Kittery voters approve Memorial Field, community center upgrades

KITTERY, Maine — A multi-sport artificial turf playing surface will be installed at the Memorial Field complex and improvements will be made to the Kittery Community Center facility after voters approved a combined $15 million in bonds in Tuesday's election.

Two warrant articles, the first tied to an $8 million bond for Memorial Field upgrades and the other calling for a $7 million bond for the Kittery Community Center project, both passed by wide margins.

Unofficial results released by the town late Tuesday show Question 1 regarding the Memorial Field proposal was approved on a 3,338 to 2,546 vote, while Question 2 passed on a 3,653 to 2,257 vote, according to Town Manager Kendra Amaral.

The push to pass both questions was referred to as the "Recreation for All" initiative.

Some opponents of Question 1 pushed back against the pitch to install artificial turf at memorial Field, citing health and environmental concerns, the state's stance against per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), potential overheating and the prospective turf's life span. However, some Question 1 critics, including the volunteer-run Kittery Climate Action Now group, acknowledged Kittery's need for additional playing surfaces and improvements to existing facilities.

The deteriorating grass Memorial Field will be replaced with an artificial turf playing surface. The $8 million bond will help rejuvenate Tobey Field and Dewolf Field with natural grass, while lights will be added to the fields, parking and vehicle flow through the complex will be improved, and the site will become Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant. The bleachers, batting cages, scoreboard and press box at Memorial Field would all also either be replaced or upgraded, per the warrant article passed by voters.

With the passage of Question 2, a new playground will be built at the Kittery Community Center, as will a splash pad and walking paths. The T-ball field on site will be renovated and an outdoor performance space and pavilion will be brought to the community center, in addition to a new full basketball court, pump track and a community garden. Question 2 also notes the approved funding will result in other site upgrades, including better access to the Rogers Park trails and improved parking and vehicle flow.

Three incumbent Town Council members were re-elected to the body by Kittery residents, defeating a fourth challenger who has run for the Town Council in years past and lost.

Town Council chairperson Judy Spiller, vice chairperson Colin McGuire and member Cyrus Clark are set to start new terms in the coming days, winning a race that included local landlord William Peirce. A previous candidate for the council, Peirce is currently a citizen representative on the Kittery Housing Committee, with a term lasting through the end of 2026, and a member of the town's Board of Assessment Review.

Spiller topped the list with 4,099 votes. McGuire trailed with 3,431 votes, followed by 3,111 votes for Clark and 1,871 ballots cast for Peirce.

All three incumbents were last re-elected in November 2021. Their victories Tuesday guarantees each will serve another three years on the Town Council. Each will begin their next terms this month.

The candidate filing period for the Kittery School Committee resulted in two incumbents - vice chairperson Annie Cicero and member Nikolas Franks - being the lone candidates running for two seats.

The uncontested School Committee election on Tuesday saw Cicero receive 4,234 votes to Franks' 3,626 votes. The two were re-elected to three-year terms on the School Committee.

The committee currently has a vacancy following the recent resignation of former member Benjamin Briggs, who won election in November 2022 but left to move out of state. The timing of his resignation did not allow for the committee seat to be placed on Tuesday's town election ballot, though the town is planning to hold a special election for the spot in early 2025.