SHUTESBURY — The town clerk ruled Tuesday that the previously uncounted vote on Jan. 10 was cast by an eligible voter and will be tallied in favor of a new library.
That means the town, by a vote of 523-522, approved borrowing $1.4 million as its share of the new $3.5 million building.
However, a request for a recount is likely, one leading library opponent said Tuesday. A recount would extend the contentious debate over a new library, which has split this town of nearly 1,800 residents who have voted on the project three times in the last four months.
Town Clerk Leslie Bracebridge said she determined Tuesday that the lone provisional ballot from the election was cast by a properly registered voter in Shutesbury and thus was eligible to be counted. The vote had been sealed and was not counted until Bracebridge made her determination. A tie vote would have defeated the question.