Five candidates will vie for two Kennebunkport Board of Selectmen seats in the upcoming June 11 election.
The candidates are running on platforms of climate action, affordable housing, and conserving the integrity of small business and small-town charm in Kennebunkport.
At a Candidates’ Night on May 16, members of the public had the opportunity to meet the candidates and learn about why they are running for public office.
Robin Phillips Contributed / Robin Phillips
Robin Phillips
Born and raised in Kennebunkport, Robin Phillips’s parents met at the iconic Colony Hotel, where her mother, who hails from Georgia, worked for one summer in college.
Phillips is a graduate of Kennebunk High School and the University of Southern Maine, where she studied biology and plant science. Currently, she owns a landscape and design business.
As part of the Kennebunkport Conservation Commission, Phillips said she is very interested in preserving the quality and welfare of Kennebunkport, its residents, visitors, and its unique natural resources.
“I hope to keep the character and charm of this town forever,” Phillips said.
Phillips said she is committed to remaining open to different views, and believes the number one challenge facing Kennebunkport right now is the issue of balance between overgrowth and addressing the number of people looking to live in the town.
On the issue of affordable housing, Phillips said she would like to see a more balanced approach, and would like to see more rentals become available.
“I’m concerned about the direction of our character. I see big business being favored over the people who have been here a long time,” Phillips said.
David Bancroft
David Bancroft Contributed / David Bancroft
David Bancroft came to Kennebunkport with his partner, John, about 15 years ago. Like many, they came for a visit and fell in love.
As a graduate of Northeastern University with a degree in business and finance, as well as a master’s degree in public administration from Suffolk University, Bancroft has a background in financial analysis and affordable housing.
“I think I have unique experience in my background to deal with the town,” Bancroft said.
The two biggest issues facing Kennebunkport right now are affordable housing and climate change, he said.
As a selectman, Bancroft said he would work to keep a low mill rate, which would allow longtime Kennebunkport residents to stay in their homes. He would also work to address the issue of climate change.
“I want to see the kids in this community, the young families that I encounter, and our seniors, have a place to stay in this town or come and live in this town,” Bancroft said. “I would be that man.”
Fred Stafford Contributed / Fred Stafford
Frederick Stafford
Growing up in Medford, Massachusetts, Frederick “Fred” Stafford would often travel to Goose Rocks Beach to visit family.
Although he and his wife eventually moved to the Midwest, he always knew they would come back to Kennebunkport. “There’s something about the ocean,” Stafford said. “Once you’ve grown up by the ocean, you have to be by it.”
After returning to Goose Rocks Beach in 2020, Stafford served on the Beach Advisory Committee, as well as the Climate Action Task Force. He believes climate change is the biggest issue facing Kennebunkport today.
Stafford also said he is in favor of small business in the town, and is hugely in favor of residents having a voice.
“My main priorities for this area are the natural beauty of the place and the historic beauty of the place,” Stafford said. “I want to preserve those things as much as I can, within reason.”
Stedman Seavey Contributed / Stedman Seavey
Stedman Seavey
Stedman Seavey has lived in Cape Porpoise his whole life. A graduate of Kennebunk High School, he holds a degree in political science from the University of Southern Maine.
After working in area restaurants and even the old mill, Seavey eventually became “the town grocer,” when he assumed ownership of Bradbury Brothers Market.
“That was one of the best times of my life,” Seavey said.
Seavey has extensive experience serving on the Kennebunkport Board of Selectmen, and served in the Maine Legislature for 14 years.
“I really love serving this town,” Seavey said. “I think I have the institutional knowledge of the town.”
Some of the biggest issues facing Kennebunkport right now are climate, growth and zoning, and taxes and budget, he said.
“I feel the town is becoming too big, too fast,” Seavey said. “I’m not sure how to pull that back, but I think we may lose the charm of the beaches, the salt marshes, and even Dock Square.”
Allen Daggett Contributed / Allen Daggett
Allen Daggett
Allen Daggett comes from a long line of lobstermen. His father was a lobsterman, his grandfather was a lobsterman, and his great-grandfather was a lobsterman.
Fittingly, Daggett first started lobstering at the age of 12, when his father bought him a 10-foot leaky wooden boat.
“We started Cape Porpoise Lobster in 1971, and we also own Daggett Lobster, Port Lobster, and the Chowder House,” Daggett said.
Daggett has experience as a selectman, having served for 18 years. He said the biggest issue facing Kennebunkport is the climate, but he also would like to see growth slow down.
“I’m not interested in seeing a four- or five-story building with 40 apartments in it,” Daggett said. “I don’t want to see a cluster of houses attached to one another.”
Kennebunkport voters will elect two new board members on June 11.
Comments are not available on this story.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
