Dear Editor:

On December 25, 2014, my family and I lost our home, pets, and all our belongings to a house fire. The State Fire Marshal determined that the fire started because of a power surge at our refrigerator on that crystal clear day.

While we were trying to rebuild our lives, Senator Chris Johnson, unbeknownst to us, began working with Representative Stephanie Hawke and local advocate Holly Stover to arrange a meeting between Central Maine Power, the Public Utilities Commission’s Public Advocate, and Boothbay region residents, in response to growing concerns about our peninsula’s antiquated power lines and outage problems.

The meeting took place within two months, with Senator Johnson serving as moderator. I, along with many other Boothbay families, spoke about our concerns and the losses we had incurred because of CMP’s equipment and operations. Understandably, the meeting was filled with emotion at times, and Senator Johnson was crucial in handling and managing the situation. As a result, CMP agreed to and has implemented improvements to our circuits.

This is just one example of the many times that Senator Chris Johnson went to work for his constituents and did not give up or back down until he got the results that he knew we deserved. I do not often speak about politics, especially in a public forum, but I want someone in the Maine Senate who will truly work for the people they represent. Thank you, Chris Johnson. You have my vote.

Kate Rice

Boothbay Harbor