Harpswell Select Board member Jane Covey has decided not to seek reelection to the three-member body, citing personal and family reasons. In addition, the town’s tax collector, Jill Caldwell, is retiring after 20 years in the position.
Meanwhile, Cundy’s Harbor lobsterman Matt Gilley, who serves on multiple local boards, is running to fill Covey’s seat and has already submitted his nomination papers. Deputy Town Clerk Tracy Gaudet has taken out nomination papers to replace Caldwell.
Harpswell residents will vote for one Select Board member and one school board member in the town election in March. They also will fill the positions of town clerk and tax collector. Each winner will serve a three-year term.
Two incumbents are seeking reelection in March: Maine School Administrative District 75 board member Ryan Larsen and Harpswell Town Clerk Cathy Doughty.
Larsen, of Harpswell Neck, works in merchandising and product development for L.L. Bean. He has three kids, two enrolled in local schools and one recent graduate. Both he and Doughty are running for their second terms, although Doughty previously served 18 years as deputy town clerk.
Doughty said in an email that she is running for reelection “because I absolutely love my job and serving the community of Harpswell.”
To appear on the ballot, a candidate must take out nomination papers, collect signatures from 25 to 100 registered voters, then return the papers to the Town Office by Jan. 7. According to Doughty, no other residents had taken out nomination papers for any of the four local races as of Friday, Dec. 13.
Covey said she is honored to be serving her second term on the Select Board, but that she isn’t seeking a third.
“I will not be running again, for personal and family reasons,” she said in an emailed statement. “I leave the board with thanks for the learning and connections with so many in the community that serving has offered me.”
Covey said it has been a privilege to work alongside Select Board Chair Kevin Johnson and member David Chipman, as well as town staff and volunteers who work tirelessly for the community. She expressed a deep appreciation for their contributions.
“Harpswell has a bright future, not because we are without challenges, but because we are rich in history, culture, diversity of experience and common sense that enables us to meet them effectively,” Covey said. “I expect that our next elected Select Board member will bring new energy and perspectives that serve the town well.”
Gilley said running for Select Board is the next logical step in his ongoing effort to bring a fresh perspective to town government and represent the interests of local fishermen. He already serves on seven state and local boards and committees.
“We’ve had older selectmen in town for quite some time now, and I’d just like to see somebody a little bit younger get in there with some different ideas,” the 40-year-old Gilley said in an interview. “I’d also like to see a fisherman on the board — we still have a lot of fishermen in town.”
Larsen said he wants to continue his work on the school board to ensure the quality of education for his daughters and the rest of the student population.
He said high-quality education “not only serves as the foundation for our communities but is the most important investment we can make for the future.”
Gaudet, who grew up in Brunswick and moved to Harpswell in 2000, became deputy town clerk in 2021. She said working for Harpswell has been “a wonderful opportunity and blessing.”
Gaudet said she viewed Caldwell’s decision to retire as an opportunity to learn and take on new responsibilities, “and I just couldn’t pass it up.”
“I’ve been intermittently shadowing and cross-training for the last few months in the tax office,” Gaudet said via email. “There is a lot to learn, but I am excited for the challenge.”
