Should Sewer Referendum Get New Vote?

The Town Council is considering whether to add a referendum question on the sanitary sewer project to the upcoming budget vote or at another time. The question, whether to appropriate $2.5 million for a low-pressure sanitary sewer main that would serve 95 properties on Wood Pond Road, Woodruff Road, Shady Lane, Blue Ridge Drive and Ridgeview Drive, was narrowly defeated Nov. 8.

But of the 28 percent of registered voters who cast a ballot in the municipal election, more people left the question blank than voted for or against it. Many voters coming from the polls reported not even seeing the question.

Nancy Nickerson raised the issue and asked if the council could consider the project again.

"People are not used to seeing something like this when they're voting on an election," said Town Manager Kathy Eagen Tuesday as the Town Council was discussing the issue.

John Vibert said the ballot, which placed the question above the rows of candidates, was poorly designed.

According to the Secretary of the State's office, 4,779 voters participated in the Nov. 8 election in Farmington. The results of the referendum question were 1,435 in favor of the projecct and 1,611 against.