GILL — The Selectboard will welcome Jenn Waldron as its newest member following her victory in Monday’s town election.
The election prompted participation from 250 of the town’s 1,313 registered voters, making for a 19% turnout, according to Town Clerk Doreen Stevens.
In the only contested race, Waldron, 55, won the three-year Selectboard seat with 171 votes, beating write-in candidate Daniel Flagg, who received 69 votes. She was sworn in on Tuesday.
Waldron said on Tuesday morning that she’s “honored” and “humbled” to have been elected. She said she plans to spend this early phase of her tenure hearing from residents who come before the board and settling into the new role.
Waldron comes to the Selectboard from serving on the Finance Committee. She previously served on the Gill-Montague Regional School District School Committee from 2009 to 2014.
Waldron said in advance of the election that she wants the Selectboard to use “active listening” to hear each resident’s thoughts and concerns, and she aspires to be a “true representative.” She was inspired to run after learning that Greg Snedeker would not seek reelection.
Waldron plans to resign from her Finance Committee position, saying she wants to dedicate her time to the Selectboard. She encouraged residents to offer their service to the committee, as her seat will open up alongside an existing vacancy.
Another important vote was whether to approve a debt exclusion for a new Gill Elementary School roof, which passed with 187 “yes” votes and 42 opposed.
With voter approval both at the May 4 Annual Town Meeting and at the ballot box, the town is authorized to borrow its $830,716 portion of the $3.7 million school roof and Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) infrastructure upgrade project. The Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) will reimburse more than half of the eligible costs.
The remaining positions were all uncontested. Those included:
- Board of Assessors, three-year term — Alexander Buedinger, 202 votes.
- Cemetery Commission, three-year term — Fred O. Chase III, 222 votes.
- Constable, three positions with three-year terms — Alexander Buedinger, 183 votes, Craig D. Gaudry, 195 votes, and Fred O. Chase III, 194 votes.
- Library trustee, three-year term — Megan Bathory-Peeler, 228 votes.
- Board of Health, three-year term — Charles Garbiel II, 218 votes.
- Tree warden, three-year term — Joseph Williams, 223 votes.
Noavakay Knight, a write-in candidate, successfully secured a one-year term on the Board of Assessors with 33 votes.
Winners for seats on the Gill-Montague Regional School District School Committee will be released following Montague’s May 19 town election.
