SKOWHEGAN — Four residents are set to face off in a Feb. 11 special election to fill a vacancy on the Board of Selectmen.

Amanda Bisol, shown in this undated photo, is one of four candidates on the Feb. 11 Skowhegan special election ballot to fill a vacant select board seat. Photo courtesy of Amanda Bisol

Amanda Bisol, Whitney Cunliffe, Ester Franklin and John Grohs are set to appear on the ballot.

Polls are scheduled to be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Feb. 11 at the Skowhegan Municipal Building, 225 Water St. Absentee voting is expected to be available beginning Monday, Jan. 13. To request a ballot, voters can go to the municipal building or call the clerk’s office at 207-474-6902.

Whoever wins the election will serve the remainder of former Selectman Charles Robbins III’s three-year term, through June 2026. Robbins resigned, effective Oct. 1, 2024, due to a lack of balance among his elected, professional and personal responsibilities.

The Board of Selectmen, which in recent months has started going by the name Selectboard on some official documents, has five seats and has been operating with only four members since Robbins’ resignation.

Bisol, 39, is a veterinarian who, in addition to her doctorate in veterinary medicine, finished a law degree this year at the University of Maine School of Law. She is a newcomer to town politics.

“This happens to be an open position,” Bisol said in an interview, “so it’s a nice first step to try to give more back to Skowhegan and be more directly involved with the town and the decisions that the town is making.”

If elected, Bisol said she would thoroughly review the town’s budget. Her goal is to continue making Skowhegan a good place for families to raise children and for people to work.

“Overall, I tend to think of myself as very budget conscious,” Bisol said.

Whitney Cunliffe, shown in this undated photo, is one of four candidates on the Feb. 11 Skowhegan special election ballot to fill a vacant select board seat. Photo courtesy of Whitney Cunliffe

Cunliffe, 60, said he would bring his past experience as a certified public accountant, former owner of Whit’s End restaurant and developer of apartments to the job. He said he is running for the seat in response to concerns from town residents about property taxes and public safety issues.

“Our residents are carrying too much of the tax burden, and it’s time to look at smarter ways to manage spending,” he wrote in a statement. “We need to make sure that essential services are funded, but we also need to reduce waste, prioritize spending, and ensure transparency in how major projects are planned and executed. The people of Skowhegan deserve to be part of these decisions, and I’m committed to making that happen.”

Now retired, Cunliffe said he has time to dedicate to elected office and listen to citizens’ concerns.

“I’ve spent years managing budgets and building businesses, and I understand the importance of balancing financial responsibility with investing in the future,” he wrote. “Skowhegan is a community that thrives when we work together, and that’s exactly the approach I’ll bring to the Selectboard.”

Ester Franklin, shown in this undated photo, is one of four candidates on the Feb. 11 Skowhegan special election ballot to fill a vacant select board seat. Photo courtesy of Ester Franklin

Franklin, 50, grew up in the area and returned to Skowhegan after living and working in South Korea and Germany from 2018-23. She works as a school-based clinician for Maine School Administrative District 54 and has a private counseling practice.

Franklin is largely a newcomer to town politics, though she was appointed to serve on the Lake George Regional Park board of directors as one of Skowhegan’s five representatives.

“I am running for Selectperson in Skowhegan because I care about our strength, health, and future,” Franklin wrote in a statement. “My goal is to support initiatives that grow our economy, strengthen our workforce, and preserve what makes Skowhegan unique. This includes responsible budgeting, improving infrastructure, and supporting local businesses and families.

“I am committed to promoting community health — both physical and economic — by advocating for safe public spaces, accessible services, and practical solutions to challenges like affordable housing and workforce development,” the statement continued. “By focusing on these priorities, we can build on Skowhegan’s strengths as a healthy, connected community.”

Grohs, 74, has been involved in municipal affairs for several years in Skowhegan as a member of the Board of Assessors and Budget & Finance Committee and previously served as a selectman in Owls Head.

The retired postal worker and Vietnam War veteran has run for select board in Skowhegan multiple times. He said running for the partial term will help get his feet wet and would be a way of serving the town, which has, at times, struggled to conduct business with an empty seat on the board.

“I see some things that need help,” Grohs said in an interview.

Grohs said his top priority would be controlling spending and the impact on property taxes. Otherwise, he said he has “no axe to grind.”

“We have to watch what we’re spending,” Grohs said. “I guess I’ll be an advocate of watching where our pennies go. Because eventually if you put enough pennies together, they add up to dollars, you know.”