Recount Set for Monday in Tight Deep River Town Clerk Race
By Charles Stannard
DEEP RIVER— A recount is set for Monday in a close race for town clerk where Republican Amy Winchell led Democrat Nancy Talbot by two votes, 702-700, in the result from Tuesday’s election. The recount will be held at 10 a.m. at the Deep River Public Library polling place.
The apparent town clerk result, and another victory for a Region 4 Board of Education seat, were bright spots for town Republicans in an election where Democratic First Selectman Richard Smith was unopposed for a record 11th term, and Democrats won most other contest races on the ballot.
Talbot, who currently works as the town’s park and recreation director/building department clerk, had won the Democratic nomination in a September 15 primary over Stella Beaudoin. Talbot had been the unanimous pick of the Deep River Democratic Town Committee to replace Democratic Town Clerk Jeanne Nickse, who is retiring after holding the office since 1993.
Smith received 1,088 votes Tuesday. Democrat Arthur Thompson, ther current tax collector, with 716 votes, and Republican David Oliveria, with 401 votes, were elected to the board of selectmen. Oliveria outpolled incumbent Selectman Russell Marth, an unaffiliated voter who ran on the Deep River Independent Party line. Marth, who received 313 votes, was elected in 2007 after town Republicans did not nominate candidates for first selectman or board of selectmen.
Democrat Lisa Bibbiani was elected tax collector over Republican John Townsend on an 873-521 vote. Thompson has served as tax collector since 1993. Republican Town Treasurer Thomas Lindner was returned for a new term, defeating Democratic challenger John Dickson Jr. on a 996-421 vote.
In the Region 4 contest, Republican Laurie Ann Tomlinson, who served previously on the board in the late 1990s, defeated Democrat Patricia Conwell on a 707-628 vote. Conwell had been appointed to the regional school board last spring to fill a vacancy.
Incumbent Democrats George Eckenroth and Richard Balducci were re-elected to new terms on the board of finance, with Democrat Nichole Coutant winning a two-year vacancy term on the finance board over Republican Joyce Metz on a 702-634 vote.
Democrat Leigh Ann Balducci was elected to a full term on the board of assessment appeals, defeating Republican Darlene Pollock on a 692-644 vote. Democrat Mark Reyher was uncontested for a four-year vacancy term on the board of assessment appeals.
All four candidates for the Deep River Board of Education will be seated on the board, including Democrats Elizabeth Tracy and Arthur Robbins, and Rpublicans Mark Malcarne and Karen Nelson-Oliveria. Democrats Alice Proctor, James Davis and Mary Maraschiello were elected as library trustees, with Republican Rolf Peterson elected to a two-year vacancy term as a library trustee.
