Recount confirms Caron 3-vote school win

A recount Wednesday reaffirmed Edward Caron’s victory over challenger Troy Palmer for a seat on the Springfield School Board.

www.rutlandherald.com    

Recount confirms Caron 3-vote school win Rutland Herald | March 16, 2017 By SUSAN SMALLHEER STAFF WRITER SPRINGFIELD — A recount Wednesday reaffirmed Edward Caron’s victory over challenger Troy Palmer for a seat on the Springfield School Board. Caron, 71, popped in briefly to watch the recount, but learned from Town Clerk Barbara Courchesne that the recount had resulted in no change from last Tuesday’s final tally in which Caron defeated Palmer by three votes. “ The results are confirmed, 568- 565 for Ed Caron,” Courchesne said after the recount, which was held at the Town Hall. “We got the same numbers as election night,” she said, noting that the Springfield Board of Civil Authority conducted the recount. “The snowstorm did not interrupt anything,” she said. “We had a specific time frame to conduct the recount and it had to be adhered to,” she said. The recount started at 9 a.m., and concluded at about 2 p.m., she said. Caron, despite the uncertainty about his narrow margin of victory, was re-elected chairman of the School Board last week. Courchesne said she had sworn him in last Wednesday, so the School Board could conduct its business at a special meeting on Thursday. Caron, who was elected to his second three-year term, said moving the school administration out of Park Street School was just one of the many projects facing the board. Caron,whoissemiretired after a career as an accountant specializing in taxes, moved to Springfield in 2006. He said an issue that came up during the campaign, the low test scores of Springfield students, also needed his attention, as well as School Board training. He said the board also had to pay attention to Gov. Phil Scott’s request earlier this year that school boards hold the line on spending. Springfield’s $29 million school budget for 2017- 18 will result in a decrease in property taxes. Courchesne said Palmer, who had requested the recount Friday, had told her he wouldn’t be attending the recount. She said Caron attended just for a few minutes. Palmer said Wednesday afternoon he called Caron and congratulated him. He said he hoped to be involved in School Board issues in the coming year, perhaps getting appointed to a board subcommittee. He said he plans to run for the School Board in 2018. He said he and Caron will get together to discuss school issues in the coming weeks. “I’m looking forward to working with him in the future,” Caron said.