Houlton is seeking people to fill 17 municipal seats for terms ending in November.
The openings include seats on the Town Council, RSU 29 school board, Houlton Water Company, Cary Library and Board of Budget Review.
In November, five of the seven Town Council seats will be up for grabs: three seats with three-year terms, one with a two-year term, and a single one-year spot.
The council openings follow a tumultuous fall in 2025 that led to multiple councilors resigning.
In the wake of former town manager Cameron Clark’s September arrest, five councilors resigned, leaving the town without a governing body until three councilors were appointed for a year.
During his short tenure, Clark was arrested and jailed on felony victim tampering and misdemeanor domestic assault charges. Clark was indicted in December on two felony counts and one misdemeanor related to an alleged domestic violence assault of a dating partner.
In a plea deal this year, Aroostook County Superior Court dismissed felony charges and added a misdemeanor. Clark pleaded no contest to the new misdemeanor count of attempted obstruction of criminal prosecution.
The Town Council initially chose to keep Clark on the job. Councilors Jon McLaughlin and Alexis Brown resigned because they did not agree with the council’s decision. Public unrest tied to keeping Clark on the job reached a boiling point when three municipal departments declared loss of confidence in leadership and a group of citizens took steps to oust councilors.
Clark was then placed on administrative leave in October. That decision led councilors Jane Torres, Jim Peters and Erin Matthews to resign, effectively leaving the town without a governing body.
In mid-October last year, Jeffrey Maguire, Jantzen Craine and John “J.J.” Schools were appointed to serve one-year terms ending at the 2026 November election.
Torres and Brown, who had resigned their seats, remained on the 2025 ballot and were elected to three-year terms. Torres decided to return to the council, Brown did not. Brown led the pack with 698 votes, followed by Torres with 460. Sue Tortello, picked up a third uncontested seat on the council with a one-year term, receiving 1,035 votes. Entrepreneur Fred Grant was appointed to fill the one remaining council seat until the November 2026 election.
The other open town governance seats include: three RSU 29 three-year terms; Board of Budget Review, three, three-year terms, two, two-year terms and one, one-year term; Houlton Water Company directors, two, three-year terms; and one, five-year term for the Cary Library Board of Trustees.
Those seeking office must obtain 70 signatures from Houlton registered voters to be on the November ballot.
Nomination papers are available at the Houlton Town Office, 21 Water St., during normal business hours. Call 207-532-7111 for more information.
[a]byline: Kathleen Phalen Tomaselli, The CountyMerlin: 35043434New Caption: HOULTON, Maine — March 30, 2026 — Houlton Town Councilors Fred Grant, right, and J.J Schools terms will expire in November. There will be five open seats on the council in November. (Kathleen Phalen Tomaselli | The County)
