Hohl

Newcomers Anneke Hohl and Megan Lichter of Cumberland were the winners in last week’s election to fill two seats on the SAD 51 Board of Directors, unseating Jared Levin in the three-way race for two seats.

Hohl received 1,000 votes, Lichter 967 and Levin 807. A total of 3,338 Cumberland residents, or about 22% of the town’s registered voters cast ballots in the June 13 election, according to unofficial election results from the town clerk.

Lichter and Hohl, in interviews late last week with The Forecaster, discussed the importance of community engagement to advance the Cumberland-North Yarmouth school board’s plans for a new elementary school. Both said they voted in favor of the school referendum that was defeated at the polls last year.

“I think a lot of it is going to come down to communication and community engagement,” Hohl said. “We have to find that balance.”

The school board has done the best they can in adding temporary space for the overcrowded schools, they said. Soon, however, adding more portable classrooms will not be an option because there won’t be any more places to put them, Lichter said.

They also cited the need to support teachers’ and staff members’ well-being and morale.

Lichter

“We need to dig into how we can help make sure we’re supporting them and hearing what some of the issues are,” Hohl said.

Meanwhile, voters in both Cumberland and North Yarmouth voters passed the $47 million school budget June 13. The vote was 1,138 to 545 in Cumberland and 827 to 340 in North Yarmouth.

The budget results in a property tax rate increase of 61 cents, or about 2.9%, in Cumberland, and 47 cents, or 2.6%, in North Yarmouth, according to the school district. The owner of a home valued at $400,000 in Cumberland will pay $244 more in school taxes and the owner of a $400,000 home in North Yarmouth will see their school tax bill go up $188.

Voter turnout in North Yarmouth was 31%.