CAPE ELIZABETH — Preserving open space and the town’s rural character are major concerns among the three candidates who are running for two Town Council seats in the Nov. 8 town election.

Political newcomer Shannon Auritt of 10 Wainwright Drive and former Councilor Penelope “Penny” Jordan of 21 Wells Road are challenging Councilor Caitlin Jordan of 83 Old Ocean House Road.

The two Jordans are distant cousins, descendants of the Rev. Robert Jordan, who helped found the town in the early 1600s.

Auritt, who moved to town a few years ago, said she decided to run for council because “it’s all the same people all the time, so I thought I’d give it a shot.”

A stay-at-home mom, Auritt, 38, said she was inspired by her experience when she was president of the Pond Cove Parents Association. “I have the time so I thought I’d give back,” she said.

Auritt said she would work to preserve open space, noting that she lives near the Cross Hill neighborhood and has heard gunfire coming from the outdoor range at the Spurwink Rod & Gun Club.

And with two boys in the town schools, Auritt said she wants to make sure the schools provide a quality education for students of all abilities.

Caitlin Jordan, 33, said she’s seeking a third term for the same reasons she first sought office in 2010.

She manages her family’s enterprise, Alewive’s Brook Farm, on Old Ocean House Road.

“I want to make sure Cape Elizabeth stays the way it’s supposed to be – a small, rural town focused on farming and fishing,” Caitlin Jordan said.

“No big city ideals. No overdevelopment. We want to make sure there’s open space and places to run around.”

Penny Jordan, 63, said she wants to return to the council because it’s an important time in town history.

She owns Jordan’s Farm on Wells Road with her brother and two sisters, and she heads the Cape Farm Alliance.

“With Mike McGovern retiring as town manager and that institutional knowledge leaving, it’s really important that people with deep roots in the community be engaged in the transition to a new town manager,” Penny Jordan said.

Penny Jordan said she would strive to ensure that Cape Elizabeth stays “farm-friendly” and continues to embrace its farming and fishing heritage, while also addressing the demands of an ever-changing community that includes professionals.

In addition, Penny Jordan said, she would use her diverse business and organizational experience, including more than 20 years at Unum, to help keep the town financially healthy, make municipal government accessible to all citizens and ensure that the schools meet all students’ needs.

In addition to the council race, two School Board seats are up for election but uncontested; on the ballot are incumbent board member Susana Measelle Hubbs of 18 Belfield Road and Kimberly Carr of 19 Rock Crest Drive.

 

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