Longtime councilor loses bid for another term

Mar. 23—LONDONDERRY — A longtime town councilor came up short in the recent town election and won't be serving another term.

Incumbent Councilor Joe Green lost a bid to return to the Council in the March 14 election.

Ron Dunn and Ted Combes won the two seats on the Council with 907 and 756 votes, respectively, in preliminary, unofficial tallies.

Shawn Faber came in third with 672 votes, Green took 516 votes and Tammy Siekmann earned 500 votes.

The snowy Election Day brought out the faithful to the high school gym to cast ballots, but hundreds also cast ballots the day before in absentee ballot voting.

In other town contests, incumbent Town Moderator Jonathan Kipp won another two-year term, running unopposed and taking 1,306 votes.

Three won seats on the Budget Committee for three years including Ryan Cronin with 824 votes; Joseph Gagnon with 686 votes and Sarah Meier taking 678 votes.

Maureen Hardy won a one-year Budget Committee job with 1,304 votes.

For Leach Library Trustees, it was Christine Fitzgerald and Helen Palmieri taking the top vote totals for the two open seats for three years, with 781 and 502 votes, respectively.

Voters also considered a long list of town warrant articles, approving a $40.4 million operating budget along with spending efforts to support road maintenance, public works vehicles, fire department equipment, Pillsbury Cemetery expansion, information technology, recreation and a collective bargaining agreement between the town and the Londonderry Police Employees Association.

Voters also said yes to a non-binding article asking voters if they would support water system upgrades.

But voters said no to hiring a full-time library technician and also said no to changing the town charter to make the town treasurer an appointed position instead of electing the treasurer at the polls as it's done now.

On the school side, one incumbent school board member lost her job while another incumbent won top vote totals to serve another term.

Incumbent Amy Finemore came up short with votes that would have returned her to the board for another three years.

Incumbent board member Bob Slater won another term with 1,293 votes along with Tim Porter, who took the second open spot with 1,057 votes.

Voters also approved an $85.4 million school operating budget and warrant articles dealing with school security, building and grounds upkeep, technology, and vehicles and machinery.

A collective bargaining agreement between the school district and the Londonderry custodians union was also approved.