WELLFLEET — Incumbent Michael DeVasto and newcomer Barbara Carboni were elected to three-year terms on the select board in Monday’s annual town election.
Just over 25 percent, 763, of the town’s 3,019 registered voters cast ballots between noon and 7 p.m. at the Adult Community Center.
The only candidate whose name was on the ballot for the two select board seats to be filled was DeVasto, who received the highest number of votes, though only by a slim margin of 529 to 521 for Carboni, according to unofficial results released by Town Clerk Jennifer Congel on Monday night. The second select board slot went to Carboni, a land-use lawyer, as a write-in candidate.
Write-in candidate Timothy Sayre trailed far behind with 194 votes.
Last week, what had been a three-way race for the two select board seats became a four-way race when Brad Morse announced his candidacy during an April 27 candidates night. Morse received 51 votes.
“I’m humbled by the support I received from the residents of Wellfleet to serve a second term,” DeVasto said in a statement to the Independent Tuesday morning. “The last two years, I’ve worked tirelessly with the board and interim Town Administrator Charles Sumner to bring stability to town hall, get the accounting issues resolved, and make meaningful strides to address the housing crisis. I’m confident that by town meeting we will have a clean audit, certification from the Dept. of Revenue, and we can put the accounting issues in the rear-view mirror.”
Carboni will become the newest select board member, replacing Janet Reinhart, who declined to seek re-election. Carboni said she will prioritize the current board’s objectives, which include the upcoming town meeting and the purchase of Maurice’s Campground.
Carboni serves as Truro’s town planner and land-use counsel. “I can do the work of a selectman in the same way that many other people who serve on a select board have full-time jobs,” she told the Independent.
Jim McAuliffe, who serves on the Wellfleet Commission on Disabilities, said he felt strongly that Carboni was a good candidate because of her legal background and because she is well acquainted with disability rights issues.
Local plumber Steve Pechonis said he came to the polls because it’s his civil duty. “You want the town to be run correctly,” he said outside the polls, “to know where money is being spent, instead of spending more money than we got. DeVasto is a local and I think he’ll continue to do a good job. I also think Sayre would be new blood on the board who would keep people sharp.”
Voter turnout dropped by 5 percent from a year ago, when 922 voters cast ballots in the annual town election.
The remaining two years of Helen Miranda Wilson’s term on the select board will be held on June 21. Wilson has announced that she will resign following the annual town meeting on June 11.
Nomination papers for candidates to appear on the June 21 ballot were due at 5 p.m. on Tuesday. Tim Sayre said he expected to be on the ballot.
If elected, Sayre said, his priority will be ensuring the town’s fiscal responsibility “and that we look at what we can do about housing.”
DeVasto said he is looking forward to working with new Town Administrator Rich Waldo “to put our budget on a solid foundation and restore trust in local government. We are planting the seeds for a brighter future, and I’m optimistic that Wellfleet will be in a much better position than it was when I got on the board in 2019,” he said.
The select board seats were the only contested races in Monday’s election.
Daniel Silverman was re-elected moderator for another year. Joan Levine Zukas was elected to a three-year term on the Elementary School Committee, Dian K. Reynolds will serve as a library trustee, Bonnie Robicheau will continue on the cemetery commission, and Michael Parlante and Richard Robicheau will serve as constables.