Currier defeats Stebbins

WINTHROP — Twelve votes separated Jennifer Currier and Judith Stebbins, putting Currier in a seat on the Winthrop Town Council and leaving Stebbins off.

Currier received 1,050 votes to Stebbins’ 1,038.

Town Clerk Lisa Gilliam said neither woman  indicated Tuesday night that they planned to seek a recount.
Sarah Fuller, with 1,483 votes, won re-election handily to her seat.

Currier is on the Recreation Committee, has served on Winthrop Green Committee and worked with the Comprehensive Planning Committee.

Stebbins previously served as town councilor and serves on the town’s Board of Assessment Review.

Voters elected two newcomers to the town school board. Kristin Shumway received 1,456 votes and Virginia Geyer, 1,329 votes. Incumbent Mark King lost this bid for re-election, coming in third with 867 votes.

 Shumway has two children at Winthrop Grade School and formerly taught school in Massachusetts.

 Geyer retired after 39 years as physical education teacher at Winthrop schools, and is a certified flight instructor.
Gilliam said the town had a 45 percent voter turnout, with 2,169 registered voters casting ballots.

Hart elected to Gardiner council

GARDINER — Planning Board Chairman Patricia Hart won the District 2 seat on the City Council. Hart was up against Matt Caron for the seat. The vote was Hart 270, and Caron, 145.

Hart, who will have to resign from the Planning Board before taking office, said she has been active in city government for 11 years and is ready to serve.

Hart is an economist and consultant who evaluates government and private-sector programs.

She said officials have done a wonderful job working with businesses, but it’s time now to focus on the city’s neighborhoods. Gardiner’s sidewalks are in disrepair, she said, and many people are losing their homes to foreclosure.

Hart, 49, is married with two children, and has a bachelor’s degree in economics and classical studies from The College of William and Mary, and a master’s degree in resource economics from the University of Massachusetts.
District 2 is bounded by districts 1, 2, and 3 and include Alexandra Drive, Cedar Street, Central Street, Harrison Avenue and Water Street.

In District 3, Thom Harnett was the apparent winner as a write-in with 100 votes.

Chelsea approves charter commission

CHELSEA — Residents voted Tuesday 507-178 to establish a town charter commission.

Selectman Ben Smith said selectmen agree a charter is necessary to establish sound municipal government. It also will provide elected municipal officers with guidance on how town business is conducted, he said.

 “We are rebuilding town government, and a charter is one tool that the town should have. It can provide direction and guidance to municipal officers and officials and can help to prevent potential abuses in town government.”
 Linda Leotsakos, chairman of the Board of Selectmen said “a town charter, created and approved by the citizens, will strengthen the town’s governance.”

 Smith said that the decision to create a charter commission is the first step to creating a town charter. Residents will elect six members to the commission. Selectmen will appoint three additional members.

 Once formed, the commission will hold a public meeting to receive information, views and comments relating to its functions, Leotsakos said. She said the commission is required to prepare an initial report within nine months and final report within one year. After that, residents will vote on the proposed charter.

Like many other small towns, Leotsakos said Chelsea adopted the town meeting form of government under the general laws of Maine. Under a charter, the town could establish the duties and obligations of the town’s municipal officers, officials and employees.  

Wells wins Hallowell’s RSU 2 board seat

HALLOWELL — Shawna Wells was the apparent winner of an open seat representing Hallowell on the board of Regional School Unit 2.

Wells won 45 votes as a write-in. The second-highest vote getter was Sarah McNaughton with 12, according to results from the city clerk.

The district includes Dresden, Farmingdale, Hallowell, Monmouth and Richmond.

Belanger, Hughes win China seats

CHINA — Incumbent Irene Belanger and newcomer Steven Hughes beat out two other opponents for four seats on the Board of Selectman Tuesday. Belanger got 679, Hughes 504, Helen Hanson 403 and April Wood 322.
Two local referendum questions were also approved.

Amendments to definitions in the Land Development Code pertaining to the floodplain ordinance section was approved 856 to 319.

Appropriating up to $7,500 from surplus for the Comprehensive Plan Implementation Committee and the Thurston Park II Committee was approved 713 to 465.

James Wilkens, with 908 votes in District One, and former altnernate member, Kyle Pierce with 923 votes, for District Three, were elected to the Planning Board in uncontested races. For the alternate seat vacated by Pierce, Frank Soares was elected with five write-in votes  

Monmouth mulled recall ordinance

MONMOUTH — Residents on Tuesday voted 945 to 242 to overhaul the town’s recall ordinance and 978 to 223 to accept a $400,000 grant for a facelift at the town Grange. They also voted 971 to 243 to change the time period for recording a subdivision plan from 30 days to 90 days and 847 to 372 to add a new subsection to the Shoreland Zoning Ordinance pertaining to setbacks from private roads in the shoreland zones.

 
 
Belgrade cemetery rights on ballot

BELGRADE — Residents voted 758 to 231 on Tuesday to amend the Belgrade Cemetery Ordinance to allow nonresidents to be buried in Pine Grove Cemetery.  Results were unavailable by midnight.

Voters approved the ordinance change at Town Meeting in March. Scott Damren, town sexton, said the wording  wasn’t exactly right, so voters had to vote again on Tuesday.

The proposed amendments will adopt changes to allow taxpaying nonresidents to buy cemetery lots provided they:

• were born in the community;

• have blood relatives either living in the community or buried in the cemetery; or

• own and have paid property taxes on property in town for at least 20 years.

Voters also adopted a “Pace Ordinance” to provide residents access to efficiency loans.