The town of Waldoboro held a Select Board “meet the candidates” event on May 29 in the town office. There are five candidates for two Select Board seats: William Bragg, Sandra O’Farrell, Branden McGuirl, Abden Simmons, and Rebecca Stephens. 

 The program was coordinated by Waldoboro resident Seth Hall. It was moderated by Michael Amico. Amico said the questions had previously been sent to the candidates. 

 Amico open the evening by asking each candidate to provide their background. Questions centered on the future of Waldoboro’s future commercial development, community services, and taxpayer concerns. The audience was also provided time to question the candidates. 

 Brendan McGuirl said he grew up in Warren, attended RSU 40 schools from Kindergarten through high school graduation, and has now lived in Waldoboro for four years. He is a self-employed construction worker. McGuirl has been on the Waldoboro Planning Board for the past two years. 

 Sandra O’Farrell said she has lived in Waldoboro since 1979; she raised her two children in town. She chose Waldoboro and has stayed for all these years because “the community cares.” She is retired from H&R Block. O’Farrell said she has been on the school board and budget committees and has volunteered with the Clothes Closet, the food pantry, and the Lions.   

Abden Simmons said he was born and raised in Waldoboro. He has served the town of Waldoboro in multiple ways: he has been on the Select Board for nine years, the Shellfish Commission for 25 years, and was on the planning board for six years.

 Rebecca Stevens said she first discovered Waldoboro in 2011 and moved the area four years ago. She is currently a physical therapist with Regional School District 40 and she previously worked for MaineHealth for many years. She was born and raised in Lincolnville, where her family still lives. While in Lincolnville, she spent 10 years on their local school committee.  

 Throughout the evening, Simmons repeatedly stated that many town committees are understaffed and he encouraged community members to volunteer for these positions. 

 On the issue of potential developments in Waldoboro, O’Farrell said the Medomak River is Waldoboro’s biggest asset. She suggested Waldoboro should host a shellfish festival. She believes it would bring tourists and income to the town. She said “look at Pumpkinfest, the money that it brings into Damariscotta.” 

 Abden Simmons said “People do not realize all I’ve done for the town.” Simmons said he “got the Town Planner to get a grant for a kayak launch.” When they lacked volunteers to count the alewives, Simmons suggested the Planner get a grant for an electronic counter. 

 Simmons said if the town gets too big, it would ruin the small town feel. Thus growth should be slowed down so that the Town does not wind up like Damariscotta where, “people get squished out, ” Simmons said.

 Simmons said he is concerned development could raise taxes. However, he has “preached for years” that Waldoboro should have a hotel to accommodate visitors to festivals at nearby towns.

 Simmons said things do not happen overnight and “things do not fall into place like we’d like them to.” Waldoboro has been working with MaineHealth for years to find a location for their new facility.

 McGuirl said the Select Board should exercise some control over what the town looks like by deciding what to incentivize and what should be kept similar, which additions should be maintained as growth happens. He said 30% of Waldoboro’s population lives in house trailers; low income housing is the number one overwhelming demand in Waldoboro. 

 Stephens said that she has been married to a building contractor for 31 years. The cost to build new construction has tripled in the last decade. The term  “affordable housing” frightens her: she has read articles that indicate the housing is “not all that affordable.” 

 Stephens does not believe that a large franchise store like Walmart or Target belong in Waldoboro. She believes it would make more sense to rent the empty downtown store fronts first.

 Sandra O’Farrell said that at the most recent account, RSU 40 had 83 homeless students. Thus a lack of housing is the most pressing issue facing Waldoboro. She does not believe that a huge apartment building is right for Waldoboro.

 Simmons disputed the number of “homeless” children. Simmons said some are simply unwilling to live under their parents’ rules; he would not consider these students truly homeless. He said getting those children back into their homes should be a priority. He said housing assistance should be narrowed to the ones who actually need it:, kids with no place to go. 

 He said Waldoboro has tried to partner with Homeworthy (formerly the Knox County Homeless Coalition), but the organization have not responded to messages and outreach from the Town Office. 

 Stephens believes that you cannot tackle any one issue and leave the others for later. It is all symbiotic and needs to develop naturally together.

 McGuirl said Waldoboro can “grow our way out of the problem” as growing the economy will lead to increased income levels across the board.

 With regard to the proposed community center, Sandra O’Farrell said any building should include uses for all members of the community. It needs to have some kind of senior citizen center, kids programs, and an indoor athletic facility. 

 O’Farrell said Waldoboro also needs a meeting house, as the town office is small and unusable.

 Simmons said the facility should offer a Head Start/daycare and services for the older generation. He said the biggest problem keeping people from working is being “stuck at home caring for their kids.” The town has a youth summer recreation program which is full every year.

 Stephens said there already is a Head Start program in town. While she does support the idea of a public winter exercise facility, Stephens is concerned about duplicating services. She said Waldoboro is already paying for three large buildings (Medomak Valley High School, Medomak Middle School, and Miller Elementary) which are not in good repair and unused for 180 days of each year. She wants to consider the long-term implication to taxpayers on maintaining a fourth building.

 McGuirl said his role on the select board would be to not “put my foot on the scale,” but to moderate what the community wants. There is broad support for an athletic facility, a daycare maybe less so. While there could be opportunities for daycare(s) to lease space in the building, that gets into private business beyond their purview.

 In closing, Stephens said she would bring a broad perspective to the Select Board as a thirty year medical professional who has worked in each school in the RSU40 district. Stephens will listen to people and bring their concerns to the town administration.  

 Simmons said he has been on the Select Board for nine years and had some huge accomplishments. He said Waldoboro is in “really good shape” and he would like to continue his efforts. 

 O’Farrell said she has heard the needs in town and also brings a broad variety of experience which makes her well suited to the Select Board. 

 McGuirl said Waldoboro is going to change over the next few years. He is passionate about seeing the most vulnerable people get taken care of and would like to grow and strengthen the social services programs like the food bank.

 Candidate Billy Bragg did not attend the event. When reached for comment on May 30, Bragg stated his belief that the event was scheduled for that evening. He went on to say that poor communication within the town is one reason why he is running for Select Board. To date, Bragg has not responded to requests to answer the questions posed that evening. 

Video of the program should be available on the Town of Waldoboro’s YouTube Page.