Arundel reelects Thomas Danylik to select board, Mandy Cummings to school board
Arundel Residents Keep Danylik at Helm of Select Board
ARUNDEL — In a Tuesday election that drew 1,302 voters to the polls, Arundel residents sent a clear message of continuity, returning Thomas Danylik to the Select Board chairmanship and keeping Mandy Cummings on the Regional School Unit 21 school board.
Danylik, who has led the Select Board for the past term, secured 731 votes, easily outpacing challenger Alfred Schutz, who earned 310 votes. An additional 261 ballots in that race were left blank or cast for other candidates, indicating a sizable share of the electorate opted not to weigh in on the contest.
Cummings, the incumbent on the RSU 21 board, garnered 579 votes to 502 for opponent Joshua Allen, with 221 voters choosing to skip the race or write in a different name.
The election also brought a new face to the town’s Budget Board. Melanie Mitchell ran unopposed for the seat and received 999 votes, a strong show of support that essentially mirrored the total number of ballots cast in that particular contest.
Overall turnout represented a substantial portion of the town’s registered voters, underscoring the community’s engagement with local governance at a time when Arundel is facing several key decisions.
Looking ahead, residents will gather Wednesday at 7 p.m. in the Mildred L. Day School for the annual town meeting. At that gathering, voters will consider the municipality’s proposed budget articles for the coming fiscal year, a set of spending plans that will shape services, infrastructure, and tax rates.
One of the more contentious items on the agenda is a proposed mobile‑home lot rent stabilization ordinance. If approved, the measure would shield tenants in the town’s mobile‑home parks from certain evictions and cap the frequency of rent increases. Supporters say the ordinance would provide much‑needed stability for vulnerable residents, while opponents have raised concerns about its impact on property owners.
The upcoming vote follows months of discussion in town council and community forums, reflecting a broader statewide trend of municipalities seeking ways to address housing affordability and tenant protections.
With the election results now certified, local leaders are preparing for the town meeting, where final decisions on the budget and the rent‑stabilization ordinance will be made. The outcomes are expected to set the tone for Arundel’s direction in the coming year.
