York Town News
Minority of voters decide York's 2007 town election
By Jennifer L. Saunders
YORK - What if the town had an election and nobody came?
That was a question being pondered by local voters and officials alike who have said they were stunned to learn that only 25 percent of the town's registered voters decided the fate of tens of millions of dollars in budget requests and on who would lead the town on its boards and committees in the year ahead.
When the votes were counted, only 2,568 of York's 10,194 registered voters had their say at the polls or by absentee ballot at the town referendum on Saturday, May 19 - down from 4,001 voters last year.
Despite the smaller-than-usual turnout for the election, the vast majority of budget requests passed at the polls, with only a handful of key items failing to win voter support.
Town Hall
It is back to the drawing board in the effort to replace the town's undersized and overstuffed Town Hall with a new facility. Voters defeated Article 73, which asked the voters to approve the construction of a new town hall facility on land purchased at last year's budget referendum for that very purpose, by a narrow margin of 1,115 in favor and 1,368 opposed. Approval of the request would have appropriated $6,522,790 to fund the construction costs of the project and $225,000 for the first year of interest and financing.
When the Board of Selectmen met two days later, on Monday, May 21, they discussed what happens next in the process.
"We will certainly need to evaluate and interpret what worked and what didn't work," said Selectmen Vice Chairman Dave Marshall, who served on the Municipal Building Committee along with Selectmen Chairman Mike Estes.
Marshall pointed out that there was not a groundswell of support, for the plan, and that since it failed by only about 250 votes it would have been equally difficult to see the plan pass by such a narrow margin.
Marshall thanked those who supported the board in its effort to address the need for a new Town Hall, and those who offered suggestions on how to improve the plan.
"I am disappointed about the Town Hall. I thought we had done everything right," Estes said. "I just sensed when the people voted for the land last year, and then they voted for the money, that we should design it. ... Over the next couple of weeks or month or so, we will be talking about this quite often so that we can reorganize our plans and bring it forward to you again because we truly do think, as a board, it is a necessary expenditure for the town."
Town requests win support
The majority of voters may not have endorsed the current Town Hall plan but they did, however, approve changes to the departments within Town Hall, with strong support to the $364,730 request for the new Community Development Department by a vote of 1,518 to 892. As Town Manager Rob Yandow explained prior to the vote, this department will be an administrative change, creating more continuity between the Code Enforcement Office, Planning Department and Geographical Information Systems. Had voters not approved the request, the funding would have reverted to the prior level of $349,610.
The voters also approved every request to fund drainage improvements around town, as part of the ongoing drainage remediation plan, and for a match to a federal grant currently being sought to offset the costs of such needs.
Article 24, which raised some questions by the Budget Committee about the town's overall plan for sidewalks but had the full support of Police Chief Douglas Bracy, passed by a narrow margin - 1,224 in favor and 1,213 opposed. The request for $60,000 will fund construction of a sidewalk on Woodbridge Road.
Another request that had the full support of those who oversee the town's public safety, a $40,000 appropriation for a one-year contract with the York Ambulance Association, also received the voters' support - but by an overwhelming margin. The vote was 1,937 in favor and 487 in opposition.
"I think everyone should be very pleased with the results of this budget," Marshall said, pointing out that almost every item did pass at the polls. "That's a lot to be satisfied with."
He thanked Town Manager Rob Yandow for his work to bring in a responsible budget while meeting the town's needs.
"It really was a very successful election for both the town and the schools," Estes agreed. "There are a lot of good things that are going to happen, like Town Hall being open every day."
Good news for York Schools
Every York School Department budget request passed by margins ranging from 700 to 2,000 more votes in favor of each article than opposed.
"I was just so pleased," said Superintendent of Schools Dr. Henry Scipione. "I think the voters respect the quality and what the school system provides to the children and to the community as a whole."
He said the York School Department's goal remains to provide educational excellence for each student and added the department is fortunate to be in a community that values education.
"I think it shows a lot about how the people feel about our public schools," Selectman Dwight Bardwell, who previously served on the School Committee, said of the results. Bardwell, like Scipione, said the support of the school budget is especially important in light of the state's school consolidation plan.
Library vote is yes and no
The news for the York Public Library was not as good as it could have been at this year's election, with a split vote on two budget requests.
Voters approved Article 37, which requested $395,911 for the operating expenses, with 1,395 in favor and 1,121 opposed.
Article 38, which requested $46,747 for an additional librarian, failed by just 14 votes, with 1,248 supporting the request and 1,262 opposed.
No votes
Voters turned down Article 35, a request for a sum not to exceed $25,000 for the Mt. A coordinator, reverting to the current amount of $20,000 by a vote of 1,217 in favor and 1,247 opposed.
Article 44, a request for $3,825 for the Budget Committee to allow for small stipends, as is the case with the Board of Selectmen and School Committee, and to cover the cost of a recording secretary, failed to pass by a vote of 799 in favor and 1,571 opposed. The amount reverted to the current appropriation of $100.
The Board of Selectmen
Edward "Ted" Little
Kinley Gregg
There are two new members of the Board of Selectmen following Saturday's election.
Incumbent Len Dorrian was unseated by challenger Kinley Gregg for a three-year term on the board with Dorrian receiving 926 votes and Gregg receiving 1,230.
In the three-way race to fill the two years that remain in the term of former Selectman Torbert Macdonald, Jr., who resigned for health reasons, Edward "Ted" Little was the top vote-getter with 1,298 votes, followed by Mike Ehrenborg with 653 votes and James Adams with 244.
Welcoming Gregg and Little to the board, Marshall described the Board of Selectmen's meetings as "television's original reality show."
Unlike the hit reality dramas, however, Marshall said those selectmen that leave the board do not usually have a finale episode where they get to have their final say.
He praised Macdonald for "steering the town to a much more environmentally conscious and correct municipality."
He spoke of Dorrian's service as a selectman and member of the Tax Task Force.
"I think the quality of the involvement of this board with the financial side of things, more so than in years past, I would certainly attribute a lot of that to Len's drive in this area," he said, thanking both for their service to the town.
His welcome of Little and Gregg to the board was met with applause.
"I am confident that both of you will strive to stay with our past board's civil discourse," he said.
The School Committee
Laurie W. Coffenberry
Mary Jane Merrill
In the three-way race for two terms on the School Committee, incumbent Mary Jane Merrill took the largest number of votes with 1,285 and Laurie W. Coffenberry was elected to the seat previously held by Chairwoman Patty Hymanson with a vote of 1,028. Julie E.H. Eneman received 792 votes.
Other races
The two candidates who appeared on the ballot for two three-year terms on the Budget Committee were each elected, despite a write-in campaign by Stephanie Vallee. Stephen Samborski received 1,197 votes and Charles Steedman received 1,541 votes. Both will join the committee at its next meeting.
Frederick Boardman, Jr., Margaret McIntosh, Edward Walsh and Robert Hoyt were elected in unopposed races for the Budget Committee, Town Treasurer Water District Trustees and Sewer District Trustees posts, respectively.
For a look at the full posting of the unofficial election results, visit http://www.yorkmaine.org/.
