GROTON — In Tuesday’s annual town election, voters decided to make a change by electing a new Select Board member, but opposed changes to the town seal.
Matthew Pisani edged out incumbent Joshua Degen in Tuesday’s by 1,057 votes to 1,005, according to the preliminary results. Degen had served Groton for nearly two decades as a member of the Select Board.
Pisani will serve a three-year term alongside the re-elected incumbent, John Reilly, who garnered 1,124 votes of his own. Newcomer Guy Alberghini was a distant fourth in the race, with just over 300 votes cast in his favor.
“It’s a great day for Groton,” Pisani said at The Groton Center on election day. Later, outside of the Groton-Dunstable Regional Middle School, Pisani’s wife, Carolyn Pisani, said it was “time for a change” and that her husband would “bring a new voice to the Select Board that is desperately needed.”
One anonymous voter said “it would be nice” to see Reilly return as a member of the Select Board. “(Reilly) has done an outstanding job — he’s fair and looks at both sides,” they said.
Another unnamed voter dubbed Reilly and Pisani “good people.”
Prior to the vote, Degen wished Groton the best of luck, regardless of the outcome.
“I just want what’s best for Groton,” Degen said. “And I sincerely hope that whichever candidates are elected take on the office with the seriousness required of it.”
Rosanna Casavecchia and Yasmeen Cheema were also elected to the Groton-Dunstable Regional School District School Committee. Both earned three-year terms as they edged out Petronella Guttromson by 1,224 and 1,156 votes, respectively, to Guttromson’s 726.
“I think there are a lot of opportunities, with (Cheema) and myself at the table,” Casavecchia said. “We — and I’m talking about Groton residents in general — don’t always have to agree, but if we just listen to each other, I think that would make a huge difference in the future of our students,” she said.
“I’m excited for Rose and Yasmeen,” said voter Natasha Huggins. “Just the chance to have more diverse voices on the school committee and in local politics, it’s a great place to start.”
Evan Thackaberry earned a one-year term as a member of the Board of Health in his race against John Truesdell Jr. Every other incumbent was re-elected to their respective positions on three-year terms.
Two races for the Park Commission, one three-year term and another one-year term, both lacked candidates. The preliminary results did not note if write-in candidates had received enough votes to take the open seats.
Question 1 also passed by a tally of 994 to 843. Now, the position of Town Clerk will be one that is appointed by the Select Board, rather than voted on during the town’s annual election.
Question 2, in regard to a potential change of the town seal, meanwhile, was struck down by 1,060 votes against to 963 in favor. The question was nonbinding but, if passed, would have advised the Select Board on the future of the seal and the proposed change that would have removed the words “Holy Bible.”
Despite the ballot measure, the Select Board could still attempt to change the seal in the future.
