WESTHAMPTON — Voters at Saturday’s town election selected newcomers Jennifer Milikowsky for a three-year term on the Select Board and Andy Hilnbrand for a three-year position on the Regional School Committee.

In the Select Board race, Milikowsky easily defeated Jon Albitz by a margin of 224 to 70. Meanwhile, Hilnbrand ousted incumbent Scott Johndrow, 169-96.

Milikowsky will replace outgoing Select Board member Maureen Dempsey, who did not seek reelection. She hopes to address the needs of the town’s aging population and the burdens of rising taxes and lack of affordable housing. She believes that her previous work on the Planning Board and Finance Committee have prepared her to tackle these tasks as a board member.

When Milikowsky moved to town 10 years ago with her husband, “it became clear just how special a town Westhampton is and how fortunate we are to have had committed townspeople for generations do the necessary work to preserve Westhampton’s friendly atmosphere and rural character,” she said. “I quickly realized that I wanted to help carry on that work and began attending various town meetings and participating in town events to understand where I could be helpful.”

Previously, she has also worked with Kestrel Land Trust to preserve forest habitats in town, the Zoning Bylaw Review Committee to help develop a permitting process to increase the town’s tax base, and the Master Plan Implementation Committee on the funding proposal for solar arrays on municipal buildings that was recently passed at Town Meeting.

Hilnbrand, whose candidacy was endorsed by the Hampshire Regional Education Association, has worked in secondary and post-secondary education for over 30 years, and is a parent to a current Hampshire Regional High School student and a recent graduate. He has worked as a classroom teacher, private tutor, and department chair during his career.

“I know a lot of the teachers, and I’m familiar with the environment they’re working in,” he said.

Jose Whiting-Cruz, who dropped out of the race too late to be taken off of the ballot, received six votes.

Write-ins, other positions

The election also included three uncontested write-in campaigns. Pat Coffey was elected to a three-year Planning Board position with 161 write-in votes, Matthew Clark was elected to a three-year position on the Elementary School Committee with 171 write-in votes, and Jon Albitz was elected to one of three available three-year Finance Committee positions with three write-in votes.

All other candidates who appeared on this year’s ballot ran uncontested. Dempsey and incumbent Tad Weiss were elected to the other two three-year Finance Committee positions; Walter Morrey was reelected for another three years on the Board of Assessors; Thomas A. Jenkins was elected for another year as tree warden; Benjamin A. Warren was elected for another year as moderator; Alison Thirkield and incumbent Angela Griefen were elected for three-year library trustee positions, and Robert Miller was elected for another three years as the Center District Constable.

In this year’s Town Election, 298 ballots were cast, 56 of which were cast through the early voting process. This represents 21.5% of Westhampton’s registered voter population, which totals at 1,386.

Alexa Lewis can be reached at alewis@gazettenet.com or on Instagram and Twitter at @alexamlewis.