Coneys unseats Quill for Rindge Select Board seat
Published: 03-14-2024 8:31 AM |
Thomas Coneys unseated Select Board incumbent Marybeth Quill during Tuesday’s voting.
In the three-way race, Coneys came out ahead with 422 votes to Quill’s 313, with Roberta Oeser coming in third with 228 votes.
Coneys was campaigning at the polls on Tuesday, and was confident that he’d gotten his message out.
“It’s up to the voters at this point. People have to do their own research and come to their own conclusions,” Coneys said.
In the only other contested race on the ballot this year, incumbent Douglas Hoyt beat out challenger Michael Perrault for cemetery trustee, in a 568-286 vote.
Voters passed the entirety of the warrant this year, with the town budget being the closest vote of the day.
The budget was proposed at $5.35 million, with the default should the budget have failed being $5.08 million. Ultimately, voters were in support of the proposed budget, with 552 votes in favor, but it was the closest vote of any of the town articles, with 418 against.
Other votes passed with wider margins.
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Voters were strongly in favor of completing the fifth and final payment on a least of a fire-rescue vehicle. After the final payment, the town will own the vehicle. Voters approved the $55,011 expense in a 875-106 vote. Also related to the Fire Department, the town approved a $45,000 use of the unassigned fund balance for the Fire Department equipment capital reserve, in a 778-202 vote.
The remainder of articles related to additions to the town’s capital reserve funds. All were approved.
Voters approved the use of unassigned fund balance for $50,000 for the Highway Department capital reserve, with a further $50,000 to come from taxation. Also to come from the unassigned fund balance, and representing the exact amount received in a state grant for use on bridges, was $137,534 for the bridge maintenance reserve.
Capital reserve additions that are expected to come from taxes include $55,000 for the revaluation fund, $50,000 for the building maintenance fund, $15,000 for Ingalls Memorial Library capital reserve and $25,000 for the recreation facilities fund.
The town also approved the creation of a new capital reserve account for the purpose of raising funds for police vehicles and equipment, and to add $10,000 to start the account.
Voters approved a total of eight zoning amendments at the polls on Tuesday, by comfortable margins.
Amendments include adding language to explicitly allow accessory dwelling units (ADU) to be subsequently added to planned unit residential development units (PURD) without the ADUs being restricted by the density limits of PURDS outlined in the zoning ordinance. It passed 585-326.
Also to do with ADUs, another amendment proposed that the ordinance be amended to allow them on any legal, non-conforming single-family residential use property in other zoning districts. It also passed, 560-335.
Residents also approved adding language to the ordinance regarding the rental of all or a portion of single-family dwellings, to add “provided that there is adequate on-premises, off-street parking for vehicles of all renters/tenants and guests.” It passed 765-197.
Voters approved updating definitions of mobile homes to include “manufactured homes” and adjusting the boundary between the business-light industry district and residential agriculture district on the south side of Route 119, and adding a chart to the section of the ordinance relating to sign sizes allowed.
Ashley Saari can be reached at 603-924-7172, Ext. 244, or asaari@ledgertranscript.com. She’s on X @AshleySaariMLT.