PARIS — Residents elected Robert Kirchherr and Ryan Lorrain to the Board of Selectmen by strong majorities Tuesday. Kirchherr got 176 votes; Lorrain 148.
They succeed Raymond Glover and Lloyd “Skip” Herrick who did not seek re-election.
Other selectmen candidates were: ATV Club trailmaster John Goodwin who received 64 votes, and business owner and former Budget Committee member Charles “Tom” Hurd who received 62, according to Paris Town Clerk Elizabeth Knox.
Kirchherr and Lorrain ran in elections last fall. Kirchherr ran unsuccessfully for the Oxford County Commission against Caldwell Jackson of Oxford and Lorrain narrowly lost a race for Maine House District 94 to Rep. Terry Hayes of Buckfield.
“I look forward for the opportunity to serve,” Kirchherr said. The former educator has been a member of the Planning Board for about four years and the board’s chair for three.
“I think it’s a great opportunity to serve the citizens. I’m glad they gave me the opportunity to do that.” He said he’s looking forward to working with the board.
Those other selectmen are Ted Kurtz, Jean Smart, Ken West.
Lorrain, 23, said he’s happy about the outcome. He said he knocked on every door in Paris last fall when running against Rep. Hayes, so he was a familiar face. “Hopefully I made some pretty good impressions on people in town,” he said.
“Being on four committees, I was able to meet some of the most active people in the community,” he said Wednesday. Lorrain was a member of the Budget Committee, the Policy and Procedure Committee, the Land Use Study Committee and the Planning Board, where he worked with Kirchherr.
Lorrain praised Kirchherr and said he’s looking forward to working with him again. “Being on the Planning Board with him I realize he is a bundle of knowledge.”
In other election day results, all four ordinances passed. A new ordinance on medical marijuana dispensaries passed 143-105.
In July 2010, the town voted to place a moratorium on development of a medical marijuana dispensary after the state voted to legalize medicinal marijuana use. The new ordinance has strong regulations on the security of a new dispensary.
Residents approved an amended Curfew Ordinance 173-57. The Sign Ordinance passed 173 to 55 and the revised Site Plan Ordinance, which complies with new state regulations, passed 194-22.
Candidates for the Paris Utility District and the SAD 17 Board of Directors ran uncontested. On the Paris Utility District Board of Trustees, Mark Bancroft and Raymond Lussier Jr. were re-elected by 221 and 188 votes, respectively.
On the SAD 17 board, Henry Raymond received 196 votes and George Coffren Jr. received 190 so they will keep their seats.
Knox said the counting took until about 11 p.m. Tuesday due to the high number of voters. She said said 219 residents went to the polls and another 23 cast absentee ballots for a total of 242.
The town meeting will re-convene Saturday at 10 a.m. at the Paris Fire Station, where residents will have a chance to vote on the town meeting warrant.
treaves@sunjournal.com
Paris Board of Selectmen
Robert Kirchherr: 176
Ryan Lorrain: 148
John Goodwin: 64
Charles “Tom” Hurd: 62
Paris Utility District
Mark Bancroft: 221
Raymond Lussier Jr.: 188
SAD 17 Board of Directors
George Coffren Jr.: 190
Henry Raymond : 196
Curfew ordinance
Yes: 173
No: 57
Medical marijuana dispensary ordinance
Yes: 134
No: 105
Sign ordinance
Yes: 173
No: 55
Site Plan ordinance
Yes: 194
No: 22
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