LENOX, Mass. — Town meeting rejected an affordable housing plan last week but easily elected the chairman of the Affordable Housing Trust, MaryBeth Frazier Mitts, to a three-year term on the Board of Selectmen on Monday night. 

 

Mitts garnered 462 votes against Max Scherff's 114 and Michael Feder's 78 to win the seat being vacated by three-term Selectman Kenneth Fowler. Mitts has also served on the School Committee. 

 

On May 2, town meeting had rejected a proposal to convey the so-called six-acre Sawmill Brook land to develop into 41 affordable and nine-market rate apartments. The land would have served as the town's matching funds to qualify for tax credits. It failed to garner the two-thirds majority needed by 73 votes. 

 

The selectman's seat was the only race on the ballot. Elected unopposed were John J. McNinch as moderator, Dianne Romeo to a three-year term on the Board of Health; Thomas Romeo to a three-year term as assessor; Robert Vaughan to a three-year term on the School Committee; and James Harwood to a five-year term on the Planning Board. 

 

The turnout for Monday's election was 18 percent, with 657 of 3,631 registered voters casting ballots. 

 

Last week's town meeting did pass a zoning bylaw to allow adult marijuana business as a non-unanimous voice vote that met the two-thirds required votes and a marijuana sales tax that passed by unanimous voice vote. A citizens' petition to prohibit recreational marijuana failed on a voice vote and two other articles were tabled by the petitioner. 

 

Town meeting saw 618 of 3,628 registered voters in attendance, or 17 percent.