YARMOUTH, Maine — Rob Waeldner defeated Joan Dollarhite, 2,557 to 1,484, in the race for an open Town Council seat Tuesday.
Both were newcomers and have never held elected office. The seat was vacated by former U.S. Senate and gubernatorial candidate Steve Woods.
Woods, who served as chairman for three years, resigned the day after losing the June 10 Democratic primary in state Senate District 25.
Waeldner is an attorney in private practice and has lived in Yarmouth for 16 years. He and his wife have three children, in grades 10, 9, and 5 in the Yarmouth school system. Waeldner ran for Town Council in the June 10 election but lost.
Waeldner has been on the Little League board of directors for seven years and has been a mentor in Yarmouth schools for six years. He is also the chairman of the IT Technology Review Board at the Maine Technology Institute. Previously, he was on the Yarmouth Chamber of Commerce board of directors and a Rotary Club member.
Waeldner said he is excited about his first term.
“I’m honored to have been elected by Yarmouth’s voters, and I look forward to the opportunity to serve all the residents of this great community,” he said.
Dollarhite remained positive despite the loss, and said she knows Waeldner will do well.
“I’m disappointed, but know Rob Waeldner will do a great job,” she said. “And I don’t need to be a town councilor to be involved in what’s going on in town.”