Winthrop voters on Tuesday ousted a longtime member of the town council in a close race that ended with two new faces at the table.

Kevin Cookson, who has served on the council for 15 years, came up just 15 votes short in his bid to win a sixth term, losing to newcomer David Bubier, who received 682 votes to Cookson’s 667. Linda Caprara, who has served on the council for 18 years, was re-elected with 737 votes. Priscilla Jenkins, who served on the council until 2013, topped the field with 748 votes.

The new councilors will begin their terms in January.

“I’m delighted to be back and hope to move things forward come January,” Jenkins said.

Caprara said she is “really happy” to return to the council, but surprised that Cookson will not be there when she does.

“I like working with Kevin,” she said.

Cookson did not immediately return a call seeking comment.

The three council openings were created by the expiration of the terms of Caprara, Cookson and Larry Fitzgerald, who did not seek re-election. Fitzgerald served on the council since winning a special election in 2012.

All four candidates said heading into the election that the town was heading in a positive direction, but they agreed that one of the more pressing issues facing the town was building a new fire station without raising taxes.

Both Jenkins and Bubier said they have been regulars at recent council meetings and will continue to be as they prepare to join the council. Bubier said he also will study rules and procedures to know how meetings are run.

“I feel privileged to be able to serve on the council,” he said. “I’m thankful for all the folks that turned out to vote.”

Jenkins said she has work to do in preparation to join the council, like learning more about the proposed fire station, particularly the location, and the town’s process of finding a new trash contract when its current agreement with the Penobscot Energy Recovery Company in Orrington expires in the summer of 2018. The contract cannot be renewed because the company, which burns trash to produce energy, is going out of business.

“I feel up to speed on a couple of things, and there are a couple of things I need to catch up on,” Jenkins said.

The council election was not the only contested race on Tuesday. Four people were seeking three spots on the C.M. Bailey Public Library board of trustees. The three incumbents, Pearl Ames, Merrie Hanson and Elizabeth Sienko, each comfortably won re-election. Challenger Robert Johnson failed in his bid to join the board.

Craig Crosby — 621-5642

ccrosby@centralmaine.com

Twitter: @CraigCrosby4

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