Voter's guide to York 2022 election: Contested races, budgets, cell tower ban on ballot

YORK, Maine — Voters will head to the polls Saturday, where they will decide several contested races, the town/school budgets and a number of articles including one to enact a cell tower moratorium.

Voters will be asked to approve nearly $17.8 million for the town's operating budget and nearly $35 million for the school budget, according to Town Manager Steve Burns. They will also be asked to support a new renovation and expansion of the historic town hall, six new full-time employee positions, and renaming the Board of Selectmen as the Selectboard.

Burns said voters would see a tax impact of approximately 1% if the town’s operating budget is approved.

When and where to vote in York, Maine 2022 election

Polls open at the Butler Gymnasium at York High School at 8 a.m. and close at 8 p.m.

Here is a look at the big-ticket items on the ballot:

York Town Hall expansion

Article 44 asks voters to approve a $7.298 million renovation and expansion of the Town Hall at 186 York St. The town has looked to replace or relocate the Town Hall since as early as the 1920s, according to Burns.

Burns said the 2019 establishment of town ownership of the Town Hall was critical in moving the project forward. Previously, it was believed the land was owned by the First Parish Church, but that was ultimately disputed by historic records, leading to a settlement that year deeding the land to the town.

Burns said the town has seen at least five attempts to update or move the Town Hall over the years. He said the project on the ballot Saturday would modernize the building and prevent it from leaving the center of town, its home since the 1600s.

“Hopefully we’ll get 200 years or more out of it. It deserves it,” Burns said.

Column: York Town Hall records vault is home to priceless gems of history

York wants to add six new positions

The town is asking voters to approve six new full-time positions. They are an IT systems and applications analyst ($107,853 salary), an additional town planner ($79,713 salary), a new emergency dispatcher ($56,000 salary), a full-time harbormaster ($46,634 salary) and two additional firefighters (up to $100,000 each with benefits included).

York wants $200K for 2 new firefighters: Here's why and what 24-hour shifts look like.

Burns said this is the first time such a request for personnel has been made since he became town manager eight years ago. He said the hires were deemed necessary to keep the town’s services running smoothly. The Fire Department has not seen its staffing increase since 1985, while the town has grown significantly since then.

“It is my opinion that the town is under-staffed for the demands placed on the organization,” Burns said. “These six positions are the top priority for adding capacity.”

Some of the new positions were budgeted with savings in mind, like the new dispatcher position that Burns said will result in overtime savings.

York Police Acting Chief Owen Davis said his department eliminated one of the two part-time assistant harbormaster positions to create the full-time harbormaster position and is getting help from the York Harbor Board with funding it.

“Our salary line is not increasing, keeping everything status quo,” Davis said.

Getting Ready: A vote that could change York’s future

Cell tower moratorium

Article 68 is a citizen petition seeking a moratorium on cellphone towers in the town of York that would last six months, extendable by the Board of Selectmen if passed.

The article was put forth after members of the York Heights neighborhood expressed concern about towers going up and potentially causing health effects of radiofrequency radiation. The Board of Selectmen voted against recommending the article.

Replacing male pronouns with gender-neutral pronouns

Article 69 seeks to change the York Board of Selectmen to being named the York Selectboard to become gender neutral.

The proposal came to the board last year from the town’s Committee to Combat Racism and Bias as an effort to improve gender inclusivity in local government.

Gender neutral rebrand: York Board of Selectmen steps closer to having new official name

Burns said he recommended the change because the current name does not fall in line with the board’s Proclamation Against Racism, Discrimination and Bigotry, which was enacted in July 2020. The board voted 4-1 to support the article, Mike Estes voting against because he opposed updating the town’s charter through a simple amendment.

Four contested races

Contested races are taking place this Saturday for the Board of Selectmen, School Committee, Budget Committee and treasurer.

Mike Estes is defending his three-year seat on the Board of Selectmen against Eric Goldberg.

Estes, owner of Estes Oil and Propane, has served 12 years on the board. He wants to protect taxpayers by managing inflation both in property values and in the town budget.

Goldberg is a political newcomer and a driver for Franman Transportation. He wants to address a lack of cell service in town, extend the sewer line up Route 1 and address garbage on the side of the road, among other issues.

York election 2022: Two-way race for one Board of Selectmen seat

There is a three-way race for two seats on the Budget Committee.

Budget Committee incumbent Christine Hartwell, who was elected last November to fill a term ending this May, is seeking reelection. Also running is John D’Aquila, a senior finance director, and John Mercurio, a retired engineering and construction manager.

Valerie Gunn, Robert Hover, Julie Kelbert and Justin Thomas are each vying for two three-year School Committee seats.

Incumbents Meredith Schmid and Brenda Alexander decided not to run.

York election 2022: Four newcomers vie for two School Committee seats

Gunn, a retired research and development medicinal scientist with a Ph.D., wants to help bring York schools from their recent No. 15 ranking back to No. 1 in the state. Hover, a patent attorney, said his priorities include supporting the rights of students while supporting teachers in their mission to provide a quality education. Elbert, a nurse anesthetist, hopes to improve York schools’ education while watching the budget. Thomas also hopes to keep the budget reasonable while improving transparency of curriculum and teaching materials.

The treasurer seat is up for grabs with incumbent Lawrence Graves choosing not to run again. Now Nan Graves, the sister of Lawrence Graves, and Kenneth Churchill, a veteran bull-rider, will square off to fill the seat.

York election 2022: Two-way race for town treasurer

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: York ME election 2022: Voters guide to what's on the ballot