Voters came down heavily against increased spending at the ballots, rejecting a proposed $1.2 million track and field for the new high school and a $5 million bond to conserve farmland. The school district’s operating budget was also defeated.

Needing a 60 percent majority to pass, the track and field bond was soundly defeated, 1,654 to 1,538. Without the facility, the roughly 50 students in the incoming freshmen and sophomore classes who expressed interest in pursuing a track and field program will have to practice elsewhere.

The defeat of the district’s $40.5 million operating budget at the polls leaves school officials with $656,422 less than anticipated. Officials will be instead operating under the district’s $39.8 million default budget.

Voters also rejected an $800,000 proposal to hire architects and engineers to design school renovation and construction projects for the district’s Golden Brook Elementary School and Center School.

On the town ballot, voters overwhelmingly came down against a $5 million bond intendend to purchase and preserve the town’s remaining farm and agricultural land.

Two zoning amendments intended to increase commercial development in town, according to supporters, also failed to garner enough support from voters. Plans to rezone the stateowned land near the golf course on Range Road failed before voters while an effort to rezone Clarke Farm North was soundly defeated, 1,473 to 1,552.

A protest petition filed by opponents before town meeting day had required the Clarke Farm North proposal to receive a super majority in order to pass.

Incumbent Selectman Dennis Senibaldi (1,634) lost his seat in a narrow race for one of two seats up for grab on the board to newcomer Ross McLeod (1,779). Fellow selectman Roger Hohenberger (1,820) won his bid for re-election and led the three candidates in votes.

On the School Board, longtime member Barbara Coish (1,162) failed to win re-election, losing to challengers Ed Gallagher (1,587) and Jeff Bostic (1,453).

Another longtime incumbent, Town Clerk Joan Tuck (584) lost overwhelmingly to Nicole Merrill (2,230). Challenger Betty Dunn received 332 votes.