5-way race for 2 seats on Board of Selectmen
WELLS, Maine — 5 candidates are searching for two seats on the Wells Board of Selectmen throughout the upcoming city election on Tuesday, June 14.
Incumbent John MacLeod III is dealing with issues from fellow candidates Scott DeFelice, Karl Ekstedt, Jonathan Goodine, and David Jutras.
Selectmen Chair Sean Roche has opted to not go after a further time interval – that implies that the board is for certain to have on the very least 1 new encounter come election day.
The polls can be open up on June 14 on the Wells Junior Excessive School gymnasium at 1470 Submit Freeway from 8 a.m. to eight p.m.
John Okay. MacLeod III
Age: 33
Occupation: Landscaper
Education: Excessive college diploma
Basic public providers: 2018-2021 Wells Sanitary District Trustee 2019-2022 Wells Board of selectman (2021-2022 as vice-chairman)
1. Why do you wish to be a member of the Board of Selectmen?
I’ve selected to run for re-election for the Wells Board of Selectmen as a result of reality I’ve relished serving consequently considerably. I purchase a great deal of delight within the group and am glad to accumulate an lively job in it. As a lifelong resident of Wells, I wish to see the precise kinds of prospects that I’ve favored, growing up and as a younger knowledgeable, managed for foreseeable future generations. I’ve an curiosity in observing the town proceed being a safe, lovely, and nice setting for foreseeable future generations.
2. What do you see as the highest rated a couple of issues experiencing the town, and the way do you program to deal with them?
Concern vary one is addressing ordinances pertaining to lodging services, each equally traditional and Airbnb. We’ve observed fires not too way back in New England at quite a few accommodations, and it’s vital we’re supplying the funding, purposes, and steering to our code workplace setting to hold out essential lifetime fundamental security inspections as very properly as compliance with native ordinances governing these corporations. Wells is a trip resort neighborhood, and it’s important we handle integrity bordering this problem. Simply these days, the state handed LD2003, a bill supposed to cope with inexpensive housing and accent dwelling items. 1 massive drawback I really feel Wells, as properly as different trip locations, will encounter would be the utilization of this regulation exterior the home its authentic intent by Airbnb’s to supply much more limited-phrase rental fashions. Other than elevating the prospect of life-style fundamental security difficulties and potential disturbances to abutting properties, a few of the actual funding companies that private accommodations/resorts at the moment are incorporating single-family dwellings to their portfolios. This raises a bevy of troubles, not the minimal of which is the truth that they’re able to skirt our ordinances governing lodging facilities regardless that in essence operating as a mini lodging facility. That is the 2 most certainly detrimental to the city of Wells and unfair to accredited lodging providers which might be competing for a similar market place.
Difficulty amount two in my thoughts is getting previous infrastructure and gadgets. We’ve to must make assured that we go on to enterprise our division heads with determining components the place by we would require to speculate and doing the job all these right into a 5–10-yr method. Our departments have carried out a beautiful job performing this to day. 1 of the objects up for a vote this 12 months is a bond to go in course of fixing infrastructure throughout city. A disturbing pattern utilizing place all through the place is deteriorating infrastructure. I wish to see Wells break this sample, and never solely rebuild failing merchandise, however seem up with a servicing system to chop down normal expenses to the taxpayers though defending helpful neighborhood belongings.
Downside selection 3 is improvement and constructing constructive that it’s turning into completed equally sustainably and sensibly. We require to ensure we’re defending individuals’s belongings rights regardless that sustaining the character of the town. The character of Wells is coveted by longtime residents and new residents alike. No a single needs to see it ruined. I’ve had the satisfaction of serving as a liaison to our in depth put together committee. This has provided me the prospect to be a celebration to some of the vital paperwork that can generate how we go ahead as a neighborhood, on this regard and plenty of people, for the a long time to seem. I’ve additionally had the satisfaction of acquiring to know customers of our Conservation Committee, in sure Owen Grumling (whom I’ve a superb supply of respect for). They and the city have achieved an outstanding profession of acquiring land to safe for contemporary and upcoming generations to thrill in. I’ve tried to help this mission at any choice I’ve had.
