SOUTH PORTLAND

Legal marijuana, sewer project are key voting issues

South Portland voters face four referendum questions and a contested School Board race on Tuesday’s ballot.

One question would authorize borrowing $3.5 million to make sewer and stormwater system improvements in the Thornton Heights and Pleasantdale neighborhoods. Another is a citizen-initiated proposal to allow people age 21 and older to possess or use as much as one ounce of marijuana and related paraphernalia.

A third question is a charter amendment that would eliminate voting-district representation on the Board of Assessment Review and the Civil Services Commission.

A fourth question is another charter amendment that would eliminate the requirement to have a polling place in every voting district and allow wardens and ward clerks to be appointed rather than elected.

In the School Board election to fill two seats, incumbents Karen Callaghan, a library aide, and Mary House, vice president of an engineering and management consulting firm, are being challenged by Christopher Hershey, a U.S. State Department official.

CAPE ELIZABETH

Two incumbents on town’s school board face challenger

Two Cape Elizabeth School Board members face an opponent in Tuesday’s election who has significant experience in public education.

One-term incumbents Joanna Morrissey and Elizabeth Scifres are being challenged in a three-way race for two seats by Barbara Powers, recently retired superintendent of Falmouth schools and former teacher and principal in Cape schools. Morrissey is a project manager for 21 Reasons, a coalition that promotes drug-free youth development programs. Scifres is a tennis coach.

Candidates for two council seats are uncontested. Incumbent Katharine Ray is seeking re-election and Patricia Grennon is running for a seat currently held by David Sherman.

CAPE ELIZABETH AND FALMOUTH

Voters asked to approve library upgrades

Voters in Cape Elizabeth and Falmouth will consider multimillion-dollar proposals on Tuesday to upgrade their public libraries.

In Cape Elizabeth, the referendum would authorize town officials to borrow $4 million and spend as much as $4.2 million to renovate and expand the Thomas Memorial Library. The library foundation would raise $500,000 for new furnishings and equipment.

In Falmouth, the referendum would authorize town officials to borrow as much as $2.8 million to cover half of the estimated $5.6 million cost to renovate and expand the Falmouth Memorial Library. The library association is expected to raise the balance.

– From staff reports

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