Dear Editor:

My name is Amy Winston. I am running for the Edgecomb Select Board. Election day is May 20. Edgecomb and our neighboring communities have world-class natural, cultural, economic, and community assets. I’d like to be a part of safeguarding those assets and making them work for all those who live here.

For those who don’t know me, I have lived in Lincoln County for 25 years, 16 of them in Edgecomb. Like many of you, I have a deep commitment to this place. I am in awe of the versatility and adaptability of the people of our town, and in my years as an Edgecomber, have done what I can to help make it a wonderful place to live.

From 2004-2012, I served as Lincoln County's community economic development director, putting the needs of small businesses and the self-employed at the center of community programming and development. FARMS, “Focus on Agriculture for Rural Maine Schools,” connects schools with local producers and harvesters in ways that benefit our kids, our schools, and our community at large. As director, I also supported historic preservation and wharf development projects, special-purpose housing, business start-ups and expansions.

From 2014 to 2018, as Community Navigator for the Community Resource Council, I worked directly with families and individuals on the peninsula to help county residents meet ongoing challenges, especially the rising costs of living associated with our beautiful coastal communities.

Since 2018, as State Policy Director for Coastal Enterprises, I have supported the work of building mutually beneficial relationships between families, businesses, and communities to create opportunities for people in Maine that are both viable economically and sustainable environmentally.

I will bring to Edgecomb’s selectboard 25 years of experience working for the economic wellbeing of families and businesses in our area, putting my familiarity with the economic and cultural needs of our community at the service of our town.

Thanks for considering me as your candidate for the Edgecomb Select Board. Don’t forget to vote on May 20, and see you around town!

Amy Winston

Edgecomb