Halifax voters made their voices heard in Saturday’s Annual Town Election, choosing two new selectmen, one for a three-year term and another for one year to fill the unexpired term for Troy Garron who retired on his 80th birthday.
Town Clerk Susan Lawless reported that out of 6,079 registerd voters in town 1,249 cast their ballots, either in person or by absentee, making 20.55 percent of the voters who let the town’s elected officials know their wishes..
Last year Town Clerk Barbara Gaynor took the microphone at Town Meeting to say that the atmosphere at Town Hall has been so divisive that she chose not to run for re-election after serving well in that position for many years.
Over the past year, Halifax has lost several key people to retirement or to other towns, most notably Town Administrator Charlie Seelig who took his 20+ years of experience in Halifax to East Bridgewater. Town Treasurer/Collector Pam Adducci packed up and followed a couple of weeks ago forcing a special election that will be held July 30. Halifax’s Fire Chief, who has brought hundreds of thousands of dollars in grant money to his Halifax Fire Department, as of Tuesday was hoping to, finalize contract negotiations with the neighboring town of Pembroke.
Will the exodus stop?
Here’s how Halifax voted.
Selectman for 3-years:
Gordon Andrews, candidate for re-election, 384.
Alexander J. Meade, 809
There were also four write-ins and 52 blanks.
Selectman for 1 year:
Robert A. McCarthy, 231
Naja Robert Nessralla, 230
Jonathan H. Selig, 766.
There was one write-in and 21 blanks.
Planning Board for a 5-year term:
Gordon R. Andrews, candidate for re-election, 381
Robert G. Gaynor, II, 795.
There was one write-in vote and 72 left blank.
Halifax Elementary School Committee for a 3-year term:
Jessica Page, 585
Peter J. Parcellin, 504.
There were no write-in votes and 160 blanks.
Halifax Elementary School Committe for a one year term:
Jennifer Ann Carroll, 510.
Karyn Beth Townsend, 600.
There were no write-in votes and 139 blanks.
Silver Lake Regional School Committee for a 3 year term
Paula Hatch, candidate for re-election, ran unopposed and won 898 votes. There were six write-ins and 345 blanks.
Board of Assessors, 3 year term.
Holly Merry, 416.
Robert Mullen, 438
Michael J. Schleiff, 237
There was one write-in vote and 157 blanks.
Constable, for a three-year term, vote for two.
The two candidates for re-election were re-elected.
Thomas M. Hammond, 679.
Thomas F. Schindler, 612.
Michael J. Schleiff, 419.
There were six write-ins and 782 blanks.
Water Commissioner for a 3 year term.
Donald A. Bosworth, candidate for re-election, was re-elected with 572 votes.
Robert McCarthy won 520 votes.
There were three write-ins and 154 blanks.
Board of Health, 3 year term.
Candice Lee Greene, 949.
There were 10 write-ins and 290 blanks.
Board of Library Trustees for a 3 year term. Vote for two.
Susan Hill, 942.
Erin Nagle, 45.
There were 36 write-ins and 1475 blanks.
Park Commissioner for three years.
Thomas F. Schindler, 928.
There were 9 write-ins and 312 blanks.
Question regarding Senior Center
684 voting YES, 385 voting NO, and 180 blanks.