There were flowing tears of joy from Jodi Lynn Bauer and her campaign workers on May 18 as the election results were read by Mattapoisett Town Clerk Cathy Heuberger: Bauer with 1,154 votes and Nicole Demakis with 821.
“I’m glad its over,” Bauer exclaimed while still wiping away tears. She said the last few months had been long, but she was delighted. And she made it clear that she wanted to be called a “selectman,” not a Select Board member because the title change was not officially accepted at the state level yet. The gender-neutral title passed at the May 10 Spring Town Meeting.
Bauer said she is proud to have the opportunity to work with Select Board member Jordan Collyer and Town Administrator Mike Lorenco and felt honored to be given the chance to do so. She said this election was unique for the number of people that came out to vote, something she said she had never witnessed before for a local election. Over 1,500 voters turned out in what Heuberger said was a steady stream all day. One voter slipped in with only seconds to spare.
When asked, Bauer conceded that name recognition had most likely helped her win, along with owning a local barber shop with what she termed as “wonderful clientele.” She said she also believes that her many years of volunteering on a number of boards and committees added to the positive result. “I’ve always been involved, and I’ll continue to be involved,” she said.
Bauer was asked how she felt as a mother, given her son Garrett Bauer was elected as the new highway surveyor with 1,148 votes to Gary Bowman’s 766. With tears once again welling in her eyes, she turned her thoughts to her own mother. She said she was eager to speak with her mother, who at 83 years old, held signs for her family members. “She must be thrilled to have lived long enough to see all our accomplishments,” Bauer beamed. Bauer’s mother, the former Mattapoisett town clerk for decades, Lois Ennis, was by their side all the way.
Bauer gave much credit for her election win to her dedicated campaign workers, hugging them after the elections results were declared.
Other contested races were two seats on the Mattapoisett School Committee with James Muse keeping his with 1,178 votes and Tiffini Reedy taking an open seat with 877 votes. Elizabeth Sylvia received 1,170 votes for a seat on the Library Board of Trustees, as did William Osier with 983 votes.
The single question on the ballot, Question One, asked voters allow the town to be exempt from the provisions of Proposition 2 ½, an amount required to pay for the bond issued in order to pay costs associated with the 75-percent design needed for the Village Streets roadway project. Voters agreed with 1,057 ‘yes’ votes against 634 ‘no’ votes.
Mattapoisett Town Election
By Marilou Newell