By Jonathan L'Ecuyer
Staff writer
May 07, 2008 09:07 am Rockport voters last night overwhelming supported a $2.7 million Proposition 21/2 debt exclusion, backed two incumbents for the town's School Committee, and chose Conservation Commission member Andrew Heinze and former state lawmaker Ellen Canavan as selectmen. In the selectmen's race, Heinze received 1,177 votes and Canavan 1,089 to beat out Open Space Committee leader Christopher Lewis for the two open seats. Heinze and Canavan will assume the selectman seats that had been held by Chairman Joseph Lisi and Roxanne Tieri — neither of whom sought re-election. Lewis was more than 200 votes out of the running, with 871. Earlier today, Canavan said the victory "took a while to sink in." "I was somewhat surprised because I've only been here for two years; most people hate to have someone new come along and tell them the way they've been doing things is wrong," she said. "With those votes yesterday, (Heinze) and I got a mandate. People really do want to be able to trust their government, and they don't trust them right now." Heinze, yesterday's top vote-getter in each precinct, campaigned on a platform of bringing transparency back to local government. "My first thought was that the people agreed with what I stand for as far as open government, being fiscally responsible and trying to give the government back to the people; I think the results bear that out," Heinze said earlier today. "The people want a change in the way the government is run and to be treated with a little more respect than they're getting." Heinze said the "light turnout" — about 34 percent of registered voters cast ballots yesterday — indicated those who came out were people who have been in town for years and are fed up with the way things were going. Throughout the campaign, both candidates pledged to work toward revising the town administrator's job description. "The first thing I'll try to change is to amend the job description of the town administrator and take things out that shouldn't be in there, like the power to recommend appointing people to volunteer committees," Heinze said. "There are things in the job description that (Racicot) shouldn't have to do." Canavan also vowed to review the volunteer appointment process. Racicot looks forward to working with the new selectmen, who will be sworn into office by Town Clerk Fred Frithsen on Tuesday, May 13, at 6:45 p.m. "I've worked in municipal government since 1970 with mayors, selectmen, boards of aldermen and know change is inevitable," Racicot said. "I'll work with the new people and am looking forward to them actually seeing what transpires in government. I'm sure they will have good ideas as well." Canavan doesn't expect to see anything she hasn't seen before. "I'll be very surprised if anything transpires that I haven't seen somewhere before," she said. "I've been in this a long time, and though it's different issues in Rockport, the process and the bylaws are very clear; it's parliamentary process, and I've been working with that for many years." Lewis, the only selectmen candidate not to erect campaign signs around town, said he enjoyed the entire experience and is looking forward to continuing his work on the newly formed Open Space and Recreation Planning Committee. "It was wonderful, I had the time of my life," Lewis said today. "It was an incredible 10 weeks where I walked just about every street in Rockport, solidified relationships and made a lot of friends. I'm thrilled that 871 people felt good enough to support me, and I thank each of them for putting an 'x' next to my name." The debt exclusion — which will fund school roof repairs, continued school technology advancements and a new fire truck for Pigeon Cove, among other capital projects — passed by more than a 2-1 margin, polling 1,230 votes for approval compared to 509 against yesterday. Racicot was pleased voters saw fit to approve the debt exclusion. "I'm thrilled, absolutely thrilled," he said. Canavan did not vote on the debt exclusion but said she was not sorry to see it pass. "There are things to do and if that many people want to pay for them, then it should be done," she said. Heinze voted in favor of the debt exclusion, saying it would be better for the town to pay for the necessary capital projects now than to put off the work and risk paying double the costs later. In the race for School Committee, Chairman Brian Sullivan was the town's top vote-getter with 1,370 votes, and incumbent Melissa Tingley netted 1,304, easily turning back a challenge from Jonathan Ring, who drew 474. Attempts to contact Sullivan, Tingley and Ring were not returned today. For full coverage, candidates' reactions and more, look to tomorrow morning's print and online editions of the Gloucester Daily Times. Jonathan L'Ecuyer may be contacted at jlecuyer@gloucestertimes.com.
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