Recounts for treasurer, cemetery commission
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TIMES ARGUS STAFF - Published: March 11, 2010
WILLIAMSTOWN – Two candidates who each narrowly lost closely contested races on Town Meeting Day have asked that the ballots be counted again.
They will be tonight, according to Town Clerk Debbie Palmer, who said members of the town’s board of civil authority will gather at 6 p.m. in Town Hall to verify the results of two of last week’s elections.
According to Palmer, Conrad Beattie was the first to request a recount after losing his seat on the cemetery commission to Paul Zeller by just four votes.
According to the Town Meeting Day tally, Zeller edged out Beattie, 219-215, ousting the incumbent from his seat on the cemetery commission.
After weighing his options, Palmer said Beattie decided to exercise his right to request a recount – a decision that prompted Monique Hayden to follow suit.
Hayden came up 22 votes short in her bid to unseat Town Treasurer Bob Cleaves – losing the race 231-209. According to Palmer, Hayden probably wouldn’t have asked the board to double-check the results in her race, if Beattie hadn’t asked for a recount in his.
“I guess she (Hayden) thought because we were doing it anyway we might as well check both (races), she said.
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