China: Newcomer, two incumbents elected to select board

by Mary Grow

Jeffrey LaVerdiere was the top vote-getter in a seven-way race for three seats on the China Board of Selectmen, with incumbents Joann Austin and Neil Farrington being re-elected to their seats. LaVerdiere received 1,119 votes, Austin 1,001 and Farrington 985.

Incumbent board Chairman Robert MacFarland was not re-elected, coming in fourth with 895 votes. Wayne Chadwick had 700 votes, Raymond Robert 460 and Albert Althenn 355.

All unopposed candidates on the ballot were elected or re-elected.

Eight of 12 local referendum questions were approved, as follows:

• Expenditure of up to $12,000 to buy a piece of land adjoining the town office lot, yes 1,195, no 1,085.
• Acceptance of the Wachusetts property off Lakeview Drive as a gift, yes 1,457, no 782.
• Establishment of a Transfer Station Capital and Equipment Account to be funded by Palermo’s annual contribution beginning in 2017, yes 1,549, no 733.
• Appropriation of $3,800 for a community needs assessment, yes 1,521, no 773.
• Appropriation of an additional $5,000 for police services, yes 1,414, no 859.
• Authorization to sell a recently acquired former portable classroom to the South China Library, yes 1,591, no 666.
• Appropriation of $50,000 in Tax Increment Financing (TIF) funds to the China Four Seasons Club for trail work, yes 1,404, no 879.
• Appropriation of up to $10,000 from TIF funds to buy a piece of land across Causeway Street from the boat landing at the head of China Lake’s east basin, yes 1,249, no 1,031.

Of the other local questions:

• Amendments to the Solid Waste Flow Control Ordinance were rejected with 930 in favor and 1,223 opposed.
• Amendments to the Solid Waste Disposal Ordinance were rejected, 928 in favor and 1,214 opposed.
• Amendments to the Land Development Code were rejected, 817 in favor to 1,248 opposed.
• Town Manager Daniel L’Heureux’s request to create a $100,000 capital and equipment reserve account was rejected, 911 in favor to 1,354 opposed.

The three local ordinances will remain as they were. Neither transfer station hours nor land use regulations will change.

Town Clerk Rebecca Hapgood reported a total of 2,511 ballots cast. With an unusually high election-day registration of 187 new voters, she estimated China must have more than 3,000 registered voters.