NEW SHARON – There’s a new road commissioner in town. After 17 years, Kevin Brann will no longer oversee town roads, as residents voted Saturday at town meeting in favor of Donald Lowe, who claims a job that had been held by the Brann family for decades.

Lowe won his one-year term by eight votes, 75-67.

“Our roads, I’m not saying they have been neglected,” Lowe told the crowd, “but we haven’t done all we can do.” He supports the formation of a road committee to formulate a long-term plan for road improvement, and intends to utilize New Sharon-based contractors.

Brann also addressed the meeting, mostly by answering questions.

“Did you even once request brush to be cut in a certain spot?” Brann asked a resident complaining of overgrowth damaging his truck.

“He shouldn’t have to,” several residents shouted back.

Another issue garnering debate was an ordinance titled, “New Sharon Shoreland Zoning Ordinance and New Sharon Shoreline Zoning Map.”

Several in the crowd, which nearly filled the Cape Cod Hill School gymnasium, felt slighted by the state not giving New Sharon a voice in approving the ordinance. A motion was introduced to table the matter until the next annual town meeting in March 2008.

But Selectman Russell Gardner said voting down the article would result in New Sharon incurring the cost of enforcing the new ordinance, rather than the state. After an oral vote was too close to call, a silent ballot defeated the motion and the ordinance later passed.

Bill Reed replaced Robert Neal as SAD 9 director and David Ames was elected trustee for the New Sharon Water District. Nora Thombs served as moderator.