WARREN, Maine — Two challengers were elected to the Board of Selectmen on Monday night, unseating a pair of incumbents, including the embattled chairman who remains under investigation for an altercation with the public works supervisor five months ago.
Turnout was exceptionally large for a municipal election. The 509 people who voted Monday was two-thirds more than the 301 who turned out in 2014.
Former state Rep. Wes Richardson waged a write-in campaign against incumbent board member Michael York. York, who is completing his first three-year term, has been at the center of a controversy over an altercation with the town’s public works supervisor.
Richardson represented the Warren-area Maine House district from 2004 to 2012. Richardson received 344 write-in votes compared with 115 for York, who was on the ballot.
Assistant District Attorney Jeffrey Baroody said Monday the case remains under review and no decision has been made on possible criminal charges.
Public Works supervisor Douglas Gammon filed a notice of claim with the town in December, seeking damages of more than $150,000. He claims that York came on his property, refused to leave and then punched him. The public works supervisor suffered a torn ligament and tendon damage to his thumb, according to the notice.
Gammon’s version was contested in a statement from York’s attorney Christopher MacLean of Camden.
“The version of events described in the notice of claim and by Mr. (Douglas) Gammon’s personal injury lawyer is simply not true. The truth is that without provocation, Mr. Gammon punched Mr. York in the face on Nov. 5. Unfortunately, we cannot stop Mr. Gammon and his lawyer from making whatever allegations they want, but we are confident that when the truth comes out, Mr. York will be fully vindicated.”
No lawsuit has been filed but notices of claim are required in Maine before a person can sue a government body.
The other selectman race was between incumbent Edmund LaFlamme and challenger James Kinney. Kinney defeated LaFlamme 394-106.
Incumbent Regional School Unit 40 board member Sara Andrews was uncontested as were sanitary district members Clayton Winchenbach and Edward Courtenay.
The town meeting is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. Tuesday at the Warren Community School.