Politics & Government

Override Aftermath: Week In Review Of This Week's Election

Here's a look at the election coverage on Marblehead Patch this week.

This week's special election sent a clear message to Town Hall -- no more taxes. 

On Tuesday, residents voted no on all 10 ballot questions. The issues, which were approved by Town Meeting last month, had to be voted on in an election because they would exceed the state imposed limits of 2.5 percent increase over the previous year's tax levy.

Prior to the polls closing, exit polls showed residents were split on issues, such as rebuilding the Glover School and placing artificial turf on Sgt. Christopher Piper Field. 

Find out what's happening in Marbleheadwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Once the polls closed at 8 p.m. Tuesday, supporters of the ballot questions gathered at Abbot Hall. When the results were taped to the wall, the words "shock" and "depression" were frequently heard as voters voted against each ballot question.

In the aftermath of the no votes, one family struggled with what will come next for their home. Resident Jeff Dinsmore said he feels he is in "a jail" after the town voted against buying his contaminated land. The town will now have to come up with $3 million to clean the site.

Find out what's happening in Marbleheadwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The Glover School Building Committee also dealt with the question of "what now" this week. the GSBC said they would write a letter to the Massachusetts School Building Association, explaining why Tuesday's override failed and why voters might soon have a change of heart and support the $28.8 million project. The group will reorganize in the fall to get another override on the ballot.

On the issue of the Health Director Wayne Attridge said doing nothing is not an option and they are currently looking at scaled back ways to go forward.He is trying to determine what "downsized" options it has to cap the troubled landfill and keep the transfer station open.

While supporters will make sure some of the defeated programs will progress in some way despite the no vote, issues such as putting down artificial turf and realigning the Pleasant Street corridor have been temporarily tabled.

Chairman of the Board of Selectmen James Nye said drivers will have to take it upon themselves to make Pleasant Street a safer place. Supporters of the astro-turf field said they will, in the future, come up with a better plan to get turf on the field.


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