Ossipee – March 12, 2008 – Former three-term selectman Harry Merrow outpolled two other candidates by a wide margin Tuesday in a race to fill the seat of longtime selectman Joseph Skehan, who died in February. Merrow, who was selectmen until 2007, received 318 votes to Bruce Cochrane’s 153 and Sandra “Sam” Martin’s 92.

In a crowded race for a three-year seat on the planning board, sitting board chairman Bruce Parsons fell to William Grover by 68 votes. In a surprisingly hot race, library trustee Elizabeth Rouner beat back a stiff challenge from Nancy Curtiss, winning by only 24 votes. Other contested races saw Donna Sargent beat Robert Morin 410 to 339 for a three-year term on the budget committee; and David Babson beat Jonathan Brown 374 to 331 for a three-year slot on the zoning board of adjustment. Roughly 900 of Ossipee’s 3,100 registered voters participated Tuesday.

In Freedom, Selectman Les Babb defeated challenger Arthur Battles 146 to 99 to earn another three-year term on the board. Voters also approved a new fire chief position at an annual cost of $46,000. Results in uncontested races included Donald Johnson winning a two-year term as moderator; Annette Babb winning a three-year term as tax collector; and Anne-Marie Sweeney Battles and Peter Schiller both winning three-year terms on the planning board.

Sue Brown and Anne Cunningham were elected to three-year terms as trustee of the town funds and library trustee, respectively. Patricia McCoy won an uncontested race for a six-year term on the supervisors of the checklist. Both zoning amendments on the town ballot passed easily.