Kennebunk Select Board recently elected its officers for the coming year. Shiloh Schulte was named chair; Kortney Nedeau, vice chair and Lisa Pratt was named secretary of the seven-member board. Courtesy photo/Town of Kennebunk

KENNEBUNK – The select board recently elected a veteran member as its new chair.

Shiloh Schulte, who served as vice chair, was elected chair by his peers in a 4-3 vote, with board members Miriam Whitehouse, Lisa Pratt and Leslie Trentalange dissenting.

The vote, on July 12, came at the first meeting of the new board following the June elections that saw Whitehouse and Trentalange elected to the seven-member board. Incumbent Blake Baldwin was defeated in his bid for re-election. Member Frank Paul did not seek another term..

In Kennebunk, select board officers are selected by a vote of their fellow board members.

Schulte, in his seventh year as a board member, was nominated by Kortney Nedeau, who described him as neutral, calm, and possessed of an even demeanor. She said Schulte is “very rational, and a great leader.”

The board elected Nedeau as vice chair and Pratt as secretary; both had first been nominated for chair at the meeting. Nedeau said as much as she appreciated the nomination, she supported Schulte, and bowed out of the running.

In his remarks near the end of the meeting, Schulte said there is much work to be done.

“… the board has changed so much in 13 months,” said Schulte. “There has been a huge amount of turnover and change, energy and excitement – and broadening of the perspective, thoughts, and energy that’s come to this board since June of last year. I hope everyone in the town recognizes that and is willing to be patient with us. We have a ton of work to do and have done a huge amount over the last 12 months; a huge amount of work. ”

A wildlife biologist in avian ecology and conservation, Schulte coordinates the oystercatcher recovery program at Manomet, formerly known as Manomet Bird Observatory.

Schulte said he is happy to serve.

“There will be a learning curve and growing pains,” he said. He said the board will need to spend time sorting priorities, and do a lot of work.

“I’m certainly up for the challenge, and I think everyone else is,” he said.