Haverty gains seat

Salem Editor — Wed, 14 Mar 2007 19:04:00 GMT

Three years ago, Bob Haverty finished in fourth place among six candidates who jockeyed for a pair of seats on Pelham’s board of selectmen.

This year, it was a different story.

Haverty was the top vote-getter among the five candidates who ran for the board this year.He grabbed 1,191 votes, finishing ahead of Hal Lynde, a 19-year veteran of the board who captured the second available seat with 1,158 votes.

“I am excited,” Haverty said after the vote was announced. “I think my message resonated well with voters, and it paid off for me.”

During the campaign, Haverty advocated controlling costs, making capital investments and enhancing communication between town officials and residents.

“I tried to go out and talk to people and explain what my platform is,” said Haverty, who serves as an alternate member of the zoning board of adjustment and on the capital improvement plan committee. “I think I put a lot of work into my campaign.”

He estimated that he rang about 250 doorbells and met about 300 people campaigning in front of the post office.

There were also fliers and e-mail messages promoting his candidacy.

About 33 percent of the town’s voters cast ballots at Pelham High School on Tuesday, March 13.

The other three candidates for selectmen were budget committee member Doug Viger, who received 1,067 votes.

He was followed by Aaron Fox (601) and Alfio Torrisi (350).

Jean-Guy Bergeron, the other selectmen whose seat was up for election this year, did not seek a third term.

This year’s ballot featured something new: elections for the planning board. Voters last year approved changing the board from a body whose members are appointed by selectmen to an elected board.

Peter McNamara and Puddy Culbert, who are already serving on the board, ran unopposed for a pair of three-year seats.

Winning one year seats on were Jason Croteau and Paul Dadak, an alternate member of the board, while Timothy Doherty and Roger Montbleau won two-year seats.

Three three-year seats were available on the budget committee. Elected were incumbents Joe Puddister and Greg Farris and former school board member Larry Hall.

They finished ahead of Pamela McCarthy and school district moderator Ken Dunne.

Puddister, a Merrimack College sophomore, put up signs, campaigned at the town dump and sent messages to friends seeking support. He joined the committee last year when he won a one-year term.

Leading up to this year’s vote, campaign signs declaring “Help Us Help You” asked voters to support several warrant articles for the fire department.

Daniel Farwell, one of several firefighters who held signs in front of PHS on Election Day, said firefighters distributed about 500 pamphlets, put up about 50 signs, and posted information on their Web site about the articles.

The results for them were mixed: Voters approved a $345,000 five-year lease agreement for a fire pumper truck and agreed to hire four firefighters/emergency medical technicians.

They rejected spending $45,071 for hire a deputy fire chief and they turned down a $7.3 million request for a new central fire station.

The bond article needed a 60 percent majority to pass but received only 47 percent of the vote.

Pelham News : elections

Haverty gains seat