In a five-way race for two seats on the board of selectmen, Oak Bluffs voters re-elected selectman Gregory Coogan and elected newcomer Kathleen Burton to three-year terms.
Mr. Coogan, a teacher, was the top vote-getter, with 626 votes. A total of 1,225 Oak Bluffs voters, or 38 percent of the town's 3,195 registered voters, went to the polls Thursday.
Newcomer Kathleen Burton.
Ms. Burton, a real estate professional, got 571 votes in her first foray into politics. "It was a wonderful experience," she said in a phone conversation on Tuesday. "I loved that I was able to talk to so many people." She credited a regular Saturday campaign stop at the Oak Bluffs post office for winning votes. She said she is ready to get to work when selectmen meet next Tuesday.
"I know we need to start looking at next year's budget right now," said Ms. Burton. "We need to look at all the things that we do and see if there's a more economical way to do them."
Mr. Coogan told The Martha's Vineyard Times he is grateful to the voters for electing him to a third term. He said he appreciated their confidence in him. Running for reelection provided an opportunity to speak with many people, he added. What he heard is that the economy and taxes worry voters.
Selectman Gregory Coogan.
Mr. Coogan vowed to do his best to provide efficient town government and seek outside assistance for town projects. "I look forward to working with Kathy," he said.
The next highest vote-getter in the selectman's race was Gail Barmakian, an attorney who currently sits on the zoning board of appeals (486 votes), followed by Herbert Combra Jr. a former selectman and past highway superintendent (449 votes), and David Wessling, a former traffic planner for the Martha's Vineyard Commission (48 votes).
Incumbent David Richardson easily beat back a challenge by Jesse B. Law for a one-year term as town moderator. The vote was 707 to 427.
In other contested elections, Melanie Erin Marchand won a three-year term on the school committee, defeating Bill McGrath (389 votes) and Melanie Bilodeau (143 votes), who had announced her withdrawal from the race.
In a race for a three-year term on the water district commission, incumbent Kevin H. Johnson defeated challenger Deacon Perrotta by a vote of 691 to 298.
In uncontested races, voters re-elected board of health member William White (866), cemetery commissioner Jesse Law (863), park commissioner Allan deBettencourt (896), planning board member John Bradford (816), and tree warden Joseph M. deBettencourt (883). In the race for seats on the finance and advisory committee, incumbent Mac Starks (662) won a two-year term, and incumbents Frank Case III (658), Mimi Davisson (675) and Linda Marinelli (577) to three-year terms. Wastewater commissioner Hans von Steiger (773) was also reelected.
There were seven ballot questions. Of the three Proposition 2.5 questions that asked the town to pay for an increasing share of programs previously funded by Dukes County, two were defeated. But the vote will have no bearing. Originally selectmen agreed to put the county articles on the ballot as override questions. After the ballot was printed, selectmen decided to fund the programs as part of the town's operating budget. Voters approved the operating budget at their annual town meeting earlier in the week.
Voters said no to the Proposition 2.5 override question that asked taxpayers to pay an additional $4,635 as the town's share of the County's Integrated Pest Management Program. There were 454 yes votes and 575 no votes.
Voters said yes to the Proposition 2.5 override question that asked taxpayers to pay an additional $7,933 as the town's share of the County's Vineyard Health Care Access Program. There were 562 yes votes and 453 no votes.
Voters said no to the Proposition 2.5 override question that asked taxpayers to pay $10,259 as the town's share of the County's Vineyard Health Care Access Program at the current level of service. The vote was 438 yes and 460 no.
Voters said yes to a debt exclusion question in order to pay for the costs of dredging in Sengekontacket Pond. The vote was 679 yes and 357 no.
Voters said yes to a debt exclusion question asking taxpayers to pay the town's share of the costs to acquire new school buses for the regional high school district. The vote was 532 yes and 471 no.
Voters said no to a debt exclusion question that asked taxpayers to pay for the costs of purchasing the so-called Leonardo property. The vote was 423 yes and 536 no.
In a non-binding question voters said they were in favor of having the moderator use his discretion to call for more frequent use of written ballots at town meetings when a standing vote would likely involve "intimidation, embarrassment or awkwardness for the voters." The vote was 733 yes and 192 no.
