BRUNSWICK — The only town councilor seeking re-election will compete in the town’s only contested race in November.

At-Large Councilor Kathy Wilson will be challenged by Whitney Parrish, of Columbia Avenue, in her bid for a second, three-year term.

Candidates had until Sept. 8 to submit nomination papers to appear on the Nov. 7 town ballot.

Councilors Sarah Brayman and Dan Harris, who represent District 7 and District 5, respectively, said in July they would not seek re-election. Candidates Chris Watkinson and James Mason will face no opposition for their seats.

All three incumbents on the School Board are seeking re-election, and will run unopposed. They are Jim Grant and Sarah Singer, who represent District 5 and District 7, and at-large representative Billy Thompson.

The deadline shrunk what had been a potentially crowded field of candidates, based on those who took out nomination papers.  Derek Scrapchansky, who resigned as assistant town manager in May, and Ross Hicks, a Union street resident, ultimately did not file to be a council candidate.

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Wilson has been the council vice chairwoman since January. The 72-year-old was born and raised in Brunswick and runs a dog-grooming business on Pleasant Street.

Parrish is a Maine native who recently moved to Brunswick resident. She works in the field of domestic violence prevention at Safe Voices in Lewiston.

District 5 candidate Watkinson, of Justamere Road, is an adjunct lecturer and recital hall technical director at Bowdoin College.

He announced his candidacy in June, just a week after he helped lead a campaign for passage of a bond to locally finance a new, $28 million building to replace Coffin Elementary School. In 2014, he lost by seven votes to Jim Grant in the District 5 election to the School Board.

McKeen Street resident Mason will have no challenger to represent District 7. A Brunswick-based lawyer, he practices mostly criminal defense law.

Callie Ferguson can be reached at 781-3661, ext. 100, or cferguson@theforecaster.net. Follow Callie on Twitter: @calliecferguson.

Edited 9/12 to add the name of the Union Street resident.


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