NORWAY — The Select Board voted early this month to terminate its contract with the town’s auditor, citing slow response times and a lack of progress on the 2024 audit.

Norway has worked with Runyon Kersteen Ouellette, or RKO, for the past four years.

According to minutes from the April 2 meeting, the town has paid the firm more than $90,000, including a recent $40,000 payment.

“RKO has had extremely slow response times, upward of several weeks for answers to inquiries,” the minutes read.

The firm also had not provided a draft of the 2024 audit to the town.

At the meeting, Courtenay Dodds, the town’s deputy treasurer and finance officer, recommended ending RKO’s engagement for the 2025 and 2026 audits and hiring RHR Smith & Co. of Buxton.

The Office of the State Auditor reports that RHR Smith & Co. audits more than 175 municipalities in Maine.

Asked this week why the town ended its contract with RKO, Select Board Vice Chair Sarah Carter‑Hill wrote in an email, “From my understanding they were taking an incredibly long time to produce the 2024 audit, overcharging for services, and hadn’t started in 2025 so we have switched auditors to be more fiscally responsible and have timelier results.”

Police Chief Jeffery Campbell, who has also served as interim town manager, said the matter has been referred to the town attorney and declined to comment further.

RKO could not be reached for comment before publication.

State auditor records show RKO signed Norway’s 2021 audit Feb. 4, 2022; the 2022 audit March 26, 2023; and the 2023 audit June 4, 2024.

The auditor’s office, which receives completed municipal audits, also reports that RKO audits 24 municipalities in Maine. Of those, Brewer, Brunswick, Cumberland, Freeport and Long Island have filed their 2025 audits.

Twelve municipalities — Auburn, Bangor, Belgrade, Cape Elizabeth, Falmouth, Gorham, Kennebunkport, South Portland, Saco, Winthrop, Yarmouth and York — have not yet filed their 2025 audits.

Norway, Augusta, Biddeford, Durham, Matinicus Isle Plantation and Monmouth have not filed audits for 2024 or 2025.

Orono is missing audits for 2022, 2023 and 2025.

The audits are available here.

Campbell, a long-term Substitute at Gray/NewGloucester High School and a graduate student at the University of Maine, was a candidate for the Windham Town Council At Large position last fall, a seat eventually won by Katie Cook.

He says that he is running to represent House District 107, representing part of Windham, because he loves Maine and sees it as all our responsibility to make our voices heard in how the state is run.

“As someone navigating the difficult process of settling down, establishing a career, and pursuing higher education, I believe my perspective is representative of many Mainers who don’t normally see themselves in the legislature,” Campbell said. “When elected, I would feel accomplished once I could say that the common-sense goals of owning a home, starting a family, and maybe even retiring someday are more attainable than they were at the start of my term.”

The most significant issue in the race is the rising cost of housing, he said.

“Skyrocketing housing expenses are hurting the whole spectrum of Windham residents, from renters just trying to get by and save, to seniors struggling to afford their family home,” Campbell said. “We need to find a way to grease the wheels for first time buyers, responsibly build enough for supply to meet demand, and decouple critical services like schools from the local mil rate.”

Along with affordable housing, Campbell says ensuring a solid education system would be another of his priorities if elected.

“Schools, students, and teachers are all struggling, and we need to find a way to ensure kids are getting what they need to learn, while teachers and districts have the energy, professionalism, and resources they need to make that happen,” he said. “We expect a lot from teachers, as we should, and they deserve a proportional level of compensation and respect for the work they do. Additionally, academic excellence is only possible when we’re exposed to diverse thoughts and ideas. We need to give kids books and encourage literacy, banning books is never the right way forward.”

Currently finishing a master’s degree in international and political history at the University of Maine, Campbell says that as a historian, he thinks we have a responsibility as citizens of a democracy to do right by the system that people have fought and died for by making sure that we’re an educated electorate. 

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“Working with the kids at the high school is one small way I like to try and do my part,” he said. “It’s really refreshing to see young people working hard and getting ready to enter the adult world, and I think we owe it to them to make sure that that world is something good. As to why I study history, it’s because I believe that just like we learn from our own mistakes and find inspiration in how far we’ve come as individuals, we can do the same as communities. If you look back 90 years ago, Mainers were able to survive the Great Depression, reject fascism, and would go on to weather World War II. If we could make it through those times, we can figure out how to rein in property taxes, give kids a good education, and do something about folks’ CMP bills. This is all very doable, and I like to think that we can make it easier upon ourselves by paying attention to those who came before us.”

According to Campbell, he enjoys living in Windham and says the parks and trails in the town are great recreational opportunities, specifically Black Brook Preserve and Donnabeth Lippman Park.

“My wife Chelsea and I make sure to get outside for a quick picnic, walk, or hike at least a couple of times a week while we’re lucky enough to have some good weather,” he said. “It’s really heartening to see a place like Windham navigate growth and development, while making absolutely sure to carve out and preserve space for nature.” 

