By Stephanie Grinnell
Staff Writer
Arundel voters headed to the polls June 10 to decide one three-year selectman seat and two school board positions as well as the school department budget.
Voters approved the $6.6 million school budget, which includes money above the essential programs and services (EPS) funding formula to fund tuition for Arundel high school students to attend the high school of their choice. The school budget was approved with 350 “yes” votes to 229 “no” votes.
Thomas Danylik and Troy Parker competed for the one open selectman seat, with Danylik winning by eight votes. Two years ago Parker lost his bid for selectman to David Lane, the current board of selectman chairman, by the same vote count and contested the results,  Parker said he will not contest the outcome this year.
“Eight, that seems to be the magic number,” Parker said with a laugh. “At this point I’m a little too embarrassed to do it [contest the results] again. Eight votes is something that is normally contestable.”
Parker said he does not anticipate running for elected office in the future, but said he hasn’t ruled it out.
“At this point, I couldn’t say one way or another if I will,” he said.
Danylik did not return calls seeking comment as of press time.
Matthew Sylvanus and Alan Richard were elected to the school board, defeating Jon Rennell. 
Sylvanus, who received 325 votes, said he plans to stay open-minded during his first term as an elected official.
“I probably have a lot of learning to do. The only thing I have planned is to stay open-minded, stay fiscally responsible and do what is best for the kids of Arundel,” he said. “I plan to keep an open mind and work hard to keep the townspeople informed and increase the involvement of the public.”
Sylvanus said he has been attending school reorganization meetings and said he feels it will help him as a member of the school board because he has an understanding of the process. The current consolidation plan dictates Arundel join Kennebunk and Kennebunkport schools.
Sylvanus said because he currently does not have a child in school, he is not familiar with curriculum or school operations, but said he looks forward to learning more about it.
Richard won the other school board seat with 286 votes to Renell’s 233 votes. He said though he was elected to a three-year term, it is more likely his term will be one year due to consolidation.
“I don’t think Arundel or Kennebunk will benefit [from consolidation],” Richard said. “I’ve always tried to do the best for Arundel children.”
Richard said this year’s school budget was a “compliance budget,” designed to maintain the current programs without adding a proposed pre-kindergarten program or foreign language program discussed by the last school board.
Richard said it cost the town less money to send Arundel students to Thornton Academy Middle School than it would to send them to the Middle School of the Kennebunks. He said he will fight to keep high school choice for students and to keep Mildred L. Day School open, the only school in Arundel.
“If we lose that [Mildred L. Day] I think Arundel loses its being,” he said.
Residents approved all articles on the town warrant as written June 11 during Town Meeting. The approved warrants amend the land use ordinance and residential growth ordinance as well as provide municipal funding for town departments. The approved municipal budget totaled more than $2.5 million. Town warrant documents may be found at www.arundelmaine.org.