Ryan wins election to Plainfield Select Board

Staff Report

Published: 05-20-2024 11:23 AM

PLAINFIELD — Voters elected Polly Ryan to the Select Board while postponing action on a proposed amendment to the Mohawk Trail Regional School District agreement at Town Meeting earlier this month.

Ryan received 89 votes against 72 for Ed Morann. The seat was left open by the departure of Hilary Weeks from the board.

In the town’s other contested election, Erik Burcroff was elected tree warden by 113 votes to 41 for Tim Crowningshield.

Others winning election were Claude Dupont, Board of Assessors; Steve Nartowicz, Board of Health; Sandra Morann, library trustees; and Brian Hawthorne, moderator.

Both ballot questions, seeking Proposition 2½ exemptions for two truck purchases, were approved by wide margins. Town Clerk Ruth Osgood reported voting by 162 out of the town electorate of 540.

Town Meeting voters disposed of business in a little over an hour, approving the $3.54 million budget and other funding questions unanimously. Voters also agreed to raise its local room occupancy tax from 4 to 6%, the maximum allowed under current law.

Voters took no action on Article 23, asking for voters to accept the reports of the town officers, boards and committees as printed in the town report, because of significant errors in this year’s town report.

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That article and the lengthy school district agreement will be taken up at a special Town Meeting in June.

— James Pentland