The first time I ran I was running on a platform of this is who I am and this is what I think we should do,” he said after the vote. “I think that this vote is a very important vote because it solidifies that I said what I was going to do, did what I said I was going to do, and people like that, and they reelected me.”
Mr. Santoro, a restaurant owner, came in third with 355 votes. Mr. Weiss earned 262.
This will mark Mr. Ruley’s first time to hold elected office.
“I feel good,” he said. “I’m a little surprised at the numbers, but I’m happy with it of course and I can’t wait to get started and start learning.”
In Edgartown Mrs. Serpa edged out Ms. Mulinare by a margin of 27 votes, earning 353 to Ms. Mulinare’s 326. Mr. Monteiro captured 55 votes.
This will mark Mrs. Serpa’s eighth consecutive term as a selectman. She said she enjoys working with the town’s other two selectmen, Art Smadbeck and Michael Donaroma, and noted that it was her grandson’s first time being old enough to vote.
“I truly look forward to what the three of us can do for Edgartown,” Mrs. Serpa said, speaking of her colleagues. “We’re a good team.”
In other Edgartown contests, incumbent planning board chairman Fred Mascolo beat challenger Robert Strayton 409-284. Incumbent Meegan Lancaster retained her seat on the board of health and incumbent Kimberly Kirk retained her seat on the school committee, fighting off a last-minute write-in campaign from Susan Sanford.
Aaron Wilson contributed reporting.
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