Four candidates are vying for two seats on the Monmouth Select Board. Incumbents Harold Jones III and Timothy McDonald will run against Angela Nagle and Donna Seppy.

What is your experience in the town?

Jones: I served on the planning board for a partial term and on a committee to restructure the land use ordinance around 2007. I served two terms on the select board, was off for a year and half, and was elected to finish out another term. I have been on it for seven and a half years.

McDonald: I’ve been on the Board for a number of years, chair of economic development for Monmouth, and currently on the county budget committee; I have served on the Kennebec Valley Council of Governments Board of Directors; I am the on the board of directors for the Winthrop Lakes Region Chamber of Commerce; and I have been involved in the budgets and other town things for years. I helped get the TIF in for downtown. I was instrumental in improving the beach. I also helped improve the boat launch and boat launch parking. Lately I’ve been trying to improve sidewalks. I’ve been active (in the town) at least a dozen years.

Nagle: I have had great experiences with the town of Monmouth. My family and I were welcomed with open arms. I have four children, three in the school system and they love it. The Monmouth community has helped so many families, including mine. I cherish the small town feel that it has and love that we are raising our kids here.

Seppy: I’ve lived in Monmouth for four years and pretty involved in the PTO. I’ve been involved in the district and have attended for several years the Select Board and school board meetings and try to be informed. I work for the University of Maine as Director of Special Projects and Initiatives and work across all our teams and the state. I have a pretty good handle on how to work with diverse populations, and I think that would help being that we’re a community of change.

 

Why do you want to serve the town?

Jones: I want to continue the things that I’ve been doing. I have 28 years of fleet management experience. I ran my own business for a short time. I have experience in managing finances and leasing and managing equipment. I have training in personnel management. Continued process improvement. I’d like to continue bringing that to the service of the town.

McDonald: I have been concerned with the tax rate. I’m concerned with the services in the town. I want to make sure the town is consistently voting to have full services in the town (ambulance, police and fire). (Residents) want the roads kept up, they want repairs kept up, and I’m determined to do that for the best price point. Last year we managed to have no tax increase, and the reasons for that is careful management and economic development. We’ve been fortunate to get more businesses and houses in town, and as long as we keep that growth rate going, it’ll sustain the increased cost of services and other necessities.

Nagle: I want to serve the community because I observed that the current Select Board does not accurately represent all the people/families that live in our great town. I also want to show my children that getting involved is important and can make a difference.

Seppy: Both my husband and son are volunteers for fire department. I’ve been a Red Cross volunteer at various times. And serving is important, something I want to instill in my family. I feel like the skills that I have would really benefit in terms of communication when there are diverse backgrounds. I have a masters degree in counseling and a Ph.D. in education. I think I work sort of as a bridge between the older generations, who are on fixed incomes, and the younger generation, who are busy, but they still want to be involved in the community. I’m 52, but I have a son that’s 17 and another that’s 11. We are still a working family even though retirement is near. I have a breadth of knowledge that can build those relationships and establish a thought process for looking ahead. It’s a great town.

 

Why are you a favorable candidate?  

Jones: I have a balanced approach to life and a dedication to doing the right things, and I have a real commitment to making sure all people — the minority opinion — gets heard. I like to think of myself as a balanced person. I consider all options and opinions and would modify my approach if a better approach presented.

McDonald: I’ve proven that I can do it. The town is in good shape. The taxes are reasonable. For the near future, they look like they’re going to remain reasonable. It looks like we’ll keep all of our equipment up and keep our services up and improve our services and things that people want. And I’m very concerned about the burden of people on fixed incomes and older people who don’t have the economic resources they used to have.

Nagle: I am a favorable candidate because I am very open to everyone’s ideas and suggestions. I think things through, getting as much information as I can, before making decisions or recommendations. I am realistic, I know we can’t please everyone or do everything. We need a balance. I am hoping to move Monmouth closer to that balance.

Seppy: Were at a pivotal place to be a bridge between the populations here in Monmouth. We have a group who have been here a long time and families, like mine, who are moving here and establishing roots. Monmouth quickly stuck out to us. It’s an engaged community. There’s a lot of action here, and we were welcomed right off the bat. It is a nice, preserved area where (incoming families) like that small town feel.

 

Tell us about you:

Jones: I am 65 and have lived in Monmouth all of my life. My mother graduated in 1952, and my dad went to Monmouth Schools. My wife and I both graduated from Monmouth Academy. Our two daughters are graduates. Our oldest grandson graduates this year, and two grandsons are still in school. I’ve been a truck driver; that led me into fleet management. I started in 1991 for Poland Spring, and now I work for Sazerac Transportation. I ran a logging and firewood business in the mid 1980s. I am active in several different clubs, including the Kennebec Valley Bassmasters where I was past president and state public relations director for state federation. Currently I am the president of the 19th Hole Golf League at Fairlawn Golf Course in Poland and recording secretary for the Gardiner Sportsman’s Club. I hope people come out in vote. I would love to see a really good turn out. It’s discouraging the low numbers of the turnouts.

McDonald: I own and run a local computer business, TMAC Computers. I had 12 aunts and uncles in this area, and my father. My father sold milk out of a horse and buggy 1920s in Monmouth, and then he worked for Highmoor Farm in the 1930s, and then he served (in the U.S. Navy) on the USS Bingham in World War II. I started TMAC in 1995 and have been running a successful business for 24 years. I married a wonderful girl from Monmouth, Susan. We have four children who all graduated from Monmouth Academy, and my wife and I worked hard to put them through college.

Nagle: I am a wife and mother of four first and foremost. I have been married for almost 15 years now, and my children range from ages 4 to 14. I am also a special education ed tech at Henry L. Cottrell School. I love helping people, especially kids. I try to see the positive in everything but am not naive to the downfalls of some situations. I am an organized person and easy to talk to.

Seppy: I have been married to my husband for 19 years, and we have two boys. My husband’s father lives in the area. We’ve moved around a lot. My father was in the U.S. Air force.  He retired to southern Maine. We moved to Monmouth to settle in. We bought a house to put some roots down. That’s one of the things that I have found to really enjoy is that community connection that I didn’t have growing up. We moved here in 2013.

Running unopposed for the RSU 2 Board of Directors for the town is incumbent Jonathan Hamann.

Allison Angell is running unopposed for a seat on the Cumston Library Board of Trustees.

Three candidates are vying for one seat on the Cumston Hall Board of Trustees, Raymond Fletcher, Linda Johnston, Kristin Sanborn.

Daniel Niles and Rufus Smith are running for two seats as trustee for Monmouth Sanitary District.

Voting for these seats will be during the annual Town Meeting by secret ballot from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday at Cumston Hall.

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