There are three open Rockport Select Board seats up for election June 9 at annual Town Meeting. Four candidates are seeking election to two of the seats that carry three-year terms. Those candidates are incumbents Kimberlee Graffam and Michael Thompson, as well as Samantha Appleton and Darren Robbins.

The one-year seat will fill out the remaining three-year term vacated by Select Board member Michelle Hannan, who resigned from the Rockport Select Board last winter. For that one-year seat, there are three candidates: Linda Greenlaw, Craig Mitchell and Geoffrey Parker.

Penobscot Bay Pilot has posed questions to each candidate, providing the opportunity for the public to better understand their positions on issues. Here, candidate Kimberlee Graffam responds:

Please provide a brief biography of yourself, explain why you decided to seek a seat on the Select Board, and what you are hoping to accomplish.

I was born and raised here, growing up in downtown Rockport.  My childhood was spent walking down the hill to watch Andre perform for the crowds, exploring the beach at Walker Park, visiting the Belted Galloways or galavanting with friends.

I have raised my children here with my husband, Leni, and my family business has been here since 1946. My family has a long history in Rockport dating back to the late 1700s.  Growing up, my Dad was on the Select Board for many years.  I watched him serve the town and felt that I should also give back to the community that I love.  My goal is to continue making decisions with my fellow board members that help the town thrive.  

What are Rockport’s greatest strengths, and how do you hope to support them? 

 Rockport has so many. We have a beautiful harbor with a wonderful working waterfront, public access to floats, beaches and parks, amazing walking trails such as around Beech Hill, a strong sense of community with involvement on our many committees, our emergency services-fire, police and EMS, and our diverse neighborhoods.

What are Rockport’s greatest issues to address? 
Housing, sewer and keeping the budget under control in the challenging economy.

Rockport has several land use ordinance and subdivision ordinance amendments on the June 9 Annual Town Meeting warrant, including adjustments to the zoning map. Have you read through the proposed amendments and do you approve the changes? 

I have and I do.  The current proposed changes, as well as the prior changes are an improvement.  They clean up areas that are in different zones, as well as move along the process for subdivisions.  One of the complaints is how long some of our processes are.  The prior changes are a step in the right direction to encourage more workforce housing projects now that smaller lot sizes are permitted.

The current Select Board has discussed establishing a Regionalization Task Force (April 13 SB meeting, conversations starts at 1:55:34). What is your perception of what that means, and do you have ideas of how Rockport could collaborate with other municipalities to improve on best practices, collaborations, and/or reduce the annual financial load on taxpayers for town operations?

 I think it's too early to say what it will actually look like.  However, there are many ways we can collaborate with our neighbors.  Sewer is a prime example.  Perhaps a sewer district that would pool resources and cut costs across all towns involved.   One of the tasks being put to the departments heads is to take inventory of the current items we collaborate on now with neighbor towns or other communities. 

Fire, police and EMS have been highlighted the most for regionalization.  It was something studied several years ago and is something the task force can look at again to see what savings might be found, if any.  I am looking forward to see what the task force will come up with for ideas.

As a Select Board member, how will you help ensure all villages (Rockville, Glen Cove, Simonton Corner, West Rockport and Rockport Village) all receive equal attention and investment by the town?   

I will listen to concerns from all the neighborhoods and advocate for the issues of the greatest need, no matter where in town it is.  

The town has received a 90/10 grant from the Maine Dept. of Transportation to design (not build) a pathway from the intersection of routes 1 and 90 to the high school, as outlined in the 2024 Sewall Transportation Infrastructure Study for Rockport. Do you support investing in the design and build of a Route 90 pathway?  

I do.  As a parent of children who attend and have attended the high school, it is not safe to walk or bike.  There is not a sufficient buffer to protect pedestrians from the roadway.  To improve the walkability in our town is a goal.  It is the beginning of connecting neighborhoods. 

What is your opinion of the Rockport budget process, the working relationship between the Select Board and the Budget Committee? 

The process itself works very well. By having the joint meetings with the department heads, both the SB and BC hear the same information and have the opportunity to ask questions.  Although each group has a seperate meeting at the end of the process, it feels like a collaborative effort.

How will you advocate for the Rockport taxpayer as you help shape and govern a municipal budget, and juggle various interests that request municipal funding throughout the year?  

Unless I am not understanding your question, we don't juggle additional requests for funding beyond the budget that has been voted on.  However, we do listen to the residents on their concerns for the future budget.  Between working with the town department heads, finance dept and budget committee, we work to make sure that we provide the services that our residents need and do our best to keep costs under control

Have you read the Rockport Municipal Charter and does it need amending? 

I have read it.  Amending the charter was one of the first tasks when I came on the board three years ago.  At this time, I don't see a need to amend it.

Rockport and Camden signed a five-year wastewater agreement in May 2025, which terminated lawsuits between the two towns, and “emphasized their mutual commitment to cooperation and shared goals,” said a two-town press release last year. Do you think Rockport should, for the long term (four years from now), continue sending its wastewater to Camden (and Rockland) or focus on building its own wastewater facility, as it proposed to voters in 2024? That measure failed at the polls but the idea is not forgotten.  

 I believe we should continue with sending wastewater to Camden and Rockland.  As I mentioned in the question on regionalization, perhaps there is an opportunity for a sewer district between the three towns.  The idea of our own wastewater facility came as a solution to the impasse on negotiations with Camden.  Fortunately, the towns were able to come up with a temporary five-year agreement.  Certainly, our own facility is still on the backburner as we don't know what the future will hold in regards to agreements with our neighbors.

How do you see Rockport fitting into the greater regional economy and culture?  

As we are situated nicely between Camden and Rockland, we are a great hub for the area.  Programming and events at the library, Opera House, and marine park bring folks from neighboring towns, potluck dinners at Simonton's Corner Hall and Christmas services at the Rockville Chapel bring the community together,  restaurants and hotels provide stunning views of our harbor for visiting tourist, the school and hospital bring professionals to the area.  The availability of high speed fiber makes our town ideal for bringing in new residents that can live here yet work remotely.

What is the importance of local government, and how do you see yourself, as a Select Board member, in it? 

Local government is incredibly important.  As a Select Board member, it is my job to listen to residents, uphold the town charter, provide guidance to the Town Manager, take advantage of opportunities that are presented, hold committees accountable for their tasks and to be fair and impartial in decisions made for the good of the town.

What municipal committee(s) would you like to be a liaison to, and why? 

I currently serve as liason on the Harbor Committee and Zoning Board of Appeals.  Our harbor is an amazing asset for our community and is important to be a good steward of it.  I am a past ZBA member and felt that this was a good fit.

Free space! Is there anything else you'd like to say to the voters that we haven’t considered?

I certainly have learned a lot in the past three years and have enjoyed it.  I appreciate the trust in me from the town residents and look forward to serving another three years.