The two incumbents on the Buxton Select Board face a longtime former member of the board at the polls June 14.
Clifford L. Emery is hoping to unseat either Chairperson Thomas J. Peters or member Mark J. Blier.
Peters and Blier, both Republicans, are looking to return to the five-member board for another three-year term.
Blier is also the state representative for House District 22, which includes parts of Buxton, Limerick and Standish and the town of Limington. He’s a former member of the Buxton Budget Committee, Planning Board, and Comprehensive Plan Committee.
Peters also served one year on the town’s Planning Board in addition to his term on the Select Board.
Repeated attempts to reach Emery for an interview were unsuccessful.
Blier, who has a career in real estate, said the No. 1 issue facing Buxton is inflated wages.
Town employees are leaving municipalities to earn higher pay elsewhere, said Blier, forcing communities “to raise their wages to keep their employees or find new ones.”
Peters, who owns a construction firm, agreed the labor and wages situation negatively impacts Buxton. The town needs to “keep ourselves in line with the competitive labor market in hopes to keep the employees of Buxton with us,” Peters said.
Blier and Peters both cited property taxes as a major concern.
“That is the current challenge we are faced with: trying to keep property tax low to keep people within their homes, but yet provide a service that taxpayers expect,” Blier said.
Peters said the challenge is “keeping taxes as low as possible while trying to keep up with the increased costs being presented to us due to inflation.”
Other issues Blier has an eye on include the need for new wetlands maps to ensure property rights over excess regulation, along with the increased cost of curbside trash pickup.
Peters pointed to the impact of education with “increases year to year that we have to account for from the SAD 6 budget.”
Polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Election Day, June 14, at Buxton Town Hall, 185 Portland Road.
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