Three-way race shapes up for June selectman run

Chip Harlow

Corinna Cole

Royce Heath

LEBANON - The candidate field is set in a three-way race to win a selectman’s slot in a June vote, with three of the candidates from the March election won by Paul Philbrick back to take another shot.

Corinna Cole, Richard “Chip” Harlow and Royce Heath are all vying for the office, while two-time candidate Robie Marsters decided not to run.

Cole, who owns her own marketing company, has been spearheading an effort to launch Lebanon’s comprehensive plan. She wrote the citizen’s petition to videotape government meetings, which was overwhelmingly approved at last year’s town vote. Selectmen never implemented the program.

This will be Cole’s third run for a selectman’s seat.

Harlow, an investments manager, has voluntarily videotaped several of the more important selectmen’s meetings and community forums and is a two-time candidate, having lost to former selectman Bob Frizzell several years ago.

Heath is a longtime town transfer station employee.

In the March vote which Philbrick won with almost 40 percent of the vote, Harlow garnered 147 votes, followed by Heath with 107, Marsters with 68 and Cole with 55.

A total of 617 votes were cast, including 122 absentee ballots, but with town referendum balloting and a Republican state representative primary vote between Selectmen Chair Karen Gerrish and Lebanon Voice owner Harrison Thorp slated for June 10, it is expected vote totals will be much greater this time around.