enlarge Jack Milton/Staff Photographer

A lone voter fills out a ballot Tuesday at the Westbrook Armory during a rainy election day. The only issue on the Westbrook ballot was whether to approve the school budget.

WINDHAM

Voters OK first school budget for new consolidated district

Windham voters on Tuesday approved the first school budget since the towns of Windham and Raymond consolidated districts into Regional School Unit 14 last year.

The $37.4 million budget, approved by a 486-230 vote, would raise the property tax rate in Windham by 22 cents and in Raymond by 28 cents.

The budget eliminates 14 positions, including full-time and part-time support staff and teaching jobs in computer technology, family and consumer services, music and art.

Town voters also approved a plan to borrow money for several capital improvement projects in the schools. The vote on that question was 527-185.

STANDISH

Spencer wins council seat over newcomer Doehler

Voters elected Margaret Spencer to a second three-year term on the Town Council on Tuesday.

Spencer, a retiree, defeated political newcomer Robert Doehler with 55 percent of the vote.

Write-in candidates Arthur Riley, Shawna Haskell, Thomas Lavin and Cynthia Hopkins all earned seats on the budget committee.

WELLS/OGUNQUIT

Residents in both towns OK $20.4 million school budget

Voters approved a $20.4 million budget for the Wells-Ogunquit Community School District on Tuesday.

Wells residents voted for the budget by 827-274. In Ogunquit, the vote was 424-171.

At a town meeting-style vote last month, 23 residents had unanimously approved the budget.

Tuesday’s vote was needed to validate the May decision.

Under the budget, the property-tax rate in Wells will increase by 5 cents per $1,000 of assessed valuation.

Ogunquit’s tax rate will fall by 5 cents per $1,000.

SACO/OLD ORCHARD BEACH/DAYTON

Voters reject $43.5 million budget for school union

Voters on Tuesday rejected a $43.5 million budget for a new school union that includes Saco, Old Orchard Beach and Dayton.

The overall vote was 825-761. The budget was rejected in Saco (410-371) and Dayton (211-70) and passed in Old Orchard Beach (320-204).

As a result, the towns must hold another referendum in the future to pass a school budget as required by state law.

The Saco City Council decided not to support the Regional School Union 23 budget, which represents an increase of about 4.2 percent over the combined towns’ school budgets for the current year.

Among the budget details prompting opposition were salary increases for workers under contract. Board member Gary Curtis noted that the new school union expects a $400,000 increase in state funding, but also has some increased costs.

WELLS

Foley, Ekstedt roll to victory in six-way selectmen race

Robert Foley and Karl Ekstedt were elected in a six-way Board of Selectmen race Tuesday.

Foley, a former selectman, had 698 votes, and Ekstedt, general manager and president of Oceanside Rubbish, won 618.

Incumbent Joan Mooney, the board chairwoman, lost her bid to win a second term. 

    Mooney had 415 votes, former town employee Scott Hilton had 95, firefighter Christopher Brassard had 94 and Wilber Gosbee, a Navy engineer, had 78.

A major issue in the election was economic development, particularly filling the space created by the closing of RR Donnelly.

Rules regarding large-scale water extraction were also a factor. The attention to that issue stems from a now-abandoned proposal that would have allowed Poland Spring to buy water from the Kennebunk, Kennebunkport and Wells Water District.

Mooney, the owner of an antiques business, supports rules that would effectively bar large-scale extraction. Gosbee is chairman of the committee crafting...