York election 2023: Meet the three candidates vying for two Selectboard seats

YORK, Maine — A longtime public official, the Budget Committee chair and a three-term incumbent are vying for two seats on the Selectboard this May.

Selectboard member Robert Palmer is seeking his fourth term, while Marla Johnson is seeking her first after three years on the Budget Committee, one as chair. Also filing to run is former Selectboard member Torbert MacDonald, Jr., who last served in 2015.

The top two vote-getters will fill the open seats, one of which was left vacant by board member Kinley Gregg, who decided not to run for reelection.

Gregg is finishing her third non-consecutive term on the board this spring. She said she is looking for a break from work on the board. However, she does not rule out running again in the future.

“I do have a bit of a political addiction,” Gregg said. “I just need a break at the moment.”

More: Newly hired York town manager blasted by former employee. Here's how he is responding.

Johnson looks to bring balance to Selectboard

Johnson described herself as a pragmatist who is eager to see the rollout of the town’s comprehensive plan, climate action plan and construction of an addition to the Town Hall.

Another project Johnson hopes to move forward with is to determine how improvements can be made to the town Parks and Recreation Department’s Center for Active Living. She also said she is looking forward to seeing how newly hired Town Manager Peter Joseph will facilitate these projects.

“I’m very excited about him coming in and making his assessment and recommendations and priorities,” Johnson said. “I think moving projects forward in a balanced way is just really important.”

Offensive or patriotic?: Black American flags on York police cruisers spark dispute

Palmer runs on record of ‘getting things done’

Palmer said he is running again for Selectboard because he is excited about the future of York. He said he looks forward to projects like the York Village revitalization project set to break ground in 2024, which will see new sidewalks and help make the Village more pedestrian friendly.

Palmer said voters should choose him because he has demonstrated the ability to be collaborative and get things done. He also said his background in finance has been helpful on the board, and he has enjoyed working with people on committees and seeking consensus.

“I think I’m someone who has demonstrated in the last few years I can get things done,” Palmer said. “Getting things done is not always easy, but I think I’ve demonstrated the ability to do that.”

MacDonald brings years of experience

MacDonald was last elected to the Selectboard in 2012 but touts his years of experience on town boards and as a voice in the community. He served on the Conservation Commission in the 1980s, according to his website, and was co-founder of the York Land Trust and the Agamenticus Wilderness Reserve. Since 2000, he has served two terms on the Planning Board and three on the Selectboard.

“It’s a huge amount of history,” MacDonald said, “But I remember it all.”

Planning Board: York developer makes case for Bristol Pointe Two condo project

Candidates differ on future development of York

MacDonald believes recent boards have been too eager to overdevelop York. He decried that the town missed an opportunity to purchase the Mary McIntire Davis land on York Street thanks to pro-development residents. The purchase was rejected at the polls in 2019 even though a referendum earlier that year gained non-binding support for the purchase. It was ultimately purchased by a developer currently building more than 100 homes.

“That’s a really horrendous piece of work right there. I resented it at the time, and I still do,” MacDonald said.

MacDonald said he intends to foster transparency so residents have a better grasp on what is possible for their community. He believes the coming charette for the establishment of the Green Recreation Overlay District will be important in defining a significant amount of usable land between Route 1 and Ridge Road near Short Sands Beach.

“There is an opportunity right now in the coming years to expose people to the concept that they can choose the future of what York Beach is going to be,” MacDonald said.

Palmer and Johnson both said they disagreed with MacDonald’s depiction of a town divided between the pro-development and pro-conservation advocates. Johnson said she is prepared to join the board with an open mind to each project and use the comprehensive plan as a guide.

“I think every project needs to be evaluated on its own merits,” Johnson said. “I don’t have a particular vision.”

Palmer defended the development of the Davis property, noting that the land is in what is known as a “growth zone.” He also said the board had a fiduciary responsibility with the Davis property and got an appraisal at $5.6 million which was lower than the Davis family’s desired price of $7 million.

“Lo and behold, as soon as citizens voted no, they put it back on the market for a lower number,” Palmer said. The land sold for $6 million in April 2022.

Palmer said he also would not characterize the current board as particularly pro-development.

“In other ways, I agree with Torbert. I consider myself a conservationist when it comes to certain things,” Palmer said. “I think there’s areas where you want to have growth, and there’s areas where you want to limit.”

Early retirement: York’s comfort dog Yukon forced to retire due to seizures brought on by stress

Where do candidates stand on cell towers?

Last May, MacDonald submitted a petition with 140 signatures to pass a moratorium on building cell towers and establish a permanent committee studying the human and environmental effects of cell technology. The petition was rejected by voters, though, and the Selectboard voted against recommending it.

MacDonald speaks often in public comment and in letters to the editor of the importance of researching the health effects of cell towers and seeking alternatives to expand cell service. He believes the current board members have not sought enough information on improving service without adding towers and should be establishing a study committee like he proposed last May.

“Why won’t they have one?” MacDonald said. “I’m a data-driven person. I don’t have an ideology other than I’d like to see the planet saved.”

Palmer said MacDonald’s proposed study committee was not something he believed the town had the “bandwidth” to undertake. He said he is optimistic that a recent bill on cell towers in the state Legislature will lead to a study on their safety.

Johnson voted no on the moratorium question because she did not think it was “the best approach to addressing it.” She too is hopeful for legislation to help shed light on cell service and its health effects.

“That’s best addressed at the state level,” Johnson said.

Palmer characterized the debate in town as between two camps – one side concerned about a lack of cellphone coverage in town, the other concerned about health impacts.

“I’m in the camp that says that we need more cellphone coverage in York, and I’m in the camp for investigating health concerns,” Palmer said. “If there are issues with how close one should be to the towers or 5G, then that’s information the local people should have.”

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: York election 2023: Three vie for two Selectboard seats