BY STEVEN JUPITER
BRANDON—In one of the few contested Selectboard races in the area, two Brandon incumbents retained their seats while a relative newcomer managed to win a seat occupied by someone appointed after a resignation.
Incumbent Brian Coolidge fended off a challenge from Marielle Blais to retain his seat for another three-year term, 673 to 364. Incumbent and Board Chair Seth Hopkins kept his seat for another one-year term, with 716 votes. Both men have been on the Selectboard for many years. The newcomer to the board is Cecil Reniche-Smith, who is also a relative newcomer to Brandon itself, having moved here only a few years ago. She was able to take Ralph Ethier’s seat with 555 votes to his 456.
Ethier was appointed to his seat by the Selectboard in controversial proceedings after the resignation of Michael Markowski last year. Blais and Reniche-Smith had also applied for that vacancy.
“As always, I thank the voters for their support,” wrote Hopkins in a written statement to The Reporter. “I hope to deserve their trust and, by continuing to work even harder than before for the good of the whole town, perhaps to earn the support of those who did not vote for me this time. Elections are important occasions for choosing, but for the next 364 days we should all be working alongside each other as One Brandon.”
Reniche-Smith wrote, “I’m humbled and honored to have earned the trust and confidence of Brandon voters. I’m looking forward to working with the other members of the Selectboard and helping Brandon be the best it can be.”
Mr. Coolidge was unable to respond to our request for comment before press time.
The composition of the Selectboard may soon change again, however, since Mr. Hopkins has applied to be Brandon Town Manager, a post recently vacated by David Atherton, who now holds the same position in Pittsford. If Mr. Hopkins is ultimately hired by the Selectboard, he will leave a vacancy on the board that will be filled by an appointee chosen by the remaining members. There are several applicants for the town manager position and the deadline for applications is March 24, with a final decision not made for some weeks after.
Other winners at Brandon’s polls:
- Bill Moore won the one-year position of Town Moderator in a write-in vote.
- Sue Gage won re-election as Town Clerk and Town Treasurer, both three-year terms.
- Tanner Romano won re-election to a three-year term as a Trustee of Public Funds in a write-in vote.
- Jeff Haylon won a two-year term as a Trustee of the Brandon Free Public Library.
Voters also approved a town budget of $3,346,150, of which $2,737,260 will be raised by property taxes and the remainder by non-tax revenues. The vote on the budget was 724 to 372.
All appropriations on the ballot were approved, including $25,000 for the American Legion, $82,580 for the Brandon Area Rescue Squad, $92,000 for the Brandon Free Public Library, and $13,500 for the Brandon Senior Center.
There are 2,830 registered voters in Brandon. 1,117 voters submitted a ballot, either at the polls or by absentee ballot. A total of 825 absentee ballots were returned.
