Community Corner
Oak Bluffs Ousts Incumbent Selectmen
Mike Santoro and Walter Vail have been elected to the town's five-member board of selectmen.
If it was change voters were looking for, it’s change they got: Voters ousted two-term incumbents Duncan Ross and Ron DiOrio in favor of newcomers Mike Santoro and Walter Vail for positions on the Oak Bluffs Board of Selectmen.
Santoro, managing partner of Season’s Eatery & Pub on Circuit Avenue, handily topped the ballot with 704 votes cast. Retired Merrill Lynch vice president and former mortgage company owner Walter Vail trailed close behind with 652 votes.
Selectmen chairman Ross, a former town moderator and longtime Martha's Vineyard Regional High School teacher, received 385 votes. DiOrio, chairman of the Oak Bluffs affordable housing committee, received 264 votes. Seiman, a former health care facilities executive, received 88.
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The contest, perhaps the most fiercely of any on the Island this political season, was to many a referendum on the resort town’s ongoing financial woes.
Santoro and Vail will join Gail Barmakian, Gregory Coogan and Kathleen Burton on the five-member board.
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Though Seiman lost his bid for selectman, he successfully secured a spot on the town’s finance and advisory committee after staging dual campaigns. Seiman secured 547 votes in that contest, tied with commercial fisherman William Alwardt. Maura McGroarty received 721 votes. All are new to the finance committee. Joseph Alosso, facilities manager for the Edgartown wastewater department, narrowly lost his bid with 547 votes.
In other races, incumbent Erik Albert narrowly retained his seat on the planning board with 479 votes to challenger Kris Chvatal’s 457. Wastewater commission incumbent Gail Barmakian, also a selectman, topped challenger Mark Wallace with 745 to Wallace’s 368 votes.
Ttown clerk Deborah Ratcliff, board of health member Patricia Bergeron, school committee member Priscilla Sylvia and water district commission member Raymond Moreis Jr. all ran for reelection unopposed.
Newly elected town moderator Jesse Law III, cemetery commission member John Victor Tiernan and park commission member Amy Billings also ran unopposed.
Voter turnout was strong, with 1,163 votes cast.
A full tally of the preliminary results, announced shortly after the close of voting, can be seen below. The numbers do not reflect write-in votes.
MODERATOR
Jesse Law III: 894
BOARD OF SELECTMEN
Michael Santoro: 704
Walter Vail: 652
Duncan Ross (incumbent): 385
Ronald DiOrio (incumbent): 264
Abraham Seiman: 88
TOWN CLERK
Deborah Ratcliff (incumbent): 928
BOARD OF HEALTH
Patricia Bergeron (incumbent): 953
CEMETERY COMMISSION
John Victor Tiernan: 778
PARK COMMISSION
Amy Billings: 901
PLANNING BOARD
Erik Albert (incumbent): 479
Kris Chvatal: 457
SCHOOL COMMITTEE
Priscilla Sylvia (incumbent): 877
FINANCE & ADVISORY COMMITTEE
Maura McGroarty: 721
William Alwardt: 579
Abraham Seiman: 579
Joseph Alosso: 547
WASTEWATER COMMISSION
Gail Barmakian (incumbent): 745
Mark Wallace: 368
WATER DISTRICT COMMISSION
Raymond Moreis Jr. (incumbent): 891
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