All four charter amendments also passed, according to Town Clerk Susan M. Coache.
PALMER - Retired police officer James J. Lynch III and kindergarten teacher Andrea K. Mastalerz were elected to the School Committee, ousting longtime School Committee chairwoman Maureen R. Gallagher in Tuesday's election.
All four charter amendments also passed, according to Town Clerk Susan M. Coache.
Lynch, 67, was the top vote-getter with 1,342 votes, followed by Mastalerz with 1,130 votes. Gallagher, a School Committee member for 18 years, got 809 votes. The School Committee positions are for three years.
Lynch said he did not expect to get the most votes, but is happy and excited to start a new venture. He retired two years ago after working for the Police Department for 36 years.
"I want to thank the voters and I look forward to working with the other board members," Lynch said.
Mastalerz, 45, who teaches at Cold Spring School in Belchertown, will step in where her father James L. St. Amand left off. St. Amand did not seek reelection, creating a vacancy on the committee.
Mastalerz also thanked the voters, and her opponents for running a good race. She also thanked Gallagher for her many years of service.
"I'm ready for the challenge," Mastalerz said.
Mastalerz said her father is her mentor, and she respects his opinion and while he will be a good resource, she will make her own decisions as a committee member.
Gallagher, 59, said she was shocked by the results, and thinks voters may have confused Lynch with current School Committee member David Lynch. They are not related.
Gallagher said the "people have spoken and let's see what the two new people can do on the board." Gallagher said she was proud of her record, and noted she helped get the schools extra funding for next fiscal year.
"I have no regrets," Gallagher said. "Just because I lost this doesn't mean you won't see me again."
Coache said 22 percent of the town's 8,210 registered voters cast ballots. In the U.S. Senate race, voters gave Gabriel Gomez 1,243 votes over Edward Markey's 927 votes. Markey ended up winning the race, however.
As for the charter amendments, question 1, which appointed the town manager to the library's governing board, passed 1,434 to 494. Question 2, which reduced the quorum of the seven-member Town Council from five to four, passed 1,480 to 433; question 3, which changed the posting requirements for Town Council agendas, passed 1,893 to 83; and question 4, which simplified the town manager's appointment process, passed 1,297 to 630.
Coache said the voter turnout was higher than she expected, a sentiment echoed by poll workers at Converse Middle School, where precincts 2 and 3 voted.
Precinct 3 clerk Richard Laviolette said he thought the local election was what was bringing the voters out.
Teresa H. Abbate and Charles F. Abbate voted for Mastalerz for School Committee. The Abbates voted at Converse.
"(Mastalerz is) a teacher in another school system. Her children have gone through Palmer schools and she's well-informed. I think she has a lot of different perspectives to bring to the position and a lot of energy," said Teresa Abbate, a former Palmer middle school teacher.
Karl S. Williams voted for Lynch for School Committee, calling him a "straight shooter."
"I just like the man," Williams said.
Williams said he agreed with the charter changes.
Joseph Mastalerz Jr., who was working the ballot box for precinct 2, said voters were confused by the charter questions and many people were leaving them blank.
Robert E. Peritz Sr. said he voted for the majority of charter amendments except for the quorum change.
"I figure if you're elected to the board, you should show up to the meetings," Peritz said.