This May, Boothbay voters will consider four candidates for two selectmen seats. Three challengers and one incumbent have taken out nomination papers to serve on the select board. Challengers Kristina Ford and Jennifer Ziegra were the first two candidates to turn in theirs, followed by planning board member Mike Tomacelli and incumbent Stephen Ham who returned their papers by the March 17 deadline.

Residents will vote for two candidates. The two with the most votes earn three-year terms. For the challengers, this is the first time they’ve run for selectman. Ham is a five-term incumbent.

Ford, 71, is a former planning board member. She served from 2003 to 2007 and was chairman for three years. Ford moved to East Boothbay 17 years ago. She has a Ph.D. in regional and urban planning. Ford worked as a city planner for New Orleans before moving to Boothbay.

Ford also taught land use planning and public policy at the University of Southern Maine’s Muskie School and Bowdoin College. In making decisions, Ford said she has an open mind.

“As planning board chairman, I had a reputation for being fair and a good listener. I like to ask questions and articulate answers in coming to a decision,” she said.

Ford also wants to provide more economic opportunities within the region and more community action toward resolving the heroin problem.

Ford was born in California. She graduated Michigan State University with degrees in mathematics and business administration. She and her husband moved to Boothbay in 2001.

Ham is finishing his 15th year as a selectman. He was born in Boothbay Harbor and moved to Boothbay in 1974. Ham, 67,  is a former school bus driver and is now employed as a commercial bus driver. For decades, Ham was self-employed as a building contractor. He is seeking another term to remain involved in several municipal projects currently taking place. He believes his experience and leadership would benefit the town in guiding these projects toward completion.

“The town has seen a lot of changes, recently,” he said. “There’s a lot of things happening, and we need people with an open mind and positive attitude to guide us in the right direction.”

Ham is a Boothbay Region High School and Southern Maine Vocational Technical Institute graduate. In 1970, he received a degree in oceanography.

Tomacelli owns Mid-Coast Machine located in the Boothbay Industrial Park. He began the business over 27 years ago. Tomacelli would like to apply his business experience and problem-solving ability to town government. Tomacelli believes continued economic development,  expanding year round employment opportunities, and creating affordable housing are important to the town’s future.

“Hopefully, this will encourage young families to remain or relocate into this area and enhance school enrollment which is currently in decline,” he said. “Additionally, maintaining the balance between small town character and future development are also important to the community.”

If elected to the select board, he would resign as a planning board member due to the town’s administrative code restricting membership on multiple boards.

Tomacelli grew up in Massachusetts and graduated from Needham High School. he received a mechanical engineering degree from Wentworth Institute in Boston. Having lived and worked in Boothbay for nearly three decades, Tomacelli believes he has certain skills important to being a selectman.

“My ability to listen, communicate and apply common sense are strengths I’d bring to the town as a member of the board of selectmen,” he said.

Jennifer  Ziegra, 51, is a registered nurse and a health coach. She works for a company contracted by Bath Iron Works providing health services at the shipyard. She received a bachelor of science degree in animal and veterinary science  from the University of Maine in Orono. Later, she pursued becoming a registered nurse at the University of Maine at Augusta.

Ziegra has been active in the Congregational Church of Boothbay Harbor as a Sunday school teacher and youth group leader. Now that her children are older, she believes it’s the right time to become more involved in town governance.

“I want to become more involved and do something beneficial in the community,” she said. “I’m not going into this with any agenda. I think it’s important to promote fiscal responsibility and economic growth while  preserving the essence of Boothbay.”

The May 1 municipal ballot will feature one other contested race. Former board member Bill Bailey and Kari Babcock are vying for an open three-year term on the Community School District Superintending Board.  The other offices are uncontested. Gaecklein Road resident Kevin Anthony is seeking election as the town’s representative to the Boothbay Region Water District.

He also serves as the town’s trustee on the Community School District’s board. He won re-election last year to a second term. If elected, Anthony would continue serving as a CSD trustee.  

Other residents seeking municipal offices are Lorraine Hodgdon, cemetery district; and Ashleeann Lowery, CSD trustee.