Maglaras says he's ready to work with GOP, but wants to bring back at-large vote

DOVER - Strafford County Commissioner's Chair George Maglaras told The Rochester Voice on Thursday that he was looking forward to working with the two Republicans who will replace current commissioners Deanna Rollo, who lost her race against Republican Sean Leavitt of Dover; and Democrat Robert Watson of Rochester, who decided not to run again.
After Watson dropped out, Democrat Tim Fontneau sought the District 1 slot, but lost to Republican Joe Pitre of Farmington, breaking up 40 years of Democrat reign on the Board of County Commissioners.
"I have known these gentlemen for years," said Maglaras, the longtime chair and 42-year member of the board. "And I'm sure we will work together diligently on behalf of the people of Strafford County."
Pitre, reached by phone today, said he was buoyed by the kind words from Maglaras.
"I'm looking forward to working with him and fixing the county's problems, so we can have the best county we can," he said.
Pitre added that he would be especially focusing on "fiscal issues."
"I really want to get a new nursing home done that makes sense," he added.
Maglaras was the only commissioners running unopposed in the first election after a house bill passed last year changing how Strafford County commissioners are elected from at large to by district.
Maglaras said on Thursday, however, the fight over that issue is far from over.
"I'm sure there will be bills filed on requiring residency and proposals to revert back to the way we were elected since 1856," he said. "There is a lot of anger out there from people losing their right to vote for all three commissioners."
Pitre said today he hopes the county isn't able to revert to an at-large vote, because it disenfranchises many towns, which was actually proved on Election Day when two seats flipped Republican.
He said a legislative service request is already in the works to fix the statute's verbiage permanently.
The pertinent statute reads, in part, "To hold the office of county commissioner, sheriff, county attorney, county treasurer, register of deeds, or register of probate, a person must have a domicile in the county for which he is chosen. In addition, to hold the office of county commissioner in the counties of Rockingham, Belknap, Grafton, Merrimack, Hillsborough, Cheshire, Sullivan, Coos, and Carroll, a person must have a domicile in the district from which he is elected at the time of his election."
The statute's failure to list Strafford County gave Leavitt and Rollo the ability to live in one district, while running in another.
And while Maglaras has been the longtime chairman of the board, creating the agenda and running the meetings, a Republican could well be elected chair when Leavitt and Pitre assume office in January, according to Strafford County Administrator Ray Bower, who said the three will pick a chair at their first meeting.
The Rochester Voice was unable to contact Leavitt for comment.
For the purposes of electing commissioners the three Strafford County districts are designated as follows.
District 1: the towns of Farmington, Middleton, Milton, New Durham, wards 1, 5, and 6, of the city of Rochester, and wards 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 of the city of Somersworth
District 2: wards 1, 2, 3, and 4 of the city of Dover, and the towns of Durham, Lee, and Rollinsford
District 3: Barrington, wards 5 and 6 of the city of Dover, Madbury, wards 2, 3, and 4 of the city of Rochester, and the town of Strafford.