Volume 29, Number 46
Friday, November 17, 2023
www.towntimes.com
WAVING GOODBYE TO THE SCARECROWS
New faces on BOS, same mission statement By Michael Savino Special to The Times
New faces will serve on the Durham Board of Selectman, but Republicans were able to maintain control after the Nov. 7 election. Regardless of the results, both parties said little will change in how the town is run. The town green in Durham may be scarecrow-free now, on Oct. 22 residents and businesses turned out for the Durham Recreation Department’s Scarecrow Building Contest. The annual event was postponed for one week due to rain, but by the time the contest was over, there were no shortage of displays to admire. The scarecrows were taken down by Nov. 10, so those who missed the show will have to wait until next year. Photos courtesy of Durham Recreation, Facebook
Incoming First Selectman Brendan Rae said he wants to focus on filling remaining
job openings and developing the Community Center, things the outgoing selectmen have been doing. And Democrats said they want to help accomplish those goals. “We feel like a lot of the issues that need to be addressed in town are not political,” Democratic Town Committee chairwoman Kristina Talbert-Slagle said, vowing See Durham, A6
Voters support Yamarino, GOP, reject charter revisions by Michael Savino Special to The Times
First Selectman Robert Yamarino was pleased with his election to another term to office during the Nov. 7 election. He was disappointed, though, that voters rejected a number of ballot changes, including making the town clerk and tax collector ap-
pointed positions. “With the level of professionalism required, we thought it was better to have them as appointees,” he said. Yamarino easily won re-election, beating out petitioning candidate Robert Bascom 872-422. He’ll be joined by returning Board of Selectmen members James Irish, See Middlefield, A5