Potash Wins Seat On Chatham Select Board

 CHATHAM – Topping a four-candidate field, Randi Potash won a three-year term on the select board in Thursday’s annual town election.

 Based on preliminary results released by Town Clerk Julie Smith Thursday evening, Potash led polling with 767 votes, well ahead of candidates Carol Gordon, with 519 votes, Brian Phillips with 210 votes, and Meredith Fry with 177. 

Turnout was about average for a town election, with 1,680 voters, or 28 percent of those registered, casting ballots at the community center.

 Potash, currently vice chair of the zoning board of appeals, previously served on the Barnstable County Assembly of Delegates as Chatham’s elected representative. An attorney and trained mediator, she will fill the seat left vacant after Shareen Davis decided not to seek re-election.

 Although there were two Chatham open seats on the Monomoy Regional School Committee, only one candidate, Heather Morgan, had taken out nomination papers. She was elected with 1,223 votes. Write-in candidate Lucia Luce Quinn earned 195 votes and will fill the second three-year term.

 Housing authority incumbent Shirley Smith was unchallenged and won re-election with 1,254 votes

 Voters also approved two debt exemption ballot questions. Question 1 sought $2 million to replace the bulkhead at the Barn Hill town landing and was approved 1,273 to 318. The second question sought $3.5 million to replace the bulkhead and floats at the Ryder’s Cove town landing. It passed 1,286 to 307. Both questions were overwhelmingly approved at Monday’s annual town meeting.

 The select board was scheduled to meet Friday morning to swear in its newest member and reorganize.