BETHEL — Municipal office newcomer Peter Southam was elected Tuesday night to the Board of Selectman, defeating incumbent Robert Everett in the only contested race.

Southam, 47, of the Songo Pond Road, received 221 votes to Everett’s 162, Town Clerk Christen Mason said Tuesday night.

Southam and his wife are teachers who moved to Bethel in 1990 from Exeter Academy in Exeter, N.H.

He teaches biology and chemistry at Gould Academy; she teaches physics at Telstar High School.

Southam also owns Bethel Bicycles, a Route 2 business, and coaches road cycling and mountain biking at Gould.

Additionally, he has served on local recreation-related boards. He is president of the Mahoosuc Pathways Board of Directors and treasurer for the Bethel Outing Club, and is on the board for the local chapter of the New England Bicycling Association.

With his recreational background, Southam said last week that he wants to help guide Bethel into the future and doesn’t believe the current board is striving toward that.

He also said he’s “excited about the opportunity to give back to the community and get involved more.”

In other municipal elections, Everett, 64, of Flat Road in West Bethel, won re-election to a three-year term on the Board of Assessors, getting 322 votes in the uncontested race.

There were only write-in candidates for SAD 44 School Board since no one took out or returned papers. Timothy Carter won it with 51 votes to Frank Del Duca’s 8 votes, Masons said.

Up next is town meeting, which starts at 7 p.m. Wednesday, June 13, at Crescent Park School.

tkarkos@sunjournal.com

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