Dietz elected to School Committee

Political newcomer Steve Dietz emerged victorious in Saturday’s annual town election, defeating incumbent School Committee Chair Adam Newman for a three-year term, 649-420.

In the other contested race, four candidates for three three-year Recreation Commission seats, voters re-elected incumbent Chikaebere Toure and elected Arthur Gibson and Nicholas Warren, with 496, 576 and 605 votes, respectively. The fourth candidate, George Manley, earned 444 votes.

In the uncontested race for Weston’s newly expanded five-member Select Board, Anupam Sachdev and Alfred Aydelott received the most votes, 731 votes and 751 votes, and will serve three-year terms, while Rebecca Mercuri, who received 681 votes, will serve a two-year term.

Voter turnout was 12.4%, as 1,081 of Weston’s 8,688 registered voters participated. The turnout mirrored previous town elections, as election participation has averaged around 13.52% since 2014. The 2020 town election drew the highest turnout in the last decade, with 29.37% of voters turning out.

Dietz, 46, will have one student at each school level in the fall and works in the tech industry. He focused his campaign on representing residents with children in the elementary schools on the School Committee, ensuring fiscal responsibility and transparency in a tough economic environment and preparing for future growth.

“I’m grateful to Weston voters for putting their trust in me, and grateful to Adam for his years of service to our schools. And I mean that. This is a small town and anyone who serves deserves our deep appreciation. Now the work begins,” Dietz said. “Weston families want a School Committee that listens to the residents and that is what I am going to do. The most amazing part of getting involved is how I’ve gotten to meet so many people and parts of our town that I never had exposure to, and I’m so thankful for that experience. I’m excited to get working.”

The full election results are as follows:

• Moderator, one-year term – incumbent Ripley Hastings, 877 votes.
• Select Board, two three-year terms and one two-year term – Anupam Sachdev, 731 votes, Alfred Aydelott, 751 votes, Rebecca Mercuri, 681 votes.
• School Committee, one three-year term – incumbent Adam Newman, 420 votes, Steve Dietz, 649 votes.
• Assessors, two three-year terms – incumbents Tamilyn Liesenfeld and John Hennessy, 727 votes and 760 votes, respectively.
• Recreation Commission, three three-year terms – incumbent Chikaebere Toure, 496 votes, George Manley, 444 votes, Arthur Gibson, 576 votes, and Nicholas Warren, 605 votes.
• Planning Board, five-year term – Adrienne Giske, 733 votes.
• Library Trustees, two three-year terms – incumbents Joseph Mullin and Emma Kwon, 760 votes and 792 votes, respectively.
• Board of Health, three-year term – incumbent Diana Chaplin, 795 votes.
• Commissioner of Trust Funds, three-year term – incumbent Kevin O’Connell, 790 votes.
• Measurers of Lumber, three one-year terms – Daniel McDonald, 718 votes, incumbent Alan Day, 708 votes, and Julie Hyde, 717 votes.