State Senate District 26
Bill
Diamond
Saying
he is honored and humbled by the confidence placed in him by voters over
opponent Ryan McDonald, Maine Senator Bill Diamond is poised to begin his 21st
year of elective public office. The Eagle spoke with the popular Windham
Democrat as he celebrated quietly at his home Tuesday night. Following three
terms in the Maine house, several years as secretary of state and seven terms
in the senate, the Eagle asked about the likelihood of a run for governor in
2018.
“You
know, it all comes down to impact on family. I have eight grandkids and to do
that would be a mean a really solid commitment. So right now, I can’t say for
sure.” But he did not rule out the possibility.
Diamond
said a great many of his constituents “…never got out of the recession and are
working multiple jobs.” He promised to work on ways to make the economy
stronger.
Diamond
serves on the legislature’s transportation and government oversight committees.
Senate
District 26 includes the six Cumberland County towns of Windham, Raymond,
Casco, Standish, Frye Island and Baldwin.
House
District 24
Mark
Bryant
Democrat
Mark Bryant defeated Republican challenger Benjamin Martin in House District 24
which covers the northern part of Windham. Bryant, who has served five
non-consecutive terms in the Maine House, expressed sincere thanks to his constituents
Tuesday night and said he looks forward to making a difference in the lives of
people in Windham and the State of Maine by working with legislators on both
sides of the aisle. He said his constituents have expressed concern over the
issue of population growth in Windham, which is taxing resources and impacting
land conservation.
Bryant,
who supported a referendum proposal to raise Maine’s minimum wage, said job
creation is also at the top of his list this term.
“I’m
honored and humbled (by this victory),” said Bryant. “And I want my
constituents to know that I don’t take them for granted.”
House
District 25
Patrick
Corey
First
elected in 2014, Patrick Corey has served one term in the Maine House. He ran
uncontested in District 25, which covers the southern part of Windham.
Corey
said he enjoys working with constituents as bills run their course through the
legislature, and strongly urges people to contact him about any issue, any
time.
Corey’s
work on the legislature’s Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Committee included a
bill to protect outdoor shooting ranges. He opposed Maine’s ballot initiative
to require background checks for privately sold firearms.
He
said he hears often from constituents who are concerned about “high taxes, all
taxes: Income, sales and property taxes…and the cost of higher education.”
Locally, he said people are worried about seemingly uncontrolled growth in
Windham and want to preserve the local heritage and rural character. He hears constituents
‘concerns about people working together in Augusta and plans to work in a
bipartisan manner to maintain civil discourse.
District 66 which is all of Raymond
except southwest corner
Jessica Fay
As small business owner, Fay said she
will work for the issues that the voters are passionate about.
“I
am honored and excited to be the next representative for Maine House District
66. I had so much support from people with lots of different ideas and that
gives me hope for the next two years.”
She defeated incumbent Mike McClellan
for the seat in the Maine House and plans to work with him to discover some of
the things he feels are important to
folks in the district, she said.
“I have had so many important
conversations with voters over the last 6 months, and the issues raised are the
same ones I talked about during the campaign...good paying jobs, education,
rising healthcare costs and property taxes, addiction and access to effective
pain management.”
She thanks her strong supporters. “This
campaign was a total team effort. There were lots of people involved and I
value the time and energy of each and every one. I am honored to have been
elected and I can't wait to get started.”
District 67 (portions of Raymond, Gray,
Casco)
Susan
M. Wilkinson Austin
Austin
defeated challenger Rachel Lyn Rumson for her seat in the state house of
representatives. She has served five non-consecutive terms and has been on the
business, labor, commerce, research and economic development committee since
she first started her political work. It is her hope to continue on that
committee.
“It’s
a nice day after,” she said after only having a few hours of sleep. She plans
to go back to Augusta with the same can-do attitude. “I’ve always been very
collaborative so we can start out on the best foot we can,” she said. “Then we
can get good things done for the Maine people.”
She
is waiting to see if she has legislative work to do in Gray with two sections
looking to secede from the town. She will also work with Frye Island and its
ongoing educational debate with SAD6.
Her
goal is to, “Do the very darn best job I can do every day. I’m inclusive, not
exclusive.”
Windham Town Council, South District
Donna Chapman
Current chairperson of the Windham Town
Council, has served from 2007 to 2010 and then was elected in 2013. Her goal
for this term is “to continue the bipartisan working relationships of the
council, in order for us to maintain lower taxes and still develop Windham into
a Community that respects the opinions of its residents and can work together
to make a Windham an even better place to live, work and play.”
She is excited to work with the new
council member Jarrod Maxfield. “Jarrod brings a different perspective on how to
empower communication to help get information out into the community on agendas
and important projects. I am excited to work with Jarrod and his ideas on
streetlights and moving forward on some of the 21 Century Downtown Plan.”
The councils’ top priorities moving
forward as Chapman sees it are, “We truly need a public works garage, how to
keep costs down and yet provide adequate services for the public. To move
forward on a sewer that does not cost the taxpayers solely and protects the
watersheds in North Windham for future generations.
Windham
Town Council, North District
Jarrod
Maxfield
Newcomer
Jarrod Maxfield ran unopposed for the North District seat on the Windham Town
Council, formerly held by Roy Moore who did not seek re-election. It is his
first publicly elected position. He owns Necessary Technology in Portland.
Maxfield
said the catalyst for his decision to run was when a friend purchased
commercial property in Windham.
“It
should have been an exciting time for him, but instead he encountered only
challenges and obstacles. He wasn’t asking anything from anyone,” Maxfield
continued. “Just making an investment in the town. That needs to be encouraged
(not discouraged),” he said.
Currently
a member of the town’s energy advisory committee, Maxfield supports the 21st
Century Downtown proposal and the town’s new comprehensive plan. Regarding the
North Windham shopping district, he said, “we need to do something smart up
there: A modern wastewater treatment plan, nicer streets and nicer restaurants.
I’d like Windham people to spend money in Windham.”
Windham
Town Council, At Large
Bob
Muir
Bob
Muir was re-elected to his at-large position on the town council. As with all
the council candidates, he ran unopposed. Muir has served for four
non-consecutive terms on the council. Muir said taxes are a priority,… “especially
for the elderly on fixed incomes.” He said it can be “difficult to adjust the
town budget to the town’s rising costs.” And he feels he is often the voice of
residents who are hesitant to complain or address the town council.
“We’ve
got a very good council right now and I’d like to continue our good work for
the town.” Muir praised Jarrod Maxfield. “He’s a good addition to the council.
Muir
also supports integrating the 21st Century Downtown proposal into a
new comprehensive plan.
“It
will improve the looks (of the area), movement of traffic and be pedestrian
friendly. Connectivity of neighborhoods in the area could be tricky, he added.
“Neighborhoods like to stay self- contained.” But he observed it will be the
job of the council to work out these and other problems.
Regional
School Unit (RSU)14 Board Director
Eric
Colby
Running
unopposed, Eric Colby was re-elected to a second term on the RSU14 School
Board.
Coming
off a “three year learning curve,” Colby said he felt he could contribute more
readily to the board during his next term.
Colby,
a security sales engineer, said his first years taught him great respect for
teachers.
“Anybody
who says teachers don’t work hard just don’t know anything about the
profession. (Especially considering) everything we throw at them, they are great
people and everybody (in RSU14) is doing a great job,” he said.
Regarding
the question of capital improvements versus new middle school, Colby said, “Pay
me now or pay me later. Considering our growth and the age of our current
facilities we’re going to have to accommodate our needs.”
Regional
School Unit (RSU)14
Scott
McLean
Scott
McLean will be the newcomer on the RSU14 School Board. With a 10-year-old in
the district, McLean said he hopes to make a positive difference for kids in
the district. A production administrator for Lucas Tree, he said he’ll take his
new position on the board “day by day.”
McLean
said he is particularly interested in the newly established homework evaluation
team. The group will research the efficacy and the amount of homework that
should become policy in the district.
Cumberland
County Board of Commissioners, District 2
Susan
Witonis
Still
another uncontested race was for a seat on the Cumberland County Board of
Commissioners. Susan Witonis will serve a second four year term. She said her
focus is on public safety and favors as much practical regionalization as
possible, citing the regional dispatch service in Windham and contract deputy
services through the sheriff’s office as examples of successful models.
An
important part of the job, said Witonis, who represents nine towns including
Raymond and Windham, is making sure that rural areas are fairly represented in
the funding formula for the county budget.
Work
continues, she added, in the search for a sports tenant at the Cross Insurance
Center, adding that she is hopeful that could happen within the next year.
