WESTBROOK — Republicans convened this week and failed to pick candidates for the majority of the open City Council and School Committee seats.

On Tuesday, the seven republicans at the caucus nominated Deb Shangraw to run for the at-large council seat currently held by John O’Hara, who has chosen not to seek re-election after 20 years on the council.

“I am sad to see John go,” Shangraw said after the caucus. “He has been a fighter for the city of Westbrook.

Although the Democrats have not caucused yet, Shangraw said she is going to have stiff competition from Michael Foley, a former councilor who is expected to be named the Democrats’ choice for at-large councilor at their Sept. 6 caucus.

Shangraw, an active member of the Rotary Club of Westbrook-Gorham and Discover Downtown Westbrook, said now is the time for her to get more involved in city government.

“I am hoping to make a difference. I am interested in the numbers. I am a budget gal and am hoping to affect change. I know we have a lot of issues that people were upset with in the last budget,” said Shangraw. She said if elected she would like to work closer with city administration to assess departmental budgets.

Republicans did not bring forward names for the other City Council seats up for grabs this election cycle, Ward 4, held by Gary Rairdon., and Ward 3, held by Anna Turcotte.

The caucus chose Kristen Beahm to run against incumbent Veronica Bates  for the Ward 2 school committee seat. Republican candidate slots left unfilled on the committee were: Ward 1,  held by Steven Berry; Ward 5, held by James Violette; and at-large, held by Odilia Harmon.

Beahm decided to run back in March and bring her educational background to the Westbrook School Committee.

“Education is my passion,” said Beahm, the assistant director for academic assessment at the University of Southern Maine.

Beahm, a 1986 graduate of Westbrook High School, said she was drawn to the school board because of the work the district is doing with proficiency-based learning, a curriculum system in which students must show they are proficient in content areas before they can move forward and eventually graduate.

“I have seen the results as students from high school come to the college level. You can see the students are better prepared,” she said.

Both Shangraw and Beahm are running for office for the first time.

Caucus Chairman Emily Spencer said Tuesday she hoped Republicans could be recruited for the other seats by Friday, Sept. 7,  the deadline for candidates who have taken out nomination papers to get them back to the city clerk’s office.

The at-large school committee seat “would be a good one to fill if we can,” she said.

City Republicans at the caucus held at Westbrook Community Center also chose new leadership for the party. Betty Dyer was chosen to replace Spencer, who is stepping down as chairman of the Westbrook Republican Committee after holding the post for five years. 

Dyer has lived in the city for the last six years and as committee chairman wants to make the Republican platform more visible.

“I felt as though I wanted to do something to help bring our message to the community and let people see us face to face,” she said.

Michael Kelley can be reached at 781-3661 or [email protected] or on Twitter @mkelleynews.

City Republicans caucused Tuesday to choose candidates for open positions on the Westbrook School Committee and City Council. While no one was named for five of the seven positions, the group did choose Deb Shagraw to vie for the at-large council seat and Kristen Beahm to vie for the Ward 2 school committee seat.