DURHAM — Three incumbents are running for office in next month’s town elections.

Uncontested for re-election is Selectman Richard George and Regional School Unit 5 Director Candace deCsipkes.

Last year, George, 42, defeated former Selectman Barry Baldwin for a one-year seat on the board. George served the remaining term of Selectman Joshua Libby, who resigned in January 2017, citing professional and personal reasons.

George is a 15-year resident of Durham. He graduated in 1994 from Brockton High School in Brockton, Massachusetts. He served in the Navy from 1994 to 1998 as a medic and has taken business classes from Viterbo University based in La Crosse, Wisconsin.

This is his second political race.

George owns and operates 10 national franchises, eight Subways and two Aroma Joe’s, and works from his corporate office in Brunswick. He also volunteers in Durham as a basketball and softball coach, as well as school programs throughout the year.

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“I think we had a pretty busy agenda this year with a relatively new board,” George said March 6. “We got a lot accomplished, but still have some unfinished work to do that I’d like to follow up on.”

deCsipkes, 69, is a retired educator. She bought her house in Durham in 1978. After her husband died in the late 1990s, she moved away for several years before returning in 2001.

This will be her third term on the school board. In the 1980s, deCsipkes served for a few years when Durham was part of School Union 30 with Lisbon.

She is also chairwoman of Durham’s Historic District Commission and is a member of the historical society.

“I feel strongly about education and wanted to stay involved,” deCsipkes said March 6. “RSU 5 is a great school system. My goal is to help it continue to be one of the best for our children while always looking to respect the taxpayers with our budget proposals.”

Three seats are also being vacated on the Budget Committee in April, but only one candidate, neophyte Neil Berry, turned in nomination papers. Leigh Fisher and Vice Chairman Terri Kirk will not seek re-election. The third seat was left vacant last fall when Christina Libby resigned.

Town Administrator Ruth Glaeser said she hopes the two write-in candidates who receive the most votes will accept the other seats on the Budget Committee.

“I’ve never seen something like that go to a special election in my time here,” she added.

Voting will be held from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday, April 6, at the Durham Community School. The annual meeting will follow at 9 a.m. Saturday at the school.


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