Blackmer Wins Seat On City Council
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| Chad Therrien votes at St. Anthony's Parish Center on Tuesday. |
"I was pleased with how well I did," said Blackmer on Tuesday night. "I'm really excited [about joining the council]."
Two years ago, Christopher Tremblay was the fiesty newcomer, beating out five other challengers to join the nine-seat City Council in his first run.
But Tremblay found himself on the outs as the numbers began to come in from the city's five wards Tuesday night. He polled 730 votes, knocking him to 10th place behind Blackmer's 795 and incumbent Clark Billings' 768.
"I didn't get enough votes," Tremblay said when asked why he lost. He added, "maybe I didn't bring my big spoon to stir the pot."
He won two years ago with 1,118 votes.
"I don't think I let my supporters down," a disappointed Tremblay said. He said he'd miss his fellow councilors and that they had been very complimentary of his work for the city. "It was a really great experience."
Richard Alcombright was again the top vote-getter, garnering 1,185 votes with Gailanne Cariddi not far behind with 1,147. The other five incumbents returned to their seats were Marie Harpin (1,039), Alan Marden (1,032), Michael Bloom (1,018), Robert R. Moulton Jr. (949) and Ronald A. Boucher (922).
The two other challengers, Eric Buddington and Howard D'Amico polled 499 and 422, respectively. It was a disappointing run for Buddington, who had won 831 votes in a larger field two years ago.
Mayor John Barrett III, running unopposed, was easily returned to office. He stopped by the city clerk's office, however, to make sure he hadn't been beaten by the "blanks."
He hadn't. Barrett won with 1,096 votes; the blank votes only came to 351. There were a number of write-ins for mayor, most with one vote each, although Cariddi and developer Michael Deep had five each and Alcombright, four.<L2>
Michael J. Hernandez and George A. Canales were re-elected to the McCann School Committee with 854 votes and 1,042 votes, respectively. There were 1,092 blanks.
All three incumbents were returned to the North Adams School Committee: Mary Lou Accetta (1,098), William Schrade Jr. (980) and Lawrence K. Taft (971).
Of the 8,570 registered voters, 1,497, or 18 percent, went to the polls. That was about half the number last year when 15 candidates were running for City Council. There were 2,950 blank votes.
City Clerk Mariyln Gomeau said the new voting machines worked perfectly and the election went very smoothly thanks to the poll workers.
"They were fabulous," she said. "The workers deserve all the credit because they did all the work."
Poll workers for Wards 2 and 5 at St. Anthony's Parish Center earlier in the day said voting had been slow but steady. Gomeau said some of the wards seemed to pick up a little later in the day.
A low turnout was expected because of a lack of a challenger for mayor and a very quiet City Council campaign.
Blackmer had begun campaigning in earnest only in the last couple weeks, partly because of illness in her family. She opened a campaign office on Main Street and spent hours standing out with signs and writing out election postcards.
She believed that had a lot to do with her victory. "I put myself out there, I worked hard."
"I'm really looking forward to working with the councilors," Blackmer said, adding that the mayor has a lot of projects coming forward. "I want to start by listening and learning ... and go from there."
But the first thing she's looking forward to is sleeping in today.
Tremblay said he still wants to serve the city and hasn't ruled out another run for office in the future.
"I'd like to serve on a committee or board," he said. "Maybe there'll be a spot for me."