3. As a Board of Selectmen member, from whom will you seek for recommendation or enter in weighing vital conclusions?
I’ve had the pleasure of serving with some fairly effectively-seasoned and seasoned associates on our Board of Selectmen. These clients have concerned very long-time selectmen, earlier and current situation legislators, etcetera. We even have fairly succesful and skilled part heads. In situations of city belongings, I’ve been geared up to pursue data and info and insights by the use of these avenues. Proudly owning grown up in Wells and at current working a enterprise in Wells, I even have the chance of speaking with quite a few individuals throughout city on a typical foundation (most steadily at my each day espresso stop at Chase’s nation retail outlet). This has been the place a very powerful data, particulars, and perspective has arrive from: the group. The Choose Board is under to characterize the individuals at the moment that reside on this city. It’s vital that anyone who seeks the place takes the time to converse to and hear to those who keep right here and act in the neighborhood’s finest curiosity.
Scott DeFelice
Age: 51
Sort out: 8 Thompson Avenue, Wells
Occupation: Widespread supervisor, Elmwood Trip resort Resort contemplating the truth that 1995 Chosen Dealer, DeFelice Realty
Instruction: Mount Wachusett Group Faculty, affiliate’s diploma 1992
Neighborhood providers: Earlier Wells Board of Selectmen Former president & head mentor, Wells Ogunquit Youth Soccer & Cheering Affiliation Former Vice President, Wells Chamber of Commerce Wells Rotarian
1. Why do you wish to be a member of the Board of Selectmen?
For fairly a couple of a number of years, my partner Danielle and I’ve been proud to make Wells our residence and have our 4 kids attend an excellent school program in an fantastic neighborhood. I wish to categorical my trustworthy due to outgoing Chairman Sean Roche for his excellent firm to the city, and particularly thank equally he and Emily for supporting our hospitality market all via a few of its darkest days in the middle of the pandemic. The city is extraordinarily fortuitous to have an distinctive Board of Selectman. They’re nice and honorable individuals, and Marketing consultant Tim Roche, Vice-Chair John MacLeod, Kathy Chase, and Bob Foley have carried out a spectacular place in some extraordinarily attempting cases concerning the earlier couple of a number of years. It could be my honor to be part of them in firm to our local people.
2. What do you see as the very best a couple of challenges dealing with the city, and the way do you technique to deal with them?
I’ve operated the Elmwood Trip resort Lodge since 1995, and have witnessed reasonably slightly little bit of change to the town throughout that point time period. Most of that change has been for the constructive, however the circumstance developed by the state of Maine this wintertime in a few of our neighborhood motels has not been 1 of them. The appeal to on city means produced by this determination, manufactured with out the city’s consciousness, which incorporates elevated ranges of legal offense, home violence, drug abuse, and the chance that the city’s title can be sullied within the eyes of our summer season friends, simply are unable to be approved to maintain on unchecked.
Maine these days enacted LD 2003 into regulation which can allow accent dwelling items to be designed in components zoned for single-relatives housing. The intention of the brand new laws is to ship additional housing for individuals who keep and do the job within the neighborhood, and it really can be extremely fantastic if our little ones may basically afford to pay for to reside within the metropolis by which they grew up. Acquiring claimed that, there are holes within the state’s program and if we’re not thorough these qualities may effortlessly be transformed into much more “Airbnb” leases, which might exacerbate the problem. The town will might want to take a tough search on the approach this new regulation is carried out. As well as, with all of the current establishing, it’s vital that we go on to help the city’s very good conservation program to current open place for the long run.
Final thirty day interval Metropolis Supervisor Larissa Crockett educated the Board of Selectmen that she can be happening to greener pastures, and we thank her for her providers to the neighborhood. It’s of utmost significance that we discover the appropriate particular person to fill this significant half to help data the town into the foreseeable future.
3. As a Board of Selectmen member, from whom will you discover help or enter in weighing vital conclusions?
It’s vital to enter into any drawback with an open up ideas, to weigh the execs and negatives of a subject, and listen to to people who can be most impacted by the ultimate determination. I think about myself pretty blessed to have designed Wells my home for my total grownup on a regular basis dwelling, and in the middle of that point I’ve been in a position to get to know pretty a a number of customers of the area people. I value their opinions and wouldn’t wait to get to out to discover a matter. My partner Danielle is my rock, and I might unquestionably lean on her as successfully. Within the conclude, a member of the Selectboard should mainly do what’s correct for the individuals of the town of Wells.
Karl J. Ekstedt
Age: 63
Sort out: 11 Millbrooke Farm Push, Wells, Maine
Occupation: Retired
Training: Agawam Vital School, Suffield Academy, Bryant College,
Western N.E. College B.S.L.E.
Neighborhood help: 12 yrs on Board of Selectmen 11 a very long time combined on: Funds Committee, Structure Evaluation Committee, Recycle Committee, Waste Administration Advisory Council
1. Why do you wish to be a member of the Board of Selectmen?
Buying served for 12 a very long time as a Selectman on the Board, then getting final yr off, I come to really feel compelled to proceed to be a voice of the oldsters to whom the board serves.
2. What do you see as the most important 3 difficulties fighting the city, and the way do you propose to deal with them?
Roads and bridges, lodging and public fundamental security.
I put together to do the job with division heads and our numerous extraordinarily succesful volunteers, who ship with them strategies and expertise to assist me place collectively a workable system. The system addressing these difficulties can be place forth for the board to assessment and can be what ever is within the ultimate curiosity of the general city.
3. As a Board of Selectmen member, from whom will you search for steering or enter in weighing essential choices?
I can be searching for steering and enter from the taxpayers, residents in firm, workplace heads and the city supervisor. As well as, I believe normal public hearings additionally enable us to get much more essential enter from the essential neighborhood.
Jonathan Goodine
Age: 50
Sort out: 688 Meetinghouse Freeway
Occupation: Skilled Skilled Lowe’s
Training: Affiliate’s Diploma
Public help: Wells Detailed Put together Implementation Committee (CPIC), Wells Organizing Board, Maine Military Nationwide Guard (Retired)
1. Why do you wish to be a member of the Board of Selectmen?
To hold on to serve my local people and make sure the individuals of Wells have a voice on the board. To permit for associates of the area people their time to speak when holding neighborhood hearings. To make sure that we adhere to the constitution as successfully as all codes. To ensure we give the voters a applicable to choose what transpires to the city. Function with the opposite customers of the board to proceed to boost the town for all to get pleasure from.
2. What do you see as the highest rated a couple of challenges experiencing the town, and the way do you technique to deal with them?
Safety of the neighborhood. With the present housing of the homeless in small-term lodging not meant for extended-phrase use. We observed an enhance in legal offense value which put undue stress on emergency suppliers and disrupted the tranquil approach of each day life completely everybody expects to get pleasure from in Wells. The elevated must have for service with the at any time-growing calendar year-round inhabitants. Wells is a superb place to reside and delivers our residents with fairly a couple of options for the 2 aspect-time and complete-time do the job. With that arrives the ever-raising have to have for emergency response workers, i.e. Legislation enforcement, Hearth and Rescue. I might additionally embrace our Public Features workplace who’s constantly feeling the better have to have for lots extra personnel.
We’re a Seacoast neighborhood with shorelines and a doing work harbor that requires fixed care. From Dredging to altering seawalls and incomes enhancements to better serve the year-round as properly as seasonal residents and vacationers. We have to guarantee that these initiatives proceed on on plan in order to not incur a financial stress on the taxpayers. I’m in favor of trying to find grants and donations that assist in retaining the town working as very properly as looking its best. There’s a single such job that I really feel necessities much more consideration which isn’t collectively the shoreline. That’s the Japanese Path, a problem that for the time being runs alongside our westerly roadways. It’s possible you’ll presumably have noticed the symptoms when touring on Chick Crossing Road, Meetinghouse Road or Bragdon Road. These are roads with out the necessity of paved shoulders which might be viewing elevated and higher numbers of automobiles on them. The path which the town planner is doing work on the structure for can be an off-road path from Kennebunk to North Berwick via Unitil’s correct of approach (outdated railroad mattress). This path would supply for risk-free utilizing of bicycles, climbing, working, cross place snowboarding and snowshoeing. Initiatives like these are what the town necessities to mature and prosper.
Sustainability is yet another subject of mine. We’ve varied farms on the town which current an essential help to the town. From new produce like corn, tomatoes, cucumbers and pumpkins to that gallon of milk you realized you forgot. I do know I like my corn on the cob with my BBQ in late summer time. With out the big tracts of land that they’ve we’d not have these individuals objects at a wise worth. I get pleasure from all these able to put their land into conservation or into tree farm standing, and certain these lands can be harvested every so often however that solely creates a more healthy forest greater than time. I used to be raised on a farm and have labored in manufacturing and creating materials wholesale and retail. With all counting on sustainable procedures to be thriving.
3. As a Board of Selectmen member, from whom will you discover suggestions or enter in weighing vital conclusions?
When it arrives to creating essential choices as a member of the Selectboard. I’ll depend on enter from different customers of the board, clients of the neighborhood and employees clients of the city. I’m open to recommendations from anybody and can use sound judgment and equity in my conclusions. We would not usually see eye to eye, however I do think about in coping with every different with respect. I’m a group believer in incomes regard, not demanding it.
Editor’s remember: Applicant David Jutras didn’t reply to the questionnaire.
