Kara Walker defeated Phil Lindley in the race for Hallowell’s Ward 3 council seat, according to unofficial election night results.
The vote total was 253 to 115.
Walker, 40, who is not related to Hallowell Mayor Mark Walker, is the director of the Central Maine Regional Resource Center in Lewiston and has never held public office.
Walker, married to Hallowell harbormaster and Planning Board member Dan Davis, said she her experience building coalitions with competing agencies is a skill she thinks fits nicely in Hallowell. Walker said having a fresh set of eyes to look at the challenges facing Hallowell in the coming years is important, and she said she’ll bring a new energy and a unique perspective to help the city move forward.
Part of Walker’s job includes working with hospitals, public safety departments and emergency management organizations to plan for emergency situations. She thinks her experience communicating with all of these agencies will translate into the ability to communicate with the nearly 2,500 residents of Ward 3, in central Hallowell, about everything happening in the city.
Lindley, 66, spent 15 years on the council and said his experience is exactly what Hallowell needed to handle challenges in connection with the Stevens Commons redevelopment, the Water Street reconstruction project, Central Street parking and the city’s fire protection services. Lindley, who is married to Regional School Unit 2 board member Dawn Gallagher, is the executive director of the ConnectME Authority.
The other three Hallowell City Council seats were won without opposition. Lisa Harvey-McPherson was re-elected to the Ward 5 council seat.
Lynn Irish ran uncontested for an at-large seat currently held by Alan Stearns, who did not seek re-election. Maureen Aucoin-Giroux ran unopposed for the Ward 1 seat currently held by Kate DuFour, who did not take out papers seeking re-election. Aucoin-Giroux was Hallowell’s Code Enforcement Officer for about six years until June, and she served as the interim City Manager after the unexpected death of Stefan Pakulski in March.
Gallagher ran for re-election without opposition for her seat on the RSU 2 board.
Jason Pafundi — 621-5663
Twitter: @jasonpafundiKJ
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