Challenger Mike Smith defeated incumbent Stuart Smith 136-85 to earn a three-year term as an Edgecomb selectman. The two candidates are not related. Mike Smith previously served on the school and budget committees. He believes his victory was due to the town’s desire for change within municipal government.

“I don’t think the election was favoring me over Stuart, but rather it was time for a change,” Mike Smith said.

Stuart Smith was seeking a fourth three-year term.

The only other contested municipal election saw incumbent Deb Boucher defeat challenger Karen Potter 147-60 for an one-year term as tax collector. This is Boucher’s seventh year in office. Five other incumbents ran unopposed for reelections. Town Clerk and Treasurer Claudia Coffin and Road Commissioner Scott Griffin were reelected to one-year terms. Planning board members Jack French and Pat Jeremiah and school committee member Thomas Abello were reelected to three-year terms.

Two major challenges facing the board of selectmen is what to do about the Woodend Fund and the creation of a full-time fire chief. Residents voted to keep the Woodend Fund intact and defeated a proposal to hire a full-time fire chief.

The Woodend Fund has a $188,000. Residents defeated a proposal to borrow $100,000 from the fund and put it into the town’s surplus account. The fund was created in the 1970s to purchase land for a public boat launch.

“I don’t want to use those funds to pay for municipal bills. Whether it is used for a boat launch that is something the town has to take a look at,” Smith said.

Mike Smith thinks the board of selectmen need to further research the potential benefits of a full-time fire chief.

“I think the need is there. Roy (Fire Chief Potter) made the case for it. But I think it needs to be vetted further before voting on it again. I think the salary and benefits need to be looked at closer to make sure the benefits and costs align.”

Two hundred twenty-three ballots were cast in the May 15 municipal election.