Orono City Council forum spotlights preservation, public safety and cybersecurity

The League of Women Voters hosted a candidate forum for two Orono City Council seats featuring candidates Maggie Ahrens, John Schwengler and Scott Wellman. Moderator Deb Brinkman outlined rules and opening statements proceeded in alphabetical order.

The candidates prioritized preserving Orono’s natural resources and parks, while debating the balance between privacy and public safety over automated license-plate readers. Maggie Ahrens said the city should be fiscally responsible while protecting nature and cited a community survey that found “93% of our residents rated the natural beauty of our city to be highly important.” John Schwengler emphasized his experience on the planning commission and the council’s collaborative, common-sense approach. Scott Wellman highlighted both environmental stewardship and his cybersecurity background as complementary qualifications.

The forum also covered the 2050 comprehensive plan, variances for lakeshore properties, budget strategy, cybersecurity for municipal systems and tree management in parks. The event closed with reminders about early in-person voting at Orono City Hall and resources at lwvlmpa.org and vote411.org.