YORK - With two three-year terms available on the Budget Committee, and incumbents Rick Boardman and Lin Napier not seeking reelection, voters will have four new candidates to choose from during the May election.
Randy Eaton, Robert Palmer, Dawn Sevigny and Fred Weston are all hoping to serve on the board the provides fiscal oversight for the entire town.
Compared with the May 2007 vote, when three candidates ran unopposed for three seats on the board, the Budget Committee race this year indicates renewed interest in serving on the committee.
Each of the four candidates have shared, in their own words, why they hope to be elected to the Budget Committee.
RANDALL W. EATON
What made you decide to run for the Budget Committee?
I want to be a part of the solutions and not the problems.
What do you see as the most important aspect of serving on the Budget Committee?
A fiduciary as well as a financial responsibility to the citizens of York.
What do you hope to accomplish during your three-year term?
I hope to bring an open mind to all issues and be able to be a part of the decision-making process to impact the lives of people in our town.
What do you see as the greatest funding challenge in the next three years?
With the steep increases in fuel costs, which I do not believe are going to decrease, every issue in the budget is going to be impacted.
Is there any other information you would like to share with our readers?
I hope to bring a positive attitude and open mind with me to the Budget Committee. I have over 20 years experience creating budgets and then making those budgets work within the guidelines.
Eaton's occupation is retail management. He and his wife, Nancy, have six children, Meghan, Alanna, Brianna, Matt, Nicky and Jacqueline. He received his Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Maine, Orono.
ROBERT E. PALMER, JR
What made you decide to run for the Budget Committee?
I grew up in a small Maine town and saw the importance of citizens donating their time to the community. My background and expertise are in finance so the Budget Committee seemed like a natural fit.
Have you ever served on this or any other town board before? If so, which one and for how long?
I am a recently appointed member of the York Housing Authority.
What do you see as the most important aspect of serving on the Budget Committee?
The town's elected officials must balance the needs of this growing community with the desire for York to be an affordable place to live. Secondly, the oversight function of the Budget Committee is critical. The committee must interact with the town institutions and programs to ensure they are staying within budget during the fiscal year.
What do you hope to accomplish during your three-year term?
I would like to increase the communication to citizens regarding the budget in hopes of increasing citizen interest and understanding of "where their money goes and what they get for it." I would like to put the components of spending in the context of comparison with other towns. For example, what does York spend per student? What portion of school spending goes for administration? We could look at portions of our municipal budget on a per capita basis. This would allow the citizens to evaluate our financial commitments and our efficiencies in comparison to like towns.
What do you see as the greatest funding challenge in the next three years?
The town will have to make decisions regarding infrastructure such as the town hall, police station, etc.
Is there any other information you would like to share with our readers?
I am an active member in my church, St George's Episcopal Church, and am a member of St Aspinquid Masonic Lodge.
Palmer is a commercial real estate appraiser. He and his wife, Holly Taylor Sargent, have two daughters, Taylor and Sarah Palmer. He is a graduate of Lincoln Academy in Newcastle, Maine, and of the University of Southern Maine. He received his MBA from Michigan State University and is a certified financial planner.
DAWN HACKETT SEVIGNY
What made you decide to run for the Budget Committee?
I had contemplated running for a committee for quite some time. This committee appealed to me due to my financial background.
Have you ever served on this or any other town board before? If so, which one and for how long?
No, I have not served on a town board.
What do you see as the most important aspect of serving on the Budget Committee?
Balancing the needs of the town with the needs of the entire community. We are fortunate to live in a town that takes great pride in what it offers its community. The cost to maintain those services continues to increase, as does the cost of living.
What do you hope to accomplish during your three-year term?
I want to bring a new perspective to the Budget Committee. I am a product of the York school system, a single parent, a homeowner and a small business owner. I have watched the town grow and adapt to that growth for years. The next three years will bring a lot of challenges due to the economy. I don't want those challenges to negatively impact the town. I want to make a difference by contributing my efforts in guiding the town through these financially turbulent times.
What do you see as the greatest funding challenge in the next three years?
Our current economic condition. Times are tough financially for everyone. It is a delicate balance weighing the needs of the citizens and the cost to meet those needs with what is financially responsible. There are many factors to take into consideration. Our community is very diverse.
Is there any other information you would like to share with our readers?
I'd like to encourage others to run for positions. It is our responsibility to give back to the town by serving on these committees in order to preserve the integrity of our community.
Sevigny is a mortgage broker and owner of Cider Hill Mortgage, LLC, and has two daughters, Catie and Amanda. She is a 1982 graduate of York High School and holds a Bachelor of Arts in political science from the University of Southern Maine and an Associate's degree in business science/paralegal studies from McIntosh College.
H. FREDERICK WESTON
What made you decide to run for the Budget Committee?
A couple of fellow residents that know me well and who are on different town committees contacted me and urged me to run for Budget Committee. I can't say that being on the Budget Committee has ever been one of my goals, but I do feel the need to do my part to help make sure York remains a caring community and a great place to live.
Have you ever served on this or any other town board before? If so, which one and for how long?
I have not served on a town board, but I have a considerable amount of board experience. I was on the board of directors for the Greater Seacoast United Way for nine years as well as a member of multiple other United Way committees since 1985. I was also a parish councilor at St. Nicholas Church in Portsmouth, N.H., for nine years, including one year as president. In my business, I have worked with town selectman boards and planning committees on many occasions. Lastly, I have been an active with the York Soccer Club as a coach for the last several years.
What do you see as the most important aspect of serving on the Budget Committee?
The most important aspect of serving is helping to keep York's budget financially sound while making sure the crucial services are well funded.
What do you hope to accomplish during your three-year term?
I will not bring a specific, predetermined, personal agenda to the Budget Committee. Instead, I will be a level-headed, fiscal conservative member who loves this town. Our schools and our basic town services must be well-funded within a total town budget that is well thought out and fiscally responsible.
What do you see as the greatest funding challenge in the next three years?
The cost of providing education and other basic services will undergo a lot of upward pressure in the next couple years. Energy costs are skyrocketing and that trickles (or more like "pours") down and affects many cost centers. One of our greatest challenges is to manage these cost increases in a fiscally responsible way without allowing our service levels to decline.
Is there any other information you would like to share with our readers?
I guess it is a fair question to ask if I know anything about budgets. For 14 years, 1985 to 1999, I co-founded and co-owned Stahmer, Weston Scientific, a medical laboratory products company. My partner was longtime York resident Al Stahmer of Raynes Neck Road. Part of my responsibilities included creating and overseeing the company's budget and finances. After a three-year start up period, the company was profitable for 11 straight years, culminating in the sale of the company to Apogent Technologies. I spent more time managing budgets in these 14 years then I care to recall. I have continued managing budgets for the last seven years in my real estate development business. Also, budgetary responsibility was a significant part of being a board member for the two nonprofits mentioned above.
Weston's occupation is real estate development. He and his wife, Joanna, have two daughters, Kayla and Zoe. Weston holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics from the University of New Hampshire.
