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MARCH 7, 2019
Kenney retains seat
WILLISTON’S NEWSPAPER SINCE 1985
WILLISTONOBSERVER.COM
Voters approve $1.4 million fire truck bond By Jason Starr Observer staff
Williston Selectboard member Ted Kenney survived a challenge from fellow board member Terri Zittritsch to retain a three-year seat on the board in Tuesday’s Town Me et i ng Day election. Zit t r it s ch’s t wo-year tenu re comes to an end after she chose to run for Kenney’s seat instead of her own, sacrificing Ted Kenney an easier path to election to ensure the board didn’t continue with the same five members for another two years. Kenney tallied 784 votes in preliminary results reported Tuesday night by the Williston Town Clerk’s office. Zittritsch tallied 541. Williston native Gordon St. Hilaire tallied 1,295 votes in an unopposed bid for Zittritsch’s twoyear seat. He will join Kenney, Terry Macaig, Jeff Fehrs and Joy Limoge on the board. “I think the makeup of the board will be a productive one,” said Kenney. “Gordon will bring a new perspective and a fresh view to the issues the board addresses.” Kenney served on the board from 2006 to 2010 before taking a hiatus. He returned in 2016. “I am incredibly grateful and humbled that my town would elect me to another term,” he said. Zittritsch characterized her loss as disappointing, but not unexpected. She plans to find other avenues of community service and
would not rule out a future run for elected office. “I did my best to make a case for disruptive change, but in the end the majority of voters rejected change,” she said. “This is how the democratic process works, and I respect the results. I consider myself fortunate to have served the residents of Williston for the time that I did, and thank all of those who enthusiastically supported my platform.” In other results, Diane Dower and Karla Karstens were re-elected to the Library Board of Trustees, and Benjamin Whitcomb was elected constable. Write-in candidate Angela Arsenault tallied 244 votes in a winning bid for a three-year seat representing Williston on the Champlain Valley School Board. Voters also approved — by a two-to-one margin (1,064-to-514) — a Williston Fire Department proposal to take on $1.4 million in debt for the purchase of two fire trucks. The bond will allow the
Observer photos by Al Frey
see VOTERS page 2
TOWN MEETING DAY Election results Town budget Yes 1,100; No 460
Fire truck bond Yes 1,064; No 514
Selectboard (3 year) Ted Kenney 784 (elected) Terri Zittritsch 541 McKew Devitt 161
Selectboard (2 year) Gordon St. Hilaire 1,295 (elected)
Observer photo by Jason Starr
TOP LEFT: Williston Fire Chief Ken Morton explains the reason for a $1.4 million bond request during Monday’s Annual Meeting at Williston Central School. TOP RIGHT: Resident Ryan Allen addresses the crowd about the issue of single use plastic. ABOVE: Voter Brendan Mulvey casts his ballot alongside his daughters Tuesday at the National Guard Armory in Williston Village.
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