ASHFIELD — Steven Gougeon is Ashfield’s newest selectman, defeating his opponent by 14 votes. He was elected Saturday with 115 votes; Mary Link, who was also seeking the term vacated by Ron Coler, received 101 votes.
There were no other contests in the annual town election, and 219 voters (roughly 16 percent of the town’s 1,339 registered voters) came to the polls.
The following candidates were also elected to town offices.
One-year terms: Town Moderator Steward “Buz” Eisenberg and Tree Warden Thomas Poissant, both incumbents.
Three-year terms: Incumbent Amy Shapiro, Board of Assessors; Finance Committee member, Kyle Taylor; Board of Health, incumbent Carrie O’Gorman; Constable incumbent Warren Kirkpatrick; Parks Commissioner Helene Leue; incumbent Sewer Commissioner Nancy Hoff; and School Committee member Jennifer Markens.
Five-year terms: Jane Shaney, Planning Board; Library Trustee Caroline Murray, incumbent.
Voters on annual town meeting floor and at the polls gave the Selectboard authorization to borrow up to $200,000 for a new Highway Department dump truck through a debt exclusion. A debt exclusion temporarily allows the town to raise taxes above the 2½ percent tax levy limit to repay the debt. Then the tax hike goes away when the debt has been repaid.
The debt exclusion vote passed at the polls by a vote of 162-40.