HOULTON, Maine — Two incumbents and a newcomer to the political arena garnered seats on the Town Council on Election Day.
Voters also turned the area’s proposed regional school consolidation plan.
And, during the group’s first official meeting, the panel elected Paul Cleary as council chairman.
It was a five-way race for three open seats on the council. Town Clerk Cathy O’Leary said Thursday that incumbents Walter Goodrich and Sue Tortello retained their seats. Brian Donnelly nudged aside Philip Bernaiche and Carl Lord Jr. to secure the final position.
Incumbents Cynthia Hillman-Forbush and Elizabeth Anderson were re-elected to the SAD 29 board of directors, and Lisa A. Harvey also won a seat on the panel.
Residents Galen Hogan and James F. McPartland were cho-sen to fill slots on the Houlton Water Co. board of directors.
Leigh Cummings Jr. of Houlton will fill the vacant seat on the board of directors of the Cary Library.
Voters also soundly rejected a proposed regional school consolidation plan, 1,922 to 663.
If the proposal had passed, SAD 29 in Houlton, SAD 70 in Hodgdon, SAD 14 in Danforth, Community School District 9 in Dyer Brook and the municipal units of Hersey, Moro Plantation, Orient and Bancroft would have formed the Tri-County Regional School Unit.
No one was running for the three open seats on the board of budget review, so write-in candidates Mitchell Holmes, Rick Kelley and James Pinard will hold those positions.
The new council held its organizational meeting on Wednesday afternoon. In concert with choosing Cleary as chairman, Council Nancy Ketch was chosen to serve as the group’s secretary.