Results: Sunapee elects town and school officers in contested races

SUNAPEE — In ballot voting on Tuesday, David S. Andrews, 397 votes, won a three-year term on the Selectboard over challengers Patrick Fine and Cindy Spear, 220 and 212 votes, respectively.

On the school side, voters elected Edward Andersen and Amanda Spears to three-year terms on the School Board. Spears was the top vote-getter with 678 votes, while Andersen earned 622 and their opponent Peter Hoekstra had 280.

Voters narrowly rejected a $60,000 appropriation for the Highway Garage Infrastructure Improvements Capital Reserve Fund, 466-461. They also rejected $294,000 for the Fire Apparatus and Equipment Capital Reserve Fund, 428-502.

Voters supported other spending, however, including a municipal general fund budget of $11.3 million, 527-408.

Voters approved a town zoning ordinance amendment limiting residential parking to one space per unit for one and two-family dwellings.

Voters also approved an appropriation of $1.3 million to construct a solar array at the Sunapee Wastewater Treatment Facility. 

They supported an appropriation of $65,000 to hire a full-time fire chief and cover nine months of employment, with the full annual amount of $166,000 included in future operating costs.

They also approved an appropriation of $41,000 to hire a full-time police officer. The sum covers five months of employment, with the full annual salary of $108,000 to be included in future operating costs. 

Voters also approved appropriating $200,000 toward the Highway and Transfer Station Equipment Capital Reserve Fund and $150,000 toward the Town Road Bridges Capital Reserve Fund. 

On the school side, voters approved a school budget of $15.72 million, 573-367.

They also approved an open enrollment program that would allow admittance of non-resident students to Sunapee Middle High School, but would not allow resident students to enroll in open enrollment programs outside the district.

Of the 3,100 voters on the town’s checklist, 960 cast ballots Tuesday for a turnout rate of 31%.

CORRECTION: Sunapee voters rejected $294,000 for the Fire Apparatus and Equipment Capital Reserve Fund, 428-502, in ballot voting on Tuesday. A previous version of this story included an incorrect outcome of this vote.