WINDHAM – Windham voters elected four town councilors Tuesday, with two incumbents leading the vote tally.
Peter Busque and Scott Hayman, who came into office last year, won three-year seats, with Busque receiving 4,961 votes in his uncontested race and Hayman receiving 3,680 votes in his at-large race against David Nadeau, the current Planning Board chairman.
Busque is looking forward to another three years on the council and eyes economic development, the installation of a sewer system and a transfer station. He also described the two newcomers, Tommy Gleason and Kevin Call, as “welcome additions to the council.”
Hayman, a Windham native, credited his victory in the race to his past year of work on the council as well as his vision for the community.
“Folks in town know who I am. They know what I believe in. They know where I want the town to head and they trust me,” Hayman said Wednesday. “They also know I care a lot about this town. It’s where I grew up and where I want my boys to grow up.”
Hayman also said he wants to continue with the current council’s stated goals of fostering economic development in order to limit residential property tax increases.
Hayman defeated Nadeau, who said he has already filed papers for continuing his position on the Planning Board, where he’s served for nine years. Of his defeat, Nadeau thanked everyone who supported him and said the townspeople “obviously think they’re doing a good job,” Nadeau said.
Gleason wins three-way, at-large race
Tommy Gleason, newcomer to elective office but no stranger to town politics, was elected in a tightly contested race for a one-year at-large seat. With 2,120 votes, Gleason, who frequently attended council meetings as a resident, beat newcomer Lawrence MacDonald (1,876 votes) and former councilor Robert Muir, who received 1,919 votes.
Gleason said Wednesday he was “pleased and surprised” with the result. “I knew it would be close.” He takes over the seat vacated by Carol Waig’s recent resignation. Gleason said his goals are to cut taxes. He already has some ideas, such as combining departments such as parks and recreation, cemeteries and public works and possibly privatizing some jobs such as cutting grass.
“We’ve got to get taxes under control,” Gleason said.
Muir, who served nearly six years on the council, thanks the nearly 2,000 people who voted for him and said, “I ran a hard campaign, did everything I could do,” adding that “Tommy is a gentleman. I wish him well, I really do. He’s a good man.”
Call defeats Chapman, Corey
With 2,660 votes, lifelong Windham resident Kevin Call won the three-year South District seat by defeating incumbent Councilor Donna Chapman (2,190 votes) and Patrick Corey (1,209 votes).
Call, who said he hopes to honor his mother with his service to the town, said he hopes to “promote input from a broader cross-section of residents” and “continue the positive atmosphere I felt at the polls.”
Chapman, who announced her withdrawal from the race at last Tuesday’s Council meeting, said she doesn’t intend to shy away from local issues now that she’s out of office. “Actually I think I’ll find it a lot easier to speak my mind now. I’ll be freely able to speak to anyone when I have a concern,” she said, referring to the newly adopted communications policy which she said unfairly restricts interaction between councilors and town employees.
“I’m going to stay involved. If I’ve stirred the pot, it’s only right that I stay to see things through. Citizens should be able to speak out and not be afraid because it’s everyone’s town, not the council’s,” she said.
Patrick Corey, who led a successful petition drive against South Windham rezoning this summer, also intends to stay involved in local government and thanks the 1,200 voters who put his name down.
“I’ll continue to fight for what’s right in Windham and insist on ethical practices,” he said.
Election
Peter Busque
Scott Hayman
Kevin Call
Tommy Gleason
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