FARMINGTON – Tuesday nights are now open for former Selectman John Frary, but he sees a “glimmer of light” in his defeat.

“I’ll be able to attend Tuesday masonic dinners,” he said, displaying his usual dry humor.

A small showing of voters, less than 200, at Monday’s town meeting election, along with Frary’s outspokenness, may have jeopardized his chance for re-election, he said.

“I said some things I wished to say. I said what I believed … although being outspoken can annoy some,” he said Tuesday.

He believes some of the things he said could become reality, such as saying the only solution to the Social Security funding issue is to raise the retirement age. His support of legalizing marijuana was another point of contention, he said.

Frary, 68, a former college professor, served as a selectman for the past two years, winning the seat left by the death of Mary Wright.

Last year he ran as the Republican candidate for the 2nd Congressional District seat held by Democrat U.S. Rep. Michael Michaud. He was trounced.

His plans today do not include pursuing public office, he said.

“At 68, a career (in public office) was never the objective,” he said.

Now he’s planning to continue writing columns for local papers and picking and choosing his schedule while actively supporting Republican candidates.

He will attend some selectmen meetings, since what he liked most about serving was learning how things in town work and how decisions are made.

“I’ve always argued another three years and I might have learned enough to be useful,” he said.

While he thought his opponent was more surprised at the outcome than he was, Frary handled the announced tally Monday night with his usual humor, prompting a ripple of laughter at the meeting.

“I quoted a defeated presidential candidate who said … ‘the people have spoken … the bastards.'”

As for the winner, Ryan Morgan, he said he was surprised by the outcome, but he thought he had a 50/50 chance of winning.

Morgan has attended most board meetings and asked questions from his seat in the audience, but said he realizes he has some learning to do as he takes his seat on the other side.

As a member of the Police Space Needs Committee, he hopes to see that go forward but has no real agenda.

Morgan has also served on the Budget Committee and recently became a member of the Board of Directors for local television station, MBTV. He is a U.S. Navy veteran and a Mason, and is an electrician who works for a company that is the maintenance contractor for Verso Paper.