WELLS — The town of Wells will hold a municipal election on June 13 to fill one seat on the Board of Selectmen, and one political newcomer has already announced his desire to fill the position.

John MacLeod, 28, a lifelong Wells resident, said he decided to run for selectman because of the love he has for his hometown. He said that upon graduating from high school when most of his friends journeyed from home, he felt compelled to stay.

“The community has always represented something very special to me. … Upon graduating, when everyone was talking about moving out of town, it occurred to me this was not something that I yearned for,” MacLeod said. “I wanted to make my life in my home town.”

That’s when MacLeod started his own business, J.K. MacLeod Landscaping, at age 20, having received numerous support from fellow business owners along the way.

MacLeod, who has been married for eight years to his wife, Desi, said he is is interested in a number of issues that affect those in his community and, if elected, would work to represent the community’s best interests.

In particular, he wants to see the town’s taxpayers get the most out of their community.

“The overall theme … that I am running on is truly representing the voice of the townspeople, as a lifetime resident myself, and protecting our integrity as a community,” he said, continuing on to say he wants to ensure Wells is business-friendly while maintaining its small-town charm. “I want to make sure that our taxpayers are always getting the most bang for their buck when it comes to how our taxes are appropriated.”

But MacLeod also said he wants to serve as someone people can turn to in times of need.

“I have witnessed that when members of our community are hurting, we are able to rally together to help them,” he said. “This sense of honesty, integrity, and helpfulness is something that I would like to have the opportunity to foster and protect for future residents of Wells. When someone is in need, we as a community help them.

“In terms of what I would like to accomplish, regardless of what the issue is, I hope that I can represent our community’s best interests in all matters moving forward and always put the community first,” he added.

Despite having no political experience of his own, MacLeod said he said he has been thinking about running for the select board since he was 18, follows the news closely and has always enjoyed civics as a subject.

Although others have yet to publicly express their interest in the selectman’s role, MacLeod said his age sets him apart from other would-be contenders. He said, if elected, he would bring a fresh, “up-and-coming” perspective to the meeting room that would resonate with younger Wells residents.

“I am just starting out on the path to having my own family, with children who will be raised in our community and attend our schools. I am actively growing my company within the community, and also employing local members of the community,” he said. “Although not all members of the community in my age group are starting businesses, we are all working on establishing ourselves in some way or another.

“I believe my experiences will enable me to understand and represent this segment of our population, while my long-term residency will also help me navigate a common sense approach to handling long running issues in the town,” he said.

And above all else, MacLeod said, he has the drive and determination to get the job done.

“I have a desire to work for our community, as I want our community to continue to work for everyone as it has for me. What I mean by that is our residents,” he said. “I truly believe as a community, we all have each other’s best interests in mind, and will help neighbor or stranger alike. I want to use my experience to foster this great environment and advance us in a meaningful way moving forward.”

Elections will be held Tuesday, June 13. In addition to fulfilling one three-year seat on the Board of Selectmen, the the town is seeking candidates for a three-year term for town clerk, a three-year term for a trustee on the Wells-Ogunquit Community School District Committee, and three three-year and one one-year term for Wells Public Library trustees.

Nomination papers for those seeking to run for office are available now at the Office of the Town Clerk. They are due back May 1.

— Staff Writer Alan Bennett can be contacted at 282-1535, ext. 329 or [email protected].