Dear Editor:

I do not normally write letters to the editor, but I am making an exception for this year’s Selectman race. I have known Evan Hepburn for many years. In that time, he has always struck me as a kind, funny, and responsible guy with a good heart and a strong work ethic. Evan is not someone who is strongly political or opinionated. Few people can make a job site both upbeat and effective while also taking their work and responsibilities very seriously. I do not believe he would get involved in local government unless he was genuinely motivated to make improvements and help his town.

I know he will bring his work ethic and boots on the ground experience from the Boothbay Harbor waterfront to the board. Evan is the perfect candidate for this town. His ability to interact with people and listen to concerns from our community will make him a strong and effective Selectman.

Evan was raised on the Boothbay peninsula, as I was. He graduated from Boothbay Region High School just five years before I did. As a merchant mariner, I greatly admire and appreciate his commitment to preserving our working waterfront. This is reflected not only in his work as a pier builder, but also in his support for and close friendships with many of the young local lobstermen in town. Although my current job takes me thousands of miles away for much of the year, Evan is one of the familiar faces I always look forward to seeing when I return to visit.

The challenges facing the town require thoughtful change, but that does not mean we should lose what makes Boothbay Harbor special. What has always set this town apart is its balance of tradition and progress, and the fact that we remember who we are and what makes this place unique. Evan represents an opportunity for a new generation of Boothbay Harbor residents to step forward and have a voice in the future of our community.

Rowan Kristan

Boothbay Harbor