If elected, Campbell says that he’d like to see if legislators could find a way to rely less on local property taxes to get the schools what they need.

“We should work toward more equitable state taxes, focusing on those with the ability to pay, while relieving working and middle-class Mainers who may own a home, but aren’t flush with cash,” Campbell said. “That revenue should go toward the school districts, with the added benefit of making sure that your school’s budget isn’t forever tied to the real estate in town. With a responsible budget, working class Mainers could see their mil rate go down, and wealthy Mainers can know that their tax dollars are going toward their children and grandchildren getting a good education.”

Along with Democrat State Senator incumbent Tim Nangle, Republican State Senate candidate Peter Violette and Republic House 107 incumbent Mark Cooper, Campbell’s campaign is funded by the Maine Clean Elections Act. To support any of these campaigns, nonpartisan $5 contributions may be made at maine.gov/ethics website.

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1. South Portland

South Portland has won the past two Class A outdoor track and field championships — and the most recent indoor title — with a similar recipe. The Red Riots have had one or two individuals who can win events, sometimes multiple events, and then lots of quality depth. They appear to have the same combo working this spring, and that’s why they’re the favorites to three-peat. Bossay Ditanduka emerged this winter as one of the state’s top sprinters. He’s a top-three contender in the 100, 200, 400 and long jump. Devin Berry is Class A’s top returning 110-meter hurdler. Michael Lawlor, a senior, has been a key component to each championship as an 800-meter specialist (third at indoor states this winter) and relay runner. Coach Dave Kahill expects points to come in the hurdles from Caleb Ramsell (also a high jumper and triple jumper), Isaac Arey and Gabe Babineau. Ramsell and Arey were fifth and sixth in the indoor hurdles. Ambrosio Mputu (third indoors in 55), Jared LaRose (also high jump and pole vault), Lamed Khelendende and Remy Kiala add sprint depth. Senior race walker Folsom Lamer and junior Anthony Nielsen (sixth indoors in 800) are scoring threats. Lewiston is South Portland’s highest-rated challenger.

2. Portland

The Bulldogs were fifth last year in Class A and graduated some top performers, like 1,600-meter champ Aran Johnson. It’s unlikely this year’s team will have an individual state champion, but it does have seven returners who have placed at a state meet in Brinelle Kubelo (sixth in 110 hurdles), Aziz Mohamed (fifth outdoors and indoors in 400), Liam Alexander (fifth indoors and outdoors in 800), Owen Blades (seventh outdoors in 800), Cordell Jones (fourth in high jump), Ben Mbongo (eighth indoors and outdoors in long jump), and Griffin Lavertu (1,600 relay). Coach Frank Myatt thinks freshman Josh Muanda (fourth indoors in 400) will be a factor in the sprints. The 3,200 relay team won the event indoors and is the defending outdoor champ.

3. Greely

Coach David Dowling points out that the Rangers graduated four multi-event scorers from last year’s team that won the Class B title by 26 points over Lincoln Academy. So a runaway win probably won’t happen, but Greely did claim this year’s indoor crown and has proven returners. Kannon Crocker won the Class B title in 200 and placed in hurdles. Sophomore Jackson Walton was the indoor long jump champ and sixth in the 200. Those two were on Greely’s second-place 400 relay team last spring. Pole vault should also be a strength, with seniors Nate Kim and Camden Wengler, who were third and sixth indoors after placing fifth and sixth outdoors in 2025. Greely showed its depth by winning the indoor 800 relay and placing second in the 3,200 relay.

4. Bonny Eagle

Deering and Gorham are also in the Class A mix to be a top-five team, but we give a slight edge to the Scots’ well-rounded quality. Junior sprinter Drew Gervais is a threat to win both the 100 and 200, with the top time among returnees in both events. Junior shot putter Wyatt Cyr is coming off a second-place showing indoors with a best throw over 53 feet. He will also compete in discus. Senior Caden Cooper has the third-best returning Class A time in the 300 hurdles. Sophomore Ben Havu is an emerging talent in the javelin (No. 2 Class A returner) and triple jump. Dom Metayer (race walk) and Parker Moore (800 and 1,600) are also scoring threats. The sprint relays look strong. Hurdles and jumps are an area to improve.

5. Freeport

The Falcons placed fifth in Class B last spring and second at this winter’s indoor championship. While Greely’s strength is in the sprints, the Falcons have an excellent distance program led by senior Alex Gilbert, who will likely run the 800, 1,600 and 3,200 at the state meet and place in the top three in each — with wins possible at the longer distances. Junior Ian Guzman won the 800 indoors. Brady Webber is a likely scorer in the hurdles and high jump. Tyler Burns was fifth in the indoor triple jump. Senior Jack Brogan is new to outdoor track after placing third in the indoor 400. Senior Dietrick Schulz qualified for states and finished in the top 12 in both shot put and discus last spring.