BRUNSWICK, Maine — It was standing room only in the Brunswick Town Council chambers Monday, as new councilors and school board members took their oaths of office.
The council and board also elected officers during brief organizational meetings after the ceremony.
Kathy Wilson, newly elected councilor at-large, and District 5 Councilor Dan Harris were sworn in for their first terms, along with District 7 Councilor Sarah Brayman, who was re-elected to a second term.
Wilson won election to the open seat in November, defeating opponent John Portela. She is a life-long Brunswick resident and owns a Pleasant Street dog grooming business. Harris, a former Boothbay selectman who moved to Brunswick in 2012, defeated long-time Councilor Gerald Favreau to win his seat.
Brayman was elected council chairwoman and District 2 Councilor Steve Walker was elected vice chairman in a pair of divided votes.
The count was 5-2 both times, with Councilors Kathy Wilson and David Watson voting in the minority.
Councilors Suzan Wilson and John Richardson did not attend the meeting.
Brayman, who served as vice chairwoman last year, said in an interview Tuesday she expects this to be an exciting year for the town.
“I thought it would be the next step in my continuing work on the council,” Brayman said.
The municipal budget likely will be the most challenging part of the council’s work, depending on what impact the state budget has on municipal finances, Brayman said.
School Board
Newly elected District 7 school board member Sarah Singer was sworn in for her first term on the board, while at-large member William Thompson and District 5 member James Grant began new terms.
Singer and Thompson won unopposed elections in November, and Grant squeezed by with an eight-vote margin over his opponent.
William Thompson, who served as vice chairman last year, was elected chairman of the school board in a 7-2 vote, defeating District 2 representative Brenda Clough, who also was nominated for the position. Clough and board member Chris McCarthy supported her bid.
At-large member Joy Prescott was elected vice chairwoman, defeating Clough 6-3. Clough’s nomination for vice chairwoman was supported by McCarthy and District 6 member Janet Conners.