School Board incumbents survive

FREEPORT — In an election that attracted about 52 percent of the town’s registered voters, residents Tuesday elected two new town councilors.

The District 2 seat in the northeast section of town went to Katherine Arno of Pleasant Hill Road. Unofficial results show she defeated incumbent Councilor Eric Pandora of Birch Point Road, 497-340.

In District 3, the South Freeport area, Kristina Egan of Weston Point defeated incumbent Councilor Joe Migliaccio of Vin Mar Lane, 494-381.

Incumbent at-large Councilor Rich DeGrandpre of Timber Ridge Road was re-elected. He defeated Marie Gunning of Telos Road, 1,585 to 1,391.

DeGrandpre said he is very happy to have been re-elected. This will be his fourth term, and he has served nine years on the council.

“I am looking forward to continuing the work we have in front of us,” he said. “We’ve heard from all the candidates that there are things to work on — communication, better partnering with nearby communities and the Regional School Unit 5. There are a lot of things to do on the council.”

Gunning called her candidacy a long shot, but said she was proud of the support she received. “I will keep working to make good things happen in Freeport,” she said Tuesday night.

While Pandora lost by 156 votes, he said it was a good campaign and he will continue to be a part of the civic dialog.

Arno said she was delighted by the win and is looking forward to representing District 2.

“I appreciate the support of those who voted for me, and I am committed to doing the hard work it takes to serve,” she said.

Egan said she “can’t wait to get to work.”

On Wednesday morning, Migliaccio sarcastically said he is looking forward to seeing Egan deliver on the campaign promises she made.

“Kristina knocked on many doors and had a good team of supporters behind her including Alan Caron, members of the Freeport Economic Development Corp., and the president of the Freeport Chamber of Commerce,” he said. “It’s been an honor (to serve) and the family, the supporters and the kids are disappointed.”

Of Freeport’s 6,000 registered voters, more than 3,000 went to the polls.

Town Clerk Beverly Curry said there were about 535 absentee ballots cast and a steady stream of people at the polls all day.

Regional School Unit 5

Incumbents Nelson Larkins of Shore Drive and Beth Parker of Spar Cove Road were re-elected to their seats on the RSU 5 Board of Directors.

Parker received 1,842 votes; Larkins had 1,351 and Gurdarshan Gill had 1,196 votes.

Gill, of Palmer Point Road, said she had a “good run.” She said she will continue to be involved in the schools, especially in her role as the program coordinator for the Greater Freeport Family Literacy Program.

“Even though I didn’t win, it got a conversation going,” Gill said. “There is a lot that needs to be done in the school district.”

Parker, 50, has served on the Freeport and RSU 5 boards for six years. She owns the Pet Pantry with her husband and has two children in the school system.

“I’m glad I am on the board again,” Parker said. “I feel like my job was not complete and I want to see this through.”

Larkins, 50, is a partner in the Prehti Flaherty law firm in Portland. He said he is pleased to serve another three years on the board.

“I am looking forward to reinvigorating myself,” he said. “We made it over the first hurdle with getting the school (unit) up and running and now we are starting to see some of the plans through.” 

Sewer, water districts

In uncontested races for two seats on the Sewer District Board of Trustees and one seat on the Water District Board of Trustees, three incumbents were re-elected.

Incumbents Mike Ashby of Cove Road and Timothy P. Whitacre of Sandy Beach Drive will serve three year terms on the Sewer board.

Ashby received 2,026 votes and Whitacre received 1,961 votes.

Incumbent Edmond Theriault of Litchfield Road won the uncontested race for a seat on the Water District and received 1,978 votes. He will serve another three year term.

Amy Anderson can be reached at 781-366 1ext. 110 or aanderson@theforecaster.net. Follow her on Twitter: @amy_k_anderson.

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Town Council candidate Marie Gunning, left, and incumbent Town Councilors Joe Migliaccio and Rich DeGrandpre take notes Tuesday night as Freeport election official Ed Bonney, right, reads results at Freeport High School. DeGrandpre won his bid for re-election over Gunning, but Migliaccio lost to Kristina Egan.