Wiscasset has contests for select board, school committee

Tue, 04/19/2022 - 4:45pm

Wiscasset’s June 14 town election will have contested races for the select board and school committee. No nomination papers were taken out for budget committee.

Turning in nomination papers for three, two-year seats on the select board by the deadline to file, 5 p.m. Thursday, April 14, were James Andretta, Ben Rines Jr., William “Bill” Maloney, Wallace Giakas and incumbent and current board chair Sarah Whitfield, Town Clerk Linda Perry said. Rines is a former selectman and Maloney is a budget committee member. Two selectmen whose seats are up for election, Kim Andersson and Pam Dunning, are not seeking new terms.

Candidates were required to collect at least 25 but not more than 100 signatures of registered Wiscasset voters.

Four residents returned nomination papers seeking two of the three-year seats on the school committee. Jason Putnam, the current vice chairman, is the only incumbent. The other candidates are Jonathan D. Barnes, Jodi Hardwick and John D. MacLaren II. Chairman Michael Dunn is not seeking another term. 

No one took out nomination papers for any of the vacancies on the budget committee. This group meets intermittently throughout the town’s fiscal year. The budget committee reviews the select board’s budget, making recommendations on warrant articles to be considered by voters. In previous years, budget committee seats have been filled by write-in votes, or appointments made by the select board.

Ryan Demeny returned nomination papers for a two-year trustee term on Wiscasset Water District. No one took out papers for two, three-year trustee terms.  

Polls on Election Day will be open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. at Wiscasset Community Center on Gardiner Road. Applications for absentee ballots for the June 14 election and town meeting can be downloaded at www.wiscasset.org/departments/town-clerk-and-elections or contact the town office.