Seekonk Election Results – Voters Elect Parker and Viera for Selectmen

Voters at the Seekonk town election on Monday, April 6 re-elected Dave Parker and chose former selectmen David Viera over incumbent Gary Sagar for two seats on the board of selectmen. Turnout for the election was 13.7%, or 1,288 of the 9,397 registered voters. 

In the selectmen’s race, Parker received 700 votes, Viera: 696, Sagar: 535 and Jeffrey Mararian: 330.

Parker said he was pleased that he would have the opportunity to serve the town for a third term.
“I’m happy. I’m looking forward to working with this board. I think it’s going to be a good board. I think we’re going to make a lot of progress,” Parker said.

Viera said he was also happy with the outcome. He said he knocked on a lot of doors and talked to a lot of people and it proves “if you work hard, you get what you ask for.” “I’m going to do what’s in the best interest of the town, not individuals,” Viera said.

In other races, there was also a contested race for a one-year seat on the Seekonk school committee and newcomer Sona Schiller defeated former school committee member and former selectman Robert McLintock. The vote was 798 to 426.

There were also two three-year seats available on the school committee, but the races were uncontested. Candidates were Raymond Grant, former athletic director at the high school and John Dietel, who was appointed last year to fill a vacancy.

Voters also approved a ballot question on a revision to the town charter giving the town administrator more input in the hiring of department heads and in appointments to boards and commissions. The vote was 591 to 488 on the charter change. The charter revision still needs to be approved by voters at the spring town meeting. Voters at last fall’s town meeting rejected a similar amendment to the charter.

The other candidates, who all ran unopposed, were as follows:

• Michael Bourque and Sandra Foulkes for two 5-year seats on the planning board.
• Paul Buckley for a 3-year seat on the board of assessors.
• Sharon Connors for one of two 3-year seats on the library board of trustees. Katherine Lussier was a write-in candidate for the other seat.
• Robert T. Fuller for a 3-year seat on the water commission.
• Christopher Zorra was a write-in candidate for a 5-year seat on the housing authority.