Candidates running for the Board of Selectmen introduced themselves to an audience of about 20 Wednesday, answering questions from “why are you running,” to their stances on affordable housing and the issue of fireworks in town.

The two candidates who get the most votes Tuesday election will win a threeyear seat on the board.

Wendy Cunningham has lived in town for 20 years, has two children who attended local schools and four grandchildren in Bowdoinham Community School.

“The reason I am running is, people reached out to me,” she said. “Basically it’s time to give back to this town that has really done an awful lot for my family and myself.”

Cunningham emphasized the need for financial stability and “planful” growth and investment. She works at Unum and is on the boards of a couple of nonprofit organizations.

Incumbent Doug Tourtelotte has been a selectmen for three years and said “I know everybody” in the room Wednesday. “I’ve lived in town all my life and actually I was urged to run again and I was surprised how many people took papers out because I thought it would be tough to get people; it’s great!”

Tourtelotte said he’s enjoyed serving and has found it interesting. His priority is to maintain the financial health of the town.

Peter “Tony” Lewis has lived in Bowdoinham since 2005. He is a technologist who worked at Microsoft before moving back to Maine. He now owns his own technology business.

Lewis got involved in the town’s Internet and cable committee because “I live in one of those areas that is not well serviced. Because of my business, I was able to get service to my house quite expensively, and I wanted to help expand the service to the town.”

Told young families are finding it hard to live in town, Cunningham said she doesn’t think is an issue unique to Bowdoinham. “We have the oldest median age of all 50 states in Maine,” she said, “and people are leaving. Certainly affordable housing is a piece of it.”

Tourtelotte, the owner of an excavation company, said he just tried to build some affordable homes in town on Main Street, but it was difficult.

Lewis said “it goes way beyond affordable housing. It goes to the level of salary as it compares to other states and communities.”

On fireworks, Tourtelotte said the town is probably going to revisit the issue. Lewis said the town does need more control regarding use of fireworks. Cunningham said, “It sounds somewhat like people are looking to legislate almost cruel behavior.”

A fourth candidate, Dean Beckwith, did not attend the event Wednesday, but told The Times Record he has lived in town for 15 years, is active in the community and has grown to love the town.

dmoore@timesrecord.com