FALMOUTH — Challenger Fred Chase unseated incumbent Town Council Vice Chairman Joe Wrobleski and incumbent council Chairman Will Armitage retained his seat in Tuesday’s municipal election.
Town Clerk Ellen Planer said unofficial results showed Chase was the top vote-getter, with 789; Armitage was right at his heels, with 783. Wrobleski finished third with 630 votes and Mark Soule received 341 votes in the four-way race.
Voters approved the $24.9 million school budget in the validation referendum by a vote of 1,063 to 286. The budget reflects a decrease of more than $184,000, or 0.73 percent. And, in the uncontested race for School Board, Rachel Reed received 991 votes; Andrew Kinley, 959 votes.
When he heard the results, Chase said he was “a little bit overwhelmed.”
“I didn’t think I’d be the top vote getter,” he said. “It was a lot of fun; I talked to a lot of good people.”
Chase said he began to sense around noon as he talked to people that their voting “was a conservative reaction,” adding that he thought the town was ready for someone like him.
“At one time, I was the youngest member of the council; now I’m the oldest,” he said.
While Armitage said he was pleased voters had re-elected him, he said he was “a little shocked” because he expected the margin between all candidates to be closer.
“As we watched the voters come in and talk, I felt it was going to be a close tally,” he said. “I want to say thank you to everyone, thank you to Mark, Joe and Fred and congratulations to Fred. I’m looking forward to the next three years.”
Acknowledging it was a “tough race,” Wrobleski said voters had four good candidates to choose from.
“I wish Fred and Will well and the rest of the council well,” he said. “I’ve enjoyed my last three years.”
Soule said he was pleased that about 1,400 residents came out to vote, although he would have liked to have seen even more.
“All four candidates are good people,” he said.
When asked if he would run again, he said, “I’m pretty sure I’m going to run next year.”
Peggy Roberts can be reached at 781-3661 ext. 125 or proberts@theforecaster.net.
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