John DeCosta wins Mattapoisett Selectman seat by 81 votes

MATTAPOISETT — John DeCosta won a seat on the Board of Selectmen at the town’s June 16 election with 54% of the vote.

Out of the 1,119 votes cast for the seat, DeCosta took in 600 votes, beating out Tyler Macallister who had 519 ballots cast for him.

DeCosta said the win means a lot to him because his “dad’s looking down at me right now,” and he can carry on the legacy of his father, grandfather and great-grandfather as a Selectman.

In the short-term, he wants to get the town through covid, which will control a lot of the town’s decisions in the near future.

In the long-term, he looks to keep the town’s debt low, while also tackling its capital needs for various projects. He also seeks to create more affordable housing for both seniors and young people alike.

DeCosta thanked those in town who supported him through his campaign, and thanked those who supported Macallister as well and looks forward to serving them too as Selectman.

For now, he is “all campaigned out” after an election season which included covid, absentee ballots, and an election date change.

Frances Kearns, a write-in candidate for the Mattapoisett seat on the Old Rochester Regional District School Committee, won and will serve in the role for three years. Trey Whalley had 42 votes to Kearns’ 84, and all other write in candidates had 85 votes.

All other candidates ran unopposed. Carly Lavin won unopposed for a three-year term on the Mattapoisett School Committee. James Pierson and Susan Wilbur won two seats on the Community Preservation Committee for three-year terms. 

For re-elections, Town Clerk Catherine Heuberger won another three-year term, Nathan Ketchel for another five-year term on the planning board, John Eklund for another one-year term as Town Moderator, Daniel Chase for another three-year term as Water and Sewer Commissioner, and Ruth Jolliffe and Jennifer Russell for three-year terms on the Board of Trustees for the town’s library.