ROCKLAND, Maine — Veteran school board member Esther “Tess” Kilgour surprised the community Tuesday by announcing that she was withdrawing from the school board race.
Kilgour said, however, that she was still hoping that the referendum to have Rockland begin the process of withdrawing from the regional school district would be approved by city voters.
Her withdrawal from the race means that incumbent Nancy Jeffers and political newcomer Jesse Butler will be elected to the two open three-year seats to represent Rockland on the Regional School Unit 13 Board.
Kilgour said Tuesday she had not intended to seek re-election but wanted a contested race so that a candidates debate would be held and the issues publicly discussed. That debate was held last week.
Kilgour has served on the local school boards — first for School Administrative District 5 and then RSU 13 — since 2006. She served as chairwoman from July 2012 through March 2014. She works as a medical laboratory technician.
The Rockland woman said she wants to spend more time with her family.
Kilgour said Rockland should approve the referendum so that the benefits of withdrawal could be studied. Last week, she organized a meeting of municipal officials in which the superintendent’s plan to reorganize the schools was sharply criticized. School officials were not invited to the meeting.
The ballot has already been printed with Kilgour’s name on it, and absentee voting has begun. City Clerk Stuart Sylvester said ballots cast for Kilgour will not be counted and that anyone who has already cast an absentee ballot cannot change that now.
The clerk said this was the first time that a candidate has withdrawn from a local race after the ballot has been printed.