NEWPORT — The two mayoral candidates campaigned hard, venturing into the new age of web sites and blogs. But they ended their race in traditional fashion, standing outside the Newport Municipal Building shaking hands and asking for votes.
And at the end of the day Paul Monette edged Tim de la Bruere to become Newport’s next mayor. Mr. Monette had 334 votes to Mr. de la Bruere’s 294. A total of 638 voters cast ballots on Town Meeting Day, about 20 percent of the 3,160 on the Newport checklist. Newport City Clerk Jim Johnson said that number is about average for a mayoral election.
Mr. Monette said his first priority is making city government more transparent. He said he would like to arrange to have council meetings taped for broadcast on the local public access television station.
“I feel there’s a little bit of a disconnect,” Mr. Monette said.
He also said he needs to focus quickly on the visit of American Institute of Architects (AIA) Regional/Urban Design Assistance Team (RUDAT), which is scheduled to take place in two weeks.
The architects will meet with groups of Newport residents during their visit and look over the city. At the end of their time in Newport they will produce a report suggesting possible improvements in the city.
Mr. Monette says he wants to pursue the long- and short-term recommendations of the AIA team, and to encourage economic development in general.
Mr. Monette gave up his seat on the City Council to make the mayoral run. Mr. de la Bruere’s council term has two years to run. Three candidates vied for two positions on the council: incumbent Richard Baraw, Denis Chenette and Judy Sawyer.
Mr. Baraw will remain on the council, having garnered 504 votes. Mr. Chenette, with 406 votes, will also take a seat on the council. Ms. Sawyer received 223 votes.
Mr. Chenette is a veteran of city government. He retired in 2007 after serving 25 years on the zoning board. Mr. Chenette expressed some surprise at his own run. “I think I’m a glutton for punishment,” he said.
Another familiar face won a one-year term on the North Country Union High School board. Richard Cartee squeaked by newcomer James Proctor 302-297 in the race to complete the term vacated when Mr. de la Bruere resigned from the North Country board.
City voters gave Marie George, who ran unopposed, a three-year term on the North Country board. Corinna Lancaster and Cara Roberts were elected without opposition to terms as city school board members.
All of the articles on the ballot were approved by wide margins. A city budget of $2.75-million was approved by a two-to-one margin. Voters agreed to provide $4.64-million to the city school, with 359 favoring the measure and 257 opposing it.
A $7,000 appropriation for the Area Agency on Aging won by the widest margin, 536-95, while the Orleans County Court Diversion program received its $400 by the narrowest margin, 297-224.
Towns 
