SCARBOROUGH — Although two School Board incumbents, Chairwoman Christine Massengill and Kelly Murphy, are unopposed for two seats on the Nov. 4 ballot, another candidate has emerged to try to unseat one of them.

Michael Turek declared his write-in candidacy this month.

Turek, a retired military aircraft technician and one of the founders of Scarborough Citizens for Sensible Taxes, said that he has been unhappy with the School Board for a long time.

Turek, who has lived in Scarborough for the past 20 years, said the board should be transparent and inclusive, but that he believes it is just the opposite. Public comment during meetings is limited, he said, budgets are unclear and not itemized, and the senior citizen liaison spot on the board is empty. 

“That’s a slap in the face for those who provide money for the school, but don’t directly utilize it,” Turek said. 

Senior citizens are already paying high taxes, he said, and the board continually inflates its budget requests. According to Turek, two of his neighbors, one who is 81 and the other who is 91, are considering moving to a more affordable area because of these rising costs.

Turek called this is a “crying shame.” 

He said one person alone cannot change everything, and that it will take three elections before all of the current board members and “those who think like them” are cycled out.

However, he said he hopes his candidacy will serve as a statement and encourage others to step up.

“I want (the incumbents) to know that they are opposed,” Turek said. “I want them to know that I’m here.”

Town Clerk Tody Justice said votes for write-in candidates are counted by hand, rather than by machine.

Lily O’Gara can be reached at 781-3661 ext. 106 or logara@theforecaster.net. Follow her on Twitter: @lilyog28.