Previous Offices Held
First elected to the Paris Select Board in 1990; ran for full term and was reelected. Around 2010, ran for and won a seat on the Paris Utility District for a three-year term. After that term was up, I ran and won another three-year term on the Paris Select Board. I lost a subsequent bid for reelection in 2017.
Top Three Priorities
I've been retired for three years now and politics is my "hobby." If I can make a positive difference in the way our Iocal governments function, then I believe that it is my imperative to do so.
Why are you running?
I have no particular agenda or priorities, but I am interested in how our tax dollars are spent at the county level. In talking with people, I find many do not know what a commissioner does, nor what county government actually does. I would like to change that. I think a monthly newsletter might be a good place to start. Sometimes, a new set of eyes can see a different way of doing things. I'm not afraid to question the status quo.
What is the biggest challenge facing your town/county? The biggest opportunity?
The biggest challenge facing this county, or any other in Maine, is the issue of affordable housing. I'm not clear whether any help or change could be affected at the county level, but I would be interested in finding out. The other huge challenge I see are the staggering costs of incarceration. I'm concerned about the possible sale of the Oxford Casino and how that may impact county finances. Our biggest opportunity? I do not know, but I'll tell everyone when I find it!
If you could change one thing about how the town/county functions, what would it be and why?
One thing I would change is bringing this layer of government out into the daylight!
Do you support more development – i.e. more housing construction and business building in your town/county? Why or why not?
I do support development. People need good, clean, safe and affordable housing. Business will come where they have the people to support them. We should probably look at any regulations or policies at the county level, which may impede the thoughtful and considered expansion of both housing and business.