Trio of candidates vie for two open seats on Oakland Town Council
Oct. 3—OAKLAND — Three people are running for two seats on the Oakland Town Council, one of which is being vacated by a sitting councilor.
Elections will be held from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 5, at the Oakland Fire Department, located at 15 Fairfield St. Oakland town Councilors are paid $30 a meeting, of which there are about 29 per year.
Don Borman, who has served as a councilor for nearly a decade, decided not to run for re-election this cycle.
The candidates for three-year terms are incumbent Councilor Dana W. Wrigley Sr., 83, a retired Central Maine Power Co. employee; Shawn Michael Nava, 58, a railroad electrician and manager; and Kelly Roderick, 60, a security guard at the Colby College Museum of Art.
Wrigley, who has served on the Town Council 18 years, says he is running for re-election to help the town continue to grow and provide services residents need at a cost they can afford.
"The same inflation that has made it increasingly hard for residents to afford their necessities to provide for their families has also made it difficult for the town to provide the services residents need," Wrigley said. "In our budget for this year, we had some large increases from the school department, Delta Ambulance and Kennebec County, which we have no control over."
Wrigley said he hopes to stay on the Town Council to help keep Oakland a great place to live by having councilors who respect each others' opinions and can work together to provide the needs of residents.
"We have a great group of town employees and we must continue to provide a good working environment to prevent losing them," he said.
Nava, a newcomer to town politics, says he is running for Town Council as a way to give back to the community. He said he attended a retirement party a while ago for a long-time town employee and as he sat listening to his co-workers laughing, eating and having an enjoyable time together, it made him stop and think how great the town is.
"The town where I went to school, raised my children, married my childhood sweetheart, is pretty amazing," Nava said. "Now that my children are all grown, it is time to give back. So, in short, I am running for Town Council to give back to the community, give a commonsense approach to town politics, be a strong advocate for the citizens of Oakland as we face the challenges that lie ahead of us."
Nava says that if he is elected, his top priority will be to work with the Town Council, town manager and budget committee to help draