WATERVILLE — Mayoral candidate Karen Heck had outraised and outspent rivals Andrew Roy and Dana Sennett as of Friday, and one donation to Sennett’s campaign exceeded the allowable amount.

Jokas’ Discount Beverage in Waterville contributed $500 to Sennett’s campaign — $150 more than allowed by law.

Additional Photos

ALL IN THE HOUSE: Waterville mayoral candidates Dana Sennett, left, Karen Heck and Andrew Roy debate last week at Colby College. Staff photo by Andy Molloy

The most one can contribute to a municipal candidate is $350, according to Paul Lavin, assistant director of the Maine Ethics Commission.

Sennett said Tuesday that he was unaware of the campaign donation limit.

“If that’s the case, I’ll certainly return the difference,” he said.

Jokas’ owner, Joe Karter, said he also was unaware of the contribution limit. “I didn’t think $500 would max out anything,” he said.

Lavin said Tuesday that the contribution for municipal candidates will increase to $750 Jan. 1; in this past session the contribution limit for candidates in county elections went up from $350 to $750, so there may be some confusion about the limits.

Lavin said the simplest way to rectify the $500 contribution is to return the $150. He said that most times when candidates accept a larger contribution than allowed, they do so inadvertently.

“Our advice would be to return the excess funds,” he said.

Because accepting a contribution of more than $350 is a violation of law, there is a penalty of not more than the amount of excess received, according to Lavin. The Maine Ethics Commission determines the penalty, if any, he said.

Heck, who is unenrolled, led the other candidates with $6,406 in donations, as well as $180 of in-kind donations. She had spent $3,533 as of Friday.

Roy, a Republican, received no contributions and spent $428 of his own money. Roy previously announced that he did not seek or want campaign contributions.

Sennett, a Democrat and the city’s mayor, raised $1,500 and had spent $120 by Friday.

Heck, 59, senior program officer for the Bingham Group, received campaign contributions from 30 people, nine of whom live in Waterville and seven of whom live out of state. Six people gave the largest contribution allowed — $350. A handful of people who work in Waterville but do not live in the city also contributed.

Records show Heck spent funds on fliers, copies, buttons, sign-making supplies, Facebook and related items.

Roy, 37, owner of Andy’s DJ Service, spent $428 on campaign signs produced by Atkins Printing Service of Waterville.

Sennett, 59, an advertising account executive for the Morning Sentinel, received campaign contributions from nine businesses or people, five of whom are based in or live in Waterville. Three were from Winslow and one was from Oakland. He spent $120 at Colorgraphics LLC on automobile signs.

Tom Davis, a Republican from Winslow and owner of Are You Ready to Party, in Waterville, donated $100 to Heck’s campaign and $50 to Sennett’s campaign.

Heck’s in-kind contribution of $180 came from Tom Martin, of Benton, who is listed on her report as owner of Nitram Excavation; Eben Contractors, listed under “other individuals,” shared in that $180 donation, the report says. Martin is a Republican state representative.

Contributions to Heck’s campaign include $350 from Colby College President William “Bro” Adams (Heck is a 1974 Colby graduate); $100 from Charlie Gaunce, a Republican and owner of Central Maine Motors Auto Group in Waterville; $350 from retired attorney Lester Jolovitz of Waterville; $200 from former Maine Attorney General Steve Rowe; $150 from director of Maine Housing and former state treasurer and state senator Dale McCormick; and $300 from Pamela Kick, owner of Pinnacle Development in Waterville.

Residents of California, Colorado, Massachusetts, New Jersey and Washington, D.C., also contributed to Heck’s campaign.

Besides the $500 he received from Jokas’ Discount Beverage, Sennett’s contributions include $250 from Peter Drapeau of Winslow; $100 from Joseph’s Market in Waterville; $100 from Mid-Maine Marine & RV, Inc., in Oakland; $200 from H.T. Winters, Inc., in Winslow; and $100 from former state treasurer Samuel Shapiro and his wife, Carol.

Campaign finances are public records and are kept by the city clerk’s office. Candidates are required by law to report how much they receive, who contributed and how the money is spent. Their reports were due to the city clerk’s office by last Friday. All three campaigns submitted them on time.
 

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