By Nate Jones

Staff Writer

Buildup for this year’s presidential election is likely to drive more voters to the polls than many previous, but for Scarborough residents the November ballot will include many names much closer to home. This year three of the seven council seats are up for election, and two longstanding councilors – with nearly 20 years combined experience – are ready to pass the reigns. 

Council Chairman Jeffery Messer said he has been “termed out,” prohibited from running again by the town charter.

“Even if I could I would not be running again,” he said. “Twelve years is a long time. It’s time for new people to come forward.”

Councilor Sylvia Most said she wasn’t seeking reelection due to time constraints caused by other commitments, including helping Susan Collins with her campaign.

“Seven years is a long time and I’m ready for a break,” she said. 

Councilor Ronald Ahlquist’s seat is also up for grabs, and Town Clerk Tody Justice said he filed for re-election. Only one other Scarborough resident had filed his nomination papers with the clerk’s office the day before the town’s deadline, and he’s no stranger to town hall. From 2002 to 2007, Shawn Babine served on the council alongside Messer and Most before taking a year off because of a “work commitment.” 

“I was working in Burlington Mass., and then I had to be on the road to Philadelphia a lot,” he said. “My available time didn’t coincide with the council so I retired one year earlier than my full term allowed.”

Now Babine said he’s confident his employer and family are ready for him to return to local politics. Babine said the current council was “stagnant” but “stable and moving forward,” and he was looking forward to working with a new town manager as well as the new faces on the council. 

“[Messer and Most] stepping down leaves a tremendous gap on that council,” he said. “The new town manager will hopefully provide us with some new opportunities. Whenever you have a transition or new management you hope it’s not the ‘same old, same old.’”

Both Babine and Messer said they were surprised no other resident had filed for the remaining open council seat as of press time Tuesday. 

“With all the conflict that comes up from time to time you would think there’d be more interest in being on the council,” Messer said. “Pine Point Beach and Higgins Beach usually have something going on, and Maple Avenue has drainage issues. There’s lots of stuff that generates interest on sort of a ‘one-issue-wonder’ basis.”

Babine said he believed residents were most noticeably concerned about the recent proposal from Scarborough Downs to develop a 220 acre “town village center” on the Downs parcel as long as voters agree to include slot machines in a new and improved Scarborough Downs racetrack facility. 

“The racino and the economic development piece are very different issues to me,” he said. “The Downs is merging them together. The council has a responsibility to listen, even if they don’t like what being proposed, ask questions and see what the plan is about.”

Justice said if no other nomination papers were filed for the remaining open seat it could be filled by a “write-in” candidate. Unlike some municipalities, Scarborough’s write-in candidates do not have to send a letter to the Secretary of State to run for office, she said.