Richard re-elected

 

Only 305 votes cast

 

By Jonathan Cook

Turley Publications Reporter

 

WEST BROOKFIELD – With turnout less than 15 percent of registered voters, incumbent Common Committee member Bob Richard was returned to his office, albeit an office with fewer responsibilities.

Richard earned 179 votes while challenger Jeremy MacLachlan got 101.

Richard emphasized his committee’s work on the common grounds, which turned out to be the only charge of the Common Committee after the Board of Selectmen took over authority of all events on the common last week.

That decision resulted from the Common Committee’s handling of a farmers’ market proposal in which the Common Committee erroneously sent the proposal to the zoning board for a special permit.

As for MacLachlan, the only reason he’d heard of the Common Committee was because of the farmers’ market controversy.

With that issue taken from the Common Committee’s hands, voters sent Richard back for another term.

In all other offices, there were no challengers and candidates on the ballot were voted in.