Towns across the region went to vote yesterday and the results were interesting to say the least. We were watching a number of races across the region and will get to the results right now.
Denbow: Heee’s baaaack! Denbow squeaks by on strength of pro-Pinkerton vote
In Hooksett, pro-Pinkerton forces dominated the day. The vote on Warrant Article Three had a lopsided outcome in favor of the tuition contract with Pinkerton Academy. It passed 1,033 to 528. Candidates who campaigned in favor of passage also won the day as Kara Salvas received 8 9 8 votes and Phil Denbow reclaimed the seat he lost a year ago receiving 5 6 6 to place a distant second. To fill the vacancy created by the premature departure of School Board Clerk Todd Lizotte, pro-Pinkerton candidate Alan Watley defeated Jason Hyde 7 5 1 to 5 7 2. In an interview with us last night, Manchester Mayor Ted Gatsas congratulated the winners and said the city will take a careful look at the contract voters approved as it prepares to negotiate a longer term contract with the town.
Green: Handily reelected
In the Timberlane Regional School District, Sandown voters sent a loud and clear message by reelecting targeted School Board Member Donna Green. She received more than fifty six percent of the vote to Erich Beyerent ‘s less than forty four percent. I’ve got to admit, reading the shock and dismay expressed by Green’s less than honorable critics on social media was rather amusing.
Sandown also voted by a greater that two to one margin to direct the district to establish a committee to study its withdrawal.
Metzler: Can’t build “needed” playground. Now what?
Voters in the district blew away questions asking voters to spend more money. All four towns weighed in with a resounding “no,” which, in one instance, will leave the school board in something of a quandary. One of the warrant articles voters just crushed was the playground improvements at Sandown North Elementary School that Superintendent Earl Metzler said were necessary to close Sandown Central Elementary. They also voted not to fund the continued operation of Sandown Central. So, if Metzler says they need playground improvements to consolidate the schools, but the voters said no to that and to keeping Sandown Central open, what’s a superintendent to do?
Murray: BIG win
Muller: BIG win
In the race for school board in Windham, challengers Tom Murray and Daniel Popovici-Mueller trounced incumbents Jerome Rekart and Mike Joanis. Rekart was the board’s chair and responsible for restricting public input and calling the cops on Murray when he questioned the Cenergistic contract which both he and Joanis voted for before they, or even their lawyers, saw it. Murray told Girard at Large last night the public input policy will be put back the way it was.
News from our own backyard continues after this.
Manney: “Wicked smaht!” budget gets defeated
Voters in Goffstown repudiated the budget put on the ballot by the town’s Budget Committee, which congratulated itself on a job well done after “wicked smaht” committee member Pam Manney justified increased spending in saying that nobody showed up at the public hearing to complain their taxes were too high or that spending needed to be cut. Voters rejected their proposal, installing the default budget which was about half a million dollars less.
Gross: Voters nuked Town Manager proposal
By a nearly three to one margin, Goffstown voters nuked the move by former Selectman Scott Gross to install a town manager. And, despite a surprisingly strong vote, Warrant Article Five, which would have required a minimum of three acres to build multi-unit developments, failed by forty two votes, despite a four to one vote from the planning board to oppose the measure.
School district voters in Deerfield and Northwood approved ballot questions opposed to participation in the Common Core national standards. Ought to be interesting to see what happens in those two districts moving forward.
Schneller: Beats “Godfather Greiner Machine”
In Bedford, John Schneller was elected to the Town Council by an eight vote margin over FRANK SLEDJESKI to capture the third of three seats available. Given the attempts by the town’s self appointed politcal godfather Bill Greiner to defeat Schneller, we thought we’d mention he won.
Gatsas: Delivers State of the City Address
In other news, Manchester Mayor Ted Gatsas will give his State of the City Address to the Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce this morning. After Gatsas gives an overview of the the direction things are going in, he will introduce students from the FIRST Jr. Steam Ahead Program, the West High’s STEAM Ahead Program and the four year program at the Manchester School of Technology so the folks assembled can hear from the students how these programs are changing education in city schools.
House Bill 6 4 6, he bill that would charge in advance for Right to Know Requests based on estimates provided by the public body to which the request was made, goes to the Floor of the New Hampshire House of Representatives today. The bill inexplicably came out of the Judiciary Committee with an ought to pass recommendation on a fourteen to four vote, seeking to eliminate so called abusive requests. Girard at Large has learned that a floor fight to overturn the committee’s recommendation will be launched and that House leadership just might look for a tabling motion to avoid it.
That’s news from our own backyard, Girard at Large hour ___ is next!
