Rochester Town Clerk Paul Dawson confirmed on Tuesday morning that Adam Murphy filed his petition for a recount of his challenge for Brad Morse’s seat on the Select Board.
Morse’s May 25 bid for reelection to a three-year term hung in the balance as of Tuesday after an initial 582-580 count in his favor was immediately challenged by Murphy. There was one write-in vote also announced on May 25 at the Senior Center.
Murphy told The Wanderer he obtained 25 signatures (more than required) and turned in the paperwork officially requesting a recount. Dawson wrote in an email to The Wanderer that while Murphy filed the request on Tuesday, no date has yet been established to announce a confirmed result.
Voter turnout was large across the Tri-Towns, and Rochester Memorial School Committee members Sharon Hartley and Jason Chisholm held on to their seats against two separate challenges.
Hartley was reelected to a three-year term after a 729-449 victory over challenger Melissa Anne Goneau (there were no write-in votes and 22 were left blank.)
“It boiled down to the parents and the teachers and the community members who value the education of their kids. That’s where the decision was made,” said Hartley. “I’m so grateful to the families and this election team. I’ve never experienced such a strong and enthusiastic election team. They were fantastic. … Teachers were standing with us today. It was about the school and the education.”
Hartley, a retired educator who has served for years on town and Old Rochester Regional school committees, was thrilled with the outcome not only for her successful reelection bid but for what she sees as confirmation of important contributions made over the past year by Chisholm.
“He stepped forward to help the town out; we didn’t have anybody in that seat,” said Hartley, noting that Chisholm also represented Rochester on the Old Rochester Committee “during a most-difficult time to be on the school committee. He always came to our meetings thoughtful, well read, understood questions on the agenda. He was engaged, he did a wonderful job, and he deserves to fill out these next two years. He was very proud of being appointed and all in.”
Chisholm’s was not a reelection bid. He was appointed in 2021 by the Select Board per protocol after a failure to elect following Tina Rood’s 2021 retirement from the committee. To complete the final two years of the term, Chisholm received 574 votes, fending off a strong challenge from Greg Hardy (447.) Jim O’Brien also ran, garnering 140 votes. There was one write-in vote announced, and 35 were left blank.
“My intention was to go three years. You finish what you start,” said Chisholm. “For me it was see what the time commitment was and what I was able to really carry on and, if I could do another term, I’d look into another term. I was frankly surprised that someone came forward and said, ‘I want to contest for those remaining two years, so that was a surprise. But I respect the process, and I like competition so that was a good thing.”
Chisholm was cognizant of the emerging dissatisfaction with area school committees in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic and the resultant swell in voter turnout this year.
“I’m pleased at the turnout. In elections past, I know the numbers have been really, really low so the fact that we had as many people come out as we did means people were paying attention and they care. I’ll tell you I was worried because there was a minority that was very loud, and I think they’ve been responded to appropriately,” he said. “Now we’re just going to focus on the work that we have to do, the kids, the faculty, our administrators, our support staff and just making sure that (our school buildings are) physically sound.”
Planning Board Chairman Arnie Johnson (930 votes) was reelected to a five-year term, and several other incumbents in elected offices also ran uncontested and were reelected to three-year terms, including: Highway Surveyor Jeffrey Eldridge (1,002 votes); Board of Assessors Diana Knapp (945); Cemetery Commission Lori Souza (974); Board of Health Glenn Lawrence (977); Constables David Hughes (931) and Marc Slabodnick (802); Park Commission Hughes (947); Library Trustees Kimberly Burt (884) and Michael King (712); and Water Commission Richard Charon (982.)
Town of Rochester Election
By Mick Colageo