By just six votes, Buxton voters Tuesday approved borrowing $1.8 million to fund a new public works garage. And from a crowded, six-person field, they also re-elected veteran selectman Daniel Collomy and picked political newcomer Linda Pulsoni for the two seats on the board.
A $38.9 million budget for School Administrative District 6 was also approved.
In the race for two, three-year terms, Collomy led candidates with 354 votes, while Pulsoni tallied 340, ousting incumbent Carol Sanborn by 18 votes. Peter Burns received 306 votes; Wanda Emery, 198; and Mark Smith Sr., 66.
Collomy, 75, is the chairman of the board.
Pulsoni, 54, whose husband, Frank Pulsoni, is a Buxton police officer, said Wednesday she worked hard campaigning and it paid off. But Pulsoni said victory was “only by the skin of my teeth.” She’s looking forward to serving.
“I have a lot of work to do and a lot to learn,” Pulsoni said.
Voters approved a new town garage by a slim margin, 417-411. Collomy, who served on the garage building committee, felt the garage would pass.
“I didn’t believe it would be so close,” Collomy said. “I didn’t realize so many people were against it.”
The town will borrow up to $1.8 million with a 20-year bond to construct the garage on the municipal complex site on Portland Road. With interest, the garage could cost $2.7 million.
The authorization marked a first for the town. Buxton doesn’t have any bonds to repay.
The garage will replace the existing town garage built in 1953 on Haines Meadow Road in Buxton Center. The project already has planning board approval.
Proponents of a new garage said the present garage is outdated.
At town hall Tuesday, resident Ron Tardif said he favored the new garage and voted yes. “We need one. You ought to see the wreck they’ve got up there,” Tardif said.
Steve Sawyer also favored the garage. “I think we need it,” Sawyer said.
James Michie agreed. “It’s needed. You’ve got to take care of the roads. They should have everything they need.”
In other local referendum action, Buxton voters rejected by 16 votes, 459-443, a proposal to hire a professional, part-time town planner for $15,000. They also overwhelmingly opposed, 582-313, spending $150,000 to repair and restore the former town hall in Buxton Center.
Besides selectmen, the town Tuesday elected several unopposed candidates on the ballot for other boards and committees. Keith Emery and Harry Kavouksorian were elected to three-year planning board terms; Jeremiah Ross, a two-year planning board term; and Sheridan Bennett and Nicholas Pinkham, three-year terms on the budget committee; and Karen Connary, a three-year term as SAD 6 director.
Voters gave the green light, 508-401, to a $38.9 million SAD 6 budget. The budget requires collective approval from voters in all SAD 6 communities, which also include Hollis, Limington, Standish and Frye Island. Only Buxton and Standish totals had been reported early Wednesday, according to a spokesman in the SAD 6 superintendent’s office.
John Myers, Buxton town clerk, reported 949 ballots were cast Tuesday, representing 15.8 percent of the town’s voters.
Cutline (Dan Collomy) – Buxton voters reelected Dan Collomy as selectman in Tuesday
Cutline (Linda Pulsoni)
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