HOULTON, Maine — The school reorganization plan, one of the biggest ballot issues facing Maine voters last week went over like a lead balloon in Houlton and much of Aroostook County, for that matter. Rural Maine sent Augusta’s heralded school consolidation down to defeat with a three to one booming thud.
What remains to be seen is where the various school systems go now, since they face less revenue and potential penalties if they do not agree on an alternate course of action. SAD 29 School Board Chairman Brian McGuire said: “I’m not surprised it was voted down and we’re looking for different partners and avenues to do what’s best for taxpayers and students.”
David Connerty-Marin, communications director for the Department of Education says voters have to look at what they are trying to say and whether it means no reorganization, ever, or if this was not the right plan.
State referendums, one on new beverage taxes and the other for a casino in Oxford County, went down in defeat with the help of Houlton residents who voted nearly two to one against them. But, the bond issue to support drinking water programs, did get voter approval in a close vote.
Elected officials
The massive and historic nationwide turnout of voters for the 2008 elections altered the balance of power in Washington, D.C. by shifting more slots to the Democrats with mixed results in Maine. Even though Presidential candidate John McCain beat the ultimate winner, Barack Obama, in Houlton, the blue state stayed firm in the Democrats’ column. In Houlton 2,826 voters cast their ballots.
Republican Susan Collins, who campaigned on bi-partisanship, coasted to an easy victory and held on to her seat in the Senate despite President-elect Barack Obama’s national coattails that failed to pull in her Democrat challenger, Congressman Tom Allen. In Houlton, Collins got more than three times the number of votes that Allen got and will start her third term with the new Congress.
Incumbent Congressman Michael H. Michaud, the Democrat, handily defeated retired professor John N. Frary, the Republican candidate, for a fourth term in the House. He got a better than two-to-one margin from Houlton voters.
In the District 34 race for State Senator, Republican Roger L. Sherman defeated Democrat Jacqueline A. Lundeen by 518 votes and will go back to Augusta for his second Senate term in a race that almost went to a runoff. And, Richard C. Cleary, the Democrat, got a nod for a second term in the State House, defeating Republican Mary DeAnne Rogan and Independent candidate Stanley L. Ginish. Houlton voters gave Cleary a wide majority of nearly two to one over his closest rival, Rogan. Ginish ran a distant third. In the District 9 race for Representative to the Legislature, Republican Henry L. Joy got more than twice the votes of Democrat challenger Robert A. Zabierek.
Houlton voters elected the following candidates:
Judge of Probate
Democrat James P. Dunleavy
Aroostook Finance Committee/District 1-Area 2
Ralph A. Ivey
Town Council
Brian A. Donnelly
Walter H. Goodrich (incumbent)
Susan M. Tortello (incumbent)
Director of Houlton Water Company
Galen N. Hogan
James F. McPartland
Director of SAD 29
Cynthia Hillman-Forbush
Lisa A. Harvey
Elizabeth O. Anderson
Board of Budget Review
Mitchell Holmes
Richard Kelley
James Pinard
Cary Library Board of Trustees
Leigh E. Cummings Jr.
Other area races:
Crystal/Selectman
Calvin White
Stacyville/Selectperson
David Pratt, Sr.
