FREEPORT — Newcomer Lindsay Sterling and incumbent Beth Parker won the two seats Tuesday on the Regional School Unit 5 Board of Directors.

Sterling received 2,010 votes and Parker received 1,901.

Incumbent Nelson Larkins, who had been on the board for five years, lost his seat with 1,454 votes. Charly Haversat Matheson received 970 votes.

Sterling, a writer, has lived in Freeport for 13 years and has two daughters, one in sixth grade and one in third.

Sterling founded and led Friends of Freeport High School to promote the high school renovation, and has volunteered at Morse Street School and Mast Landing School. She has also worked with the high school interact club.

“I’m excited that the voters are behind me and giving our district new wings,” Sterling said.

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Sterling said she’s “excited to be in a position of leadership” as the RSU moves forward as a single district.

“It’s a relief to me that the uncertainty of the future of schools is over and we have a clear path forward,” she said.

Parker has been on the board for nine years, including her time spent on the former Freeport board as it transitioned into the RSU. Parker has lived in Freeport for 21 years with her husband and two children, a college freshman and Freeport High School sophomore. She owns Pet Pantry in Freeport and General Store for Pets in Falmouth.

Parker said she’s glad to have been re-elected and that the board can now focus on what’s next for RSU 5.

“Now that it’s a ‘no’ we can move forward with everything that we’ve wanted to do,” Parker said. “We need to hire a permanent superintendent. We need to look at the renovation.”

Larkins said that although he wasn’t re-elected, he’s happy with the outcome of the withdrawal vote. He said the new board will do well.

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“I’m sorry I can’t continue to serve, but they’ll be fine,” he said.

Matheson said that while she didn’t win, she’s glad to see that the town values education so highly.

“The past year has proven that the voters in Freeport treat education as a priority,” she said. “I’m confident that under the leadership of the RSU 5 board, Freeport will continue to value good education.”

Kate Gardner can be reached at 781-3661 ext. 125 or kgardner@theforecaster.net. Follow her on Twitter: @katevgardner.

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