Address: 437 Lakeside Drive

Occupation: Sailmaker, M&H Bartles, Sailmakers

Education: BA of history from Union College (2009)

Considering the position you are running for, what do you feel are the three most pressing issues? (350 words or less): The biggest issue facing the Boothbay-Boothbay Harbor CSD at the moment is deferred maintenance. The elementary school turns 50 this year and the high school is even older--turning 70. Both buildings need substantial upgrades to improve student safety along with compliance to building codes and the Americans with Disabilities Act. Capital improvements to facilities can be difficult to swallow, but the cost of ignoring these issues can be even worse. Nothing illustrates this better than the flooding BRES experienced several years ago. Following this accident, voters approved a referendum to renovate the elementary school. The cost of deferred maintenance was further demonstrated by the 2 year delay caused by the Minerich's and associate's lawsuit, dismissed earlier this year. Worse than legal fees, was the rising cost of construction, amounting to $3 million. The school renovation project is back on track, but to meet the approved budget, the current board had to cut $3 million from the scope of this project--that is the cost of inaction.

To help move our school district forward, we need clear communication from the school committee. Current committee members Tory Paxson and Abby Jones have been working with the superintendent to improve the board’s transparency. Oftentimes, state reporting guidelines can make simple statistics--such as "cost per student"--seem bureaucratic and counter-intuitive. As a sailmaker, my job uses its own unique language, so I am well prepared to digest complex details and explain them in clear and concise language.

Now, none of these issues can be resolved without a firm grounding in reality. As much as I would love to build a state of the art school for my children--for everyone's children--responsible budgeting is foundational to a successful school district. Similarly, I would love to pay nothing in property taxes, but we have a responsibility to our children to provide access to a quality education. Balancing these two obligations is the key to our school district's future and that is why I am running as a write-in candidate for Boothbay Harbor's school committee.

Any other thoughts on why you are running or what you can bring to the office? 150 words or less: Since moving to the Boothbay area over a decade ago, I have always been impressed with the sense of community and identity within the region. There is no better place to raise a family than the Maine coast and I am lucky to call Boothbay Harbor my home. My oldest son is a first grader at BRES and my youngest will also be a Wildcat in a few short years. I understand how important our schools are to my family, but their importance to the larger community is ten-fold. Without a strong school district, the Boothbay region would be unrecognizable within a generation. By combining the priorities of sustainable fiscal responsibility with student opportunity, we can maintain the foundation upon which our school district is built--because strong schools build strong communities.