Groveland Voters Back Fire Truck; O’Neil Takes Selectman Seat

Voters in the town of Groveland approve a $750,000 debt exclusion funding plan to purchase a new fire department ladder truck and deny one town official’s bid to hold a second office on the board of selectmen.

Groveland voters Monday rejected the second of two ballot questions in favor of a twenty-year debt exclusion borrowing plan, including principal and interest costs, “to cover the purchase of, up to, a $750,000 aerial/ladder truck.” According to an unofficial tally released Tuesday, question 1 passed by a 541 to 479 vote. An alternate financing plan, under question 2, would have imposed a one-time, “capital exclusion” assessment on real estate and personal property taxes at $0.90 per thousand dollars, or $450 based on a $500,000 valuation. The vote against that method was 606 to 411.

“Based on the current interest rates the impact would be approximately $.08 per thousand to the tax rate in the highest years and decrease over the twenty-year period. On a $500,000 home the impact would be approximately a $40 increase in the highest year, decreasing over the twenty years,” according to a statement explaining question 1.

In contested races for town office, Groveland Zoning Board of Appeals member Mark M. McCabe lost in his bid to gain a seat on the board of selectmen against challenger William G. O’Neil. The unofficial count was 597 for O’Neil to 475 for McCabe. The seat is being vacated by current Selectman Joseph R. D’Amore, who did not seek re-election. McCabe’s current term on the zoning board of appeals expires next year.

Also, incumbent Groveland Road Commissioner Robert P. Arakelian held a 65 vote margin to win a new three-year term against challenger William M. Daley. The unofficial vote was 586 to 521. And with five write-in votes, Town Moderator William H. Darke retained his seat on the board of assessors in a race without a declared candidate. Another write-in candidate, John Willette, received eight votes for a seat on the Groveland Water and Sewer Commission. Two vacant town seats without candidates, each on the board of health and planning board, remained unfilled.

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