Orleans Voters Pass Fire Station Funding

ORLEANS – Voters at Tuesday’s annual town election authorized a debt exclusion of up to $55 million to build a new fire station on Eldredge Park Way.

 Voters OK'd Question 1 on the ballot 1,058-713, according to preliminary results released Tuesday night after polls closed. The vote comes a week after voters approved the debt exclusion for the proposed 39,000-square-foot station at the May 11 annual town meeting.

 Three other ballot questions also passed with voters Tuesday. Question 2, which sought to create and hire for the position of assistant council on aging director, passed 1,287-478. The creation of the position is already listed in the town’s operating budget for the coming fiscal year.

 Question 3 sought a $2.7 million override to fund the preliminary design of the fourth phase of town sewering in the area of Meetinghouse Pond. Voters passed that measure 1,247-511. Voters also passed Question 4, which sought a separate override to cover the $40.5 million cost of construction for the third phase of sewering in the areas of Lonnie’s Pond, Areys Pond, Crystal Lake and Pilgrim Lake, 1,294-466. Voters first approved the override at last year’s annual town meeting.

 There were no contested races in this year’s election. Mary Wright garnered 1,355 votes in her bid to join the select board. She’ll take the seat vacated by Andrea Reed, who opted against seeking re-election to a third term. Mefford Runyon earned 1,244 votes en route to his fourth three-year term on the board.

 Sims McGrath was re-elected to the board of health with 1,328 votes. John Kanaga similarly ran uncontested for re-election to the board, netting 1,229 votes.

 Judith Schumacher (1,336 votes) was unchallenged in her re-election bid to the Nauset regional school committee. On the Orleans Elementary School committee, Sasandra Roche won re-election to a new term with 1,336 votes. Newcomer Ron Collins received 1,233 uncontested votes to secure his first term on the board.

 Lindsay Goodman was re-elected to the Snow Library board of trustees with 1,287 votes. Nora Johnsmeyer also was unchallenged in her bid to join the board, earning 1,246 votes.

 Kevin Higgins was uncontested in his bid for re-election as town constable. He earned 1,463 votes. A second two-year constable term did not field any candidates, nor did a five-year term on the Orleans Housing Authority. 

 Voter turnout at Tuesday’s election was 31 percent, according to preliminary numbers posted by the town clerk’s office.