Rye, Greenland, Newington elections: Wright defeats King in Rye
The towns of Rye, Greenland, and Newington all held their town elections Tuesday with residents voting on several town offices and articles, such as town budgets. Here's a roundup of the results:
Rye town ballot results
Voters approved the proposed operating budget of nearly $13.5 million. Voters also approved $75,000 to add a softball field to a portion of the soccer fields at the town recreation area. All other articles passed except for Article 9, which asked residents to approve a sum of $500,000 towards improvements to the Library Common.
There were several competitive races on the Rye ballot. Here's who won:
Select board, three-year term: Challenger Rob Wright (928 votes) defeated Tom King (623), the Select Board's current chairman.
Library trustee, three-year term: Joann Hodgdon, Joe Marttila
Library trustee, two-year term: Julie Tucker
Budget Committee, three-year term: Douglas Abrams, Kate Dumas
Planning Board, three-year term: Peter Moynahan, Steven Borne
Supervisor of the checklist: Susan Philbrick
Rye school ballot results
There was one contested School Board race in Rye, which Laura Marshall Beldon won.
Residents of Rye also voted to approve the budget of $17.8 million, along with the three other school articles.
Greenland town ballot results
The Greenland town ballot featured three contested races. The winners are as follows:
Select Board, three-year term: Stephan Toth
Planning Board: John McDevitt, Bob Dion, Morris Goodman
Budget Committee: Michael Bilodeau, Todd Cadle, Brian Midura
Greenland rejected an article that would have had the town back to Town Meeting-style elections. This means the town will keep having a day of official ballot voting as it did Tuesday.
Residents also chose to approve the town operating budget of just over $6.7 million, as well as articles 7 and 11, which will add $75,000 to the New Fire Station Capital Reserve Fund and appropriate $94,000 for a new firefighter position, respectively. Voters chose not to approve article 13, which would've rescinded the adoption of the budget committee.
Greenland School Ballot Results
Three people were running for two seats on the Greenland School Board. The winners were John Balboni and Scot Hopps.
Voters also approved the operating budget of $14.2 million, as well as both of the other school articles.
Newington town ballot results
There were only two contested elections on the Newington town ballot this year, for select board and planning board. The winners are below.
Select Board, three-year term: Robert Blonigen
Planning Board: Denis J. Hebert and Peter J. Welsch
The one amendment on the Newington town ballot passed, which means nursing homes will be eliminated as a “permitted use” in commercial zoning and its definition in the list of definitions will be deleted.
There are no contested races on the Newington school ballot.
Newington town and school meeting to be held Saturday, March 16
Newington uses town meeting-style elections, which means residents will meet in person to vote on its town and school budgets and warrants. This year, the school district session will be held at 10 a.m. and the town session will be at 10:30 a.m., both at the town hall Saturday, March 16. More on the budgets and articles that will be up for approval at these meetings can be found here.