The race for the Rochester Board of Selectmen is certainly "interesting," as candidate Woody Hartley described it.

With a few days to go until elections, on Tuesday, the race continues to heat up. Tempers simmered at a candidates forum in late March. The race turned tense once again when a set of flyers and a robo-call in support of Woody Hartley were distributed through Rochester.

The first mailing listed several reasons to vote for Hartley, touting his fiscal responsibility, his opposition to the previously proposed new Town Hall and a Proposition 2 1/2 override, and his lifelong record of service to the town.

The second flyer drew more reaction. It claimed that opposition candidates Rick Nunes and Bendrix Bailey were "two peas in a pod," complete with their photos pasted onto two pictures of peas.

The flyer claims that Nunes, during his previous terms, failed to control the town budget, and voted in favor of a new Rochester Town Hall "which 80 percent of the town voted against".

Bailey was also accused of voting in favor of a new Town Hall, being in favor of increasing Rochester's government payroll, and and pushing for more local government spending of taxpayer dollars.

Hartley vehemently denied that he was the source of the flyers. He was also unsure where they originated. "It absolutely wasn't me," he clarified via telephone. "I've already said that I am not in favor of such tactics. Anyone that knows me knows that I wouldn't send out a flyer like this."

Hartley noted that new mailings, which were authorized by him, should be in Rochester households on Monday.

The other candidates were contacted for their opinion on the flyers. Rick Nunes had no comment. At the time this article was published, Bailey had not yet responded to a recently-made request.

Rochester's Town Election will be held on Wednesday April 12. Polls are open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. at Rochester's Senior Center.