Lebanon, at a crossroads, faces huge vote tomorrow

LEBANON - Some would say the stakes in Tuesday's elections in Lebanon have never been higher.

Residents will not only for the first time be electing a voting majority for next year's Board of Selectmen, but will be making the town's first signature statement on whether or not they want recreational marijuana retail stores, smokehouses and testing and manufacturing facilities in their town.

In fact, residents will have the power on Tuesday to reject pretty much all recreational marijuana activity within the town in referenda 1-6.

It should be noted that whatever happens tomorrow with regard to marijuana regulation, it has no bearing on medicinal marijuana cultivation and sale.

Town offices will be closed for the day. Voting takes place from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the Lebanon Elementary School.

Town budgets for Fire and Rescue, Transfer, Codes and Roads will also likely draw heavy turnout, with three out of four all being defeated last May and Roads squeaking by narrowly.

There's also big-ticket items on the ballot Tuesday with Fire and EMS looking to buy a $300,000 ambulance, using $100,000 from a reserve account for the down payment.

Last year's big ticket item, a new firetruck, was defeated by just 80 votes.

But the biggest item on the ballot will likely be the selectmen's race where incumbent Royce Heath will face challenger and former town clerk Laura Bragg for a three-year term; and David White, Lebanon Voice editor Harrison Thorp, Bettie Harris-Howard and Richard Harlow will scrum for a two-year slot to replace former select chair Christine Torno who resigned earlier this year.