No one has launched an argument against the importance of small-business growth in the Town of Marion, but victories for Carleton “Toby” Burr in the Select Board race and Tucker Burr in the Planning Board race indicate that the large turnout in Friday’s election reflect on an emerging concern in town.
Toby Burr defeated Dr. Ed Hoffer, 524-397, for the seat vacated last week by John Waterman, who had served four years and endorsed Hoffer.
Burr is the owner of Burr Brothers Boats, Inc., in Marion; Hoffer is a recently retired physician who holds seats on the Board of Health and the Zoning Board of Appeals and has been involved in efforts toward creating housing options for senior citizens who wish to stay in town rather than get priced out.
“The thing I heard repeatedly is that Marion has a tough decision with two good candidates,” said Burr, who has compared the future of the Lockheed Martin property to the industrial park that slowly and successfully grew in Mattapoisett. He is not keen on the idea of residential plans for that land.
“(Lockheed Martin) did put the issue of bringing more small businesses to town on the front runner. That was an issue that interested people,” he said. “It is a long-term project, that’s not going to happen overnight. … it’s something that takes a decade to put together.”
Hoffer offered comment via a letter to the editor thanking those who supported not only his campaign but the entire election. He told The Wanderer he will keep his seat on the Board of Health and ZBA and will continue activities with the Friends of the Council on Aging and will continue to volunteer at the COA. He says he has other ideas as well, including teaching emergency medical technicians serving Marion.
Toby Burr sat on the Select Board in a public meeting for the first time on Tuesday night at the Music Hall. He is well versed on the town’s infrastructural challenges and the burdens that taxpayers in town face.
“There’s just a whole lot of things on the to-do list, and I never really prioritized them all. Again, none of them can happen overnight,” he said. “It’ll be a lot of work, but it should an interesting experience.”
Tucker Burr, Toby’s son who now runs the family business, and Andrew Daniel were the new members on Monday night’s Planning Board meeting. Tucker Burr received 520 votes, while Daniel received 498, a wide margin for the two winners against bids from Barrett Levenson (209) and W. Dale Jones (200.)
“I was hopeful. … You had a race with four candidates, you never know what’s going to happen,” said Daniel, who lost his Planning Board seat last year in a similar four-way race that saw John Henry and Alanna Nelson win seats while he and Tucker Burr were on the outside.
Now they are all serving, and Daniel suspects the large voter turnout (939 of a potential 4,363) helped his cause. “Five or 600 people at the polls, things might have been a lot different,” he said. “I do feel that having a pretty popular Select Board race probably helped the Planning Board … they supported us as well.”
The dynamics of the board, no longer with Will Saltonstall and Joe Rocha, won’t change for Daniel. “Same job, I’ve always just tried to make decisions that I thought were the best for everybody in town. I’m just going to continue to do that, I hope,” he said.
Hoffer (Board of Health) was among several incumbents to run uncontested and maintain their seats on other boards, along with Assessor Catherine Gibbs, Moderator Brad Gordon, Open Space Acquisition Commission Chairman John Rockwell, Marion School Committee member Nichole Daniel and Old Rochester Regional School Committee member April Nye.
With 55 write-in votes, Nichole Nye McGaffey won a one-year term on the Marion School Committee and was sworn into office. In order to continue beyond a year, she will be required to run for a three-year term in 2023.
Marc Sylvia, Ron LaRochelle and Alan Harris received two votes each for seats on the Open Space Acquisition Commission. According to Town Clerk Lissa Magauran, Sylvia has accepted a one-year term. LaRochelle’s status was not known at press time. Harris, the former vice-chairman, declined. In order to continue beyond a year, Sylvia would be required to run for a three-year term in 2023.
Reaffirming the May 9 Town Meeting vote that supported the borrowing of $3,000,000 toward a new $4,500,000 Department of Public Works operations center at Benson Brook, Question 1 asking voters to allow the town to exempt from the provisions of Proposition 2½ the associated bonds was approved, 592-246.
By Mick Colageo