It’s a three-way race to represent Buxton, Dayton, Hollis, Old Orchard Beach and Saco in York County Commission District 3. The winner Nov. 4 will serve a four-year term that begins in January. Incumbent Democrat Daniel Cabral of Saco is challenged by Republican Marston Lovell, also of Saco, and independent Roger Hicks of Hollis.

”¢ Cabral, 50, an attorney, is seeking a third commission term. He is married and previously served on the Saco and RSU 23 school boards. He sees his role as a financial steward, “making sure people’s taxes are spent efficiently and in a fiscally responsible manner,” he said. Soon after his first election, the commission was informed the county was running close a $1 million deficit in the undesignated fund. Since then, he said, there’s been a turnaround, and now, the undesignated fund is close to $4 million.

“We’re now running a much more professional organization,” said Cabral, who points to the creation of a finance director’s position and a human resources director. “Our credit has improved, and we were able to refinance (debt) at a lower rate.”

An uptick in the real estate market has helped bring in more revenue through the Registry of Deeds, and Cabral believes union contracts are in line for workers, the county and the taxpayer.

He said state funding for the consolidated jail system remains at 2009 or 2010 levels. He called the 2008 consolidation mandated by the state, “hastily thrown together” to alleviate a state prison problem.

Cabral questioned the fiscal prudence of Lovell, one of his challengers, saying Saco City Council voted to raid its fund balance “year after year” when Lovell was a councilor.

Cabral’s critics charge that he doesn’t visit with the councils and select boards in his district. He said only one community had extended an invitation, and he couldn’t attend that evening because of a conflict with his job.

Cabral receives health insurance benefits through the county, which has been a has been a sore point with the county budget committee. He noted it is allowed under the county’s policies, and said others received it before him.

”¢ Hicks, 56, is retired after a 25-year career with York County Sheriff’s Office and works as a part-time safety officer for a trucking firm. He is deputy fire chief in Hollis and a member of the county Haz-Mat team. He and his wife have two sons, a grandson and are expecting a second grandchild in February.

He said, if elected, he’d meet quarterly with councils and selectmen’s boards in the district, pointing out that if there’s no communication between commissioners and the municipal officers, then there’s no representation.

Within the county government, Hicks said he will be a visible commissioner and plans to meet the employees and get to know them. He said the commission should conduct its meetings in the evenings, instead of at 4:30 p.m., when most people are working. He also hopes to forge a closer relationship with the county budget committee.

Hicks expressed concern at the cost of contracted dispatching service through Sanford at about $515,000 for the current fiscal year, and advocates both exploring existing alternatives or looking at re-establishing a county dispatch service.

He also advocated for pooling together with other some other counties, like Cumberland and Oxford, on purchasing to save money.

“Every county buys office supplies, cruisers and uniforms,” he said. “When you forge a partnership, you can accomplish a lot. You’ve got to treat the taxpayers’ money like your own.”

Hicks said he’s firmly against health insurance or stipends in lieu of insurance for county commissioners and would like to review the definition of a county official. He said the elected registers of deeds and probate and the elected sheriff work a 40-hour week, but county commissioners do not.

”¢ Lovell, 68, is a semi-retired financial accountant. Married, he has two children and three grandchildren, and served three terms on the Saco City Council. He’s been a vice president of the Maine Municipal Association and a member of MMA’s legislative policy committee. Lovell said he’s more familiar with elective government than Hicks, and said he has broader experience than Cabral.

He believes York County should reestablish a dispatch department.

Lovell expressed concern over the falling out between county commissioners and the budget committee, and said the taxpayers had to pay two sets of legal fees when the budget panel sued the commission for a ruling on the independence of the budget panel.

“I’m about communicating and accounting and finance,” he said.

Lovell said his years as a military reservist taught him management skills.

He said he’s not all that concerned about county commissioners receiving health insurance benefits but knows there are constituents who are, so he’s willing to look at it and discuss the issue.

He said the county’s website needs an overhaul, and that the commission itself needs one, too.

He pointed out that the commissioners preside over a budget that is as large as the municipal budgets in the county’s cities.

“They communicate so poorly, and there’s a purpose for county government,” said Lovell. “They don’t articulate much with municipal government, and I am skilled at that.”

Lovell said he’s an advocate for adherence to Roberts Rules of Order and to the Maine Freedom of Access law.

— Senior Staff Writer Tammy Wells can be contacted at 324-4444 (local call in Sanford) or 282-1535, ext. 327 or twells@journaltribune.com.