Grafton votes ‘no’ on school merger; Mack ousts Turner from Select Board, Pollio beats Hall for Lisle seat

By Shawn Cunningham
© 2017 Telegraph Publishing, LLC

The voters of Grafton voted overwhelmingly to nix the proposed merger that would create a Windham Northeast Unified School District.

As a “necessary” town, Grafton’s rejection of the plan defeats it, but it was not alone. According to a report in VTDigger, two other necessary towns – Athens and Westminster – also turned down the merger. The Grafton tally on the merger was 81 yes votes to 156 no.

All of the other articles on the ballot – including education budgets – passed by wide margins.

In the only contested races on the Grafton ballot, Joseph Pollio defeated Noralee Hall 135 to 109 for a three-year seat on the Select Board. That seat had been held by Skip Lisle, who decided not to run for re-election. Stan Mack took a two-year term from incumbent Select Board member John Turner, 140 to 103.

In addition to Pollio and Mack the following were voted into town offices running unopposed:

Moderator for one year – David Ross
Town Clerk for three years – Kim Record
Town Treasurer for three years – Kim Record
Delinquent Tax Collector for three years – Janice Atwood
Trustee of Public Funds for three years – Ronald Carey
Trustee Campbell, Woolson Funds for three years – Ronald Carey
Lister for three years – Hardy Merrill
Auditor for three years – Debe Plummer
Grand Juror for one year – Kent Armstrong
Town Agent for one year – Kim Record
Grafton Town School District Director for two years – Jack Bryar
Grafton Town School District Director for two years – vacant
Trustee of Public Library for two years – Andrea Dunmire
Trustee of Public Library for three years – Deborah Toomey
Trustee of Public Library for three years – Lucia Corwin