Address: 68 Twin Cove Rd., Boothbay

Occupation: Assistant director, Boothbay Harbor Memorial Library

Education: Bachelor’s in physics, Boston College; Master’s in science journalism, UC Santa Cruz

Political History (Boards, Committees): I’m not on any boards or committees, but have been attending school, select board, and JEDC meetings for the past 18 months.

Clubs/Organizations: Past member of Maine People’s Alliance

Considering the position you are running for, what do you feel are the three most pressing issues?

The three most pressing issues facing our community are our schools, housing affordability, and economic development.

Boothbay is an idyllic place to raise a family, which is why I moved here 10 years ago with my two little girls. I want other families to be able to make the same choice, but right now, we’re facing school costs that are nearly twice per pupil compared to the rest of the state in facilities that need major work. I’m in favor of aligning our budget with that of other successful nearby school districts, allowing the necessary structural work to be completed without raising taxes.

I’ve heard first-hand from many young families that they would love to live year-round in our region but can’t afford to buy a house. The problem is complex of course; younger people sometimes carry student loan debt that’s already the size of a mortgage, making loans harder to secure and down payments more difficult to save. But in our area it’s even more difficult, because housing costs have increased while the year-round rental supply has shrunken as many private residences have converted to vacation rentals. I’m in favor of pro-actively looking at our zoning laws and carefully considering finding spaces for multi-family housing, while at the same time re-examining how weekly vacation rentals fit in with our vision for Boothbay.

Finally, I want Boothbay to be the kind of place where entrepreneurs can start a business and telecommuters can work from home. That means looking at how we can encourage small businesses to thrive and making sure our high-speed internet access is up-to-date.

Any other thoughts on why you are running or what you can bring to the office?

I grew up in Boothbay and came back as an adult because I love this town and wanted to raise my own kids here. I’m running for selectperson because I want to give back to the community in a way that aligns with my strengths. I will give the position the time, reading, research, and communication that it requires. I will ask questions, talk with people, and make sure I understand an issue before I form an opinion on it. Additionally, I will write a bi-weekly column in the Register about what’s going on in the town office and which issues are going to be discussed at the next selectmen’s meeting to increase the transparency of the office.