ELECTIONS

When: June 9, 2026 Time: 8:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Location: 257 Limerick Road, Arundel

RSU 21 SCHOOL BOARD – THREE-YEAR TERM
Two candidates running for one seat.

JOSH ALLEN

Tell us a little about yourself:  For more than 19 years, Josh Allen has worked as a civilian supporting the United States Navy, with 11 years managing budgets and making financial decisions in environments with limited and often inconsistent funding. That experience has taught him how to “do more with less” while staying accountable and focused on what matters most.  Allen is the son of a retired teacher and a parent of an incoming kindergartener, giving him both educator and family perspectives. He also coaches tee ball with Kennebunk Little League and previously KAK Basketball.  A resident of Arundel, Allen is committed to utilizing what he’s learned over his career to benefit the community, starting with the students.

What is your reason for running for this office? Josh Allen is running for the RSU21 School Board as his child prepares to enter the school system, making this a deeply personal decision. He believes every parent should feel confident their child is safe, supported, and given every opportunity to succeed. The decisions made today will shape the future of every student in the community.  Through his experience managing taxpayer dollars, Allen has developed a disciplined and accountable approach to decision-making. He aims to bring that experience to the local level where it can have a direct impact.  RSU21 is a leader in Maine’s educational system, and Allen is committed to protecting that standard while continuing to strengthen it.

What are your priorities should you be elected? Josh Allen’s priorities focus on supporting students and educators by directing resources where they are needed most.  He believes classrooms must have the tools and support required for success. He plans to review and update district policies to reflect today’s real world challenges facing students, families, and staff.  He believes policies should be clear, practical, and built to deliver results for the community. Allen views fiscal responsibility as essential and believes taxpayer dollars must be managed with discipline, transparency, and a focus on results that directly benefit students.  Strong schools start with smart decisions, and Allen is committed to delivering responsible leadership for the RSU21 community.

MANDY CUMMINGS

Tell us a little about yourself: I am Arundel parent with a child in RSU 21. My background is in public finance, HR, and labor management spanning 15+ years of Maine municipal service. I have a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and Accounting. I was unanimously appointed by the Arundel Select Board to fill the vacated RSU 21 School Board seat. I was elected to complete that remaining term in June 2025 and am now seeking my first full three-year term. No other elected offices held.

What is your reason for running for office: I was appointed and got straight to work. One year in: three union contracts, a new superintendent, and meaningful progress on policy and HR. The board is in a good place and I want to build on that. Our community deserves a board focused on kids and schools, not on itself. I am running to finish the work and keep us moving in the right direction.

What are your priorities should you be elected? First, curriculum direction. RSU 21 needs stronger science programming and a more thoughtful, evidence-based approach to technology in the classroom. Second, fiscal stewardship. Schools are the largest driver of local property taxes and every dollar must be spent with accountability. Third, governance clarity. Boards set policy and superintendents execute it. I will hold that line and ensure decisions are made transparently and in public.

The biggest challenge is fiscal, maintaining program quality as state funding formulas shift against districts like RSU 21. We will likely see reduced state subsidy at the same time local taxpayers are being asked for more. The biggest opportunity is the talent already in our buildings. RSU 21 has strong educators and family communities. The board’s job is to give them clear policy, adequate resources, and the institutional trust to do their work well.

I would formalize what information the board receives before being asked to make decisions. Read-aheads, clear policy on what comes to the board before major program or budget changes, and a shared understanding that the superintendent executes but the board sets direction. Not every decision is ours. But learning about significant changes only after they happen is not governance either.

BUDGET BOARD

MELANIE MITCHELL, unopposed candidate

Tell us a little about yourself: I am a dedicated wife, mother of four, and proud grandmother of nine. With a strong commitment to community service, I served as President of the Arundel Historical Society and volunteered at ML Day School.  I also contributed several years as an appointed member of the budget board and was once successfully elected as a write-in candidate. My professional background includes experience in sales and marketing, where I honed skills in communication, relationship building, and strategic planning.   I am passionate about fiscal responsibility and community engagement, and I look forward to bringing my leadership and public service experience to this role.

What is your reason for running for this office? I am running for the Arundel Budget Board because our community is growing rapidly, and strong fiscal responsibility and oversight are more important than ever.  With several years of experience as an appointed budget board member and having been successfully elected as a write-in candidate, I am deeply committed to ensuring taxpayer dollars are spent wisely and transparently.

It is both my civic duty and personal passion to give back to the town I love.  I want to help maintain Arundel’s affordability, protect essential services, and make prudent financial decisions that support sustainable growth for current and future residents.

What are your priorities should you be elected? If elected to the Arundel Budget Board, my top priorities will be ensuring fiscal responsibility and providing strong financial oversight as our community continues to grow. I will work collaboratively with the Town Manager and Town Boards, and department heads to promote sustainable, balanced growth while protecting taxpayer dollars and maintaining essential services.  By carefully reviewing budget requests and making prudent recommendations, I aim to support Arundel’s long-term affordability, fiscal health, and quality of life for current and future residents.

SELECT BOARD – THREE-YEAR TERM
Two candidates running for one seat.

THOMAS DANYLIK

Tell us a little about yourself: My name is Tom Danylik.  My wife Nancy and I have been residents in the Town of Arundel for over 38 years.  We raised two children both of whom attended The Mildred L. Day School.  I have been a practicing attorney with a firm in Biddeford for over 40 years.  I first became a member of the Town Select Board in 1992.  Since that time, I have also served on two Comprehensive Plan Committees, two Charter Amendment Committees, two Town Manager Search Committees, and participated in the new municipal building process and completion.

In my younger days, before school consolidation, I coached The Mildred L. Day School boys basketball and baseball teams.  After consolidation, I was able to convince the Town Recreation Director to let me coach the recreational basketball team which I did for a number of years.

It has been a pleasure serving this community and I hope to be able to continue to do so.

What is your reason for running for this office? I am again running to continue to serve as a member of the Town’s Select Board to carry on and when appropriate, improve the policies that the Select Board has implemented or adopted over the years that I have been serving, which policies, I believe, have been beneficial to the community. 

If I am allowed the privilege to again serve, I will continue to advance those attributes of our Town in order to confirm that Arundel is a community that will continue to be known as one of the best places in Maine to live (see Downeast Magazine). 

What are your priorities should you be elected?       

            1.         To continue to monitor and justify property taxes pursuant to sound budgetary evaluations;

            2.         To complete the fire station expansion;

            3.         To maintain a respectful and collegial relationship with other Board members and the citizens of the Town even in those circumstances when priorities don’t align.

ALFRED SCHUTZ

This candidate did not respond to our request for information.