Two Candidates Come Forward for Vacant Precinct 2 Council Seat

By Adam Swift

The town council is scheduled to interview two candidates for the vacant Precinct 2 council seat at its next regular meeting on Tuesday, June 17.

Karin Chavis and Michael Kinlin both submitted letters of interest to serve as Precinct 2 Councilor until the November municipal election.

Last month, John Munson resigned from his precinct seat, which was set to expire at the end of 2027.

The council will appoint a candidate to serve until the November election, at which point the position will be on the ballot for a candidate to serve out the remainder of Munson’s term.

Chavis has served on dozens of town and school boards and committees, and has served on the finance commission since 2005 and also currently chairs the Citizens Advisory Finance Committee.

“My hope and vision for Winthrop is a town where people want to live and raise their families,” Chavis stated in her letter of interest. “I also want to continue with all services provided by the Tax Dollar to all the citizens of Winthrop. Public safety and education are priorities and should remain as such.”

Kinlin said he has lived in Winthrop for the past 12 years and is the parent of a Winthrop Public Schools student.

“Precinct 2 deserves a dedicated councilor who is fully committed to understanding and addressing the challenges residents face,” said Kinlin.

Kinlin said some of the challenges facing the town and his precinct include flood mitigation in the Morton, Tilestone, and Girdlestone areas, as well as the ongoing drafting of ADU regulations, airport hazard mitigation, and the construction of the new fire station.

Council President Jim Letterie said the council could vote on appointing the new precinct councilor following the interviews at the June 17 meeting, or it could take the vote at the first meeting in July.

“This process is not unlike any process we’ve had in the past 20 years, we’ve had several instances like this and they have been filled in the same exact manner,” said Letterie.

However, Councilor-at-Large Max Tassinari noted that the Precinct 2 Councilor position was listed under old business on the agenda and made a motion to move the question and vote on the position at last week’s council meeting. Letterie ruled the motion out of order.

Tassinari said he wanted to see the position filled before the council voted on the town budget and capital plan, since there are a number of issues related to flood mitigation in Precinct 2.

“Since Precinct 2 is one of the areas most affected by the flooding, they should really have a say in where we are going,” he said.

Letterie countered that Precinct 2 is not being neglected and that he and other councilors are able to represent its interests while the process moves forward to fill the vacant seat.

“I’ve represented Precinct 2, as well as the town, I’ve represented Precinct 2 for the past 20 years,” said Letterie. “We are 100 percent on time, on schedule with our mitigation of flooding at Tilestone and Girdlestone.”

Tassinari said he believed he did have the right to move the question, and said it was his goal to see Precinct 2 represented as soon as possible.