Previous Offices Held
Brunswick Town Council, two terms (2012-2017); served as council chair (2015-2016) and vice chair (2014).
Top Three Priorities
Livability/affordability: Sustain and build the well-being and resiliency of all members of our community. Good governance: Align staff and council towards shared goals, carefully consider budget decisions, and implement creative ideas for delivering and updating services and solutions for the public. Transparency and public engagement are foundational. Strong environment: Protect our biodiversity, natural resource-based industries, recreational opportunities and future generations.
Why are you running?
These are challenging times politically and it’s time to step up and contribute. Local government is a collaborative process where councilors work closely with each other, town staff, and the broader community. I am an excellent listener, carefully consider competing perspectives on issues, and do my homework. I combine a proven track record of leadership and getting things done for our town, a sense of history, and a willingness to seek and try new solutions to address issues we face.
What is the biggest challenge facing your town/county? The biggest opportunity?
Maintaining our quality of place in the contexts of budget constraints and growth pressures, especially given uncertainty around state and federal budgets and regulations. Property taxes hit lower income households hardest. Brunswick provides many services for nearby towns yet is not funded as a service center. With focused land-use strategies and solid local governance, we can enhance downtown, build on the success of base redevelopment and continue improvements at Cook's Corner.
If you could change one thing about how the town/county functions, what would it be and why?
I would like to see a sustainable refocusing of local economic development to prioritize quality of place. We need to deliberately dedicate staff and community resources to long-term planning. We have citizen plans that have sat on shelves for years, utilizing them sporadically in response to immediate needs and economic interests. A citizen-based oversight board could help keep us on track to implement the end goals that town residents have articulated in these plans.
Do you support more development – i.e. more housing construction and business building in your town/county? Why or why not?
Change is inevitable. I support a focused development pattern that protects and enhances natural habitat, reduces suburban-style sprawl, and maintains our unique small town. Impact fees (paid by developers) should be increased to cover the true cost of development and to provide public amenities as we increase density in targeted areas of town. We should increase affordable housing requirements and consider alternative institutional arrangements for new public housing projects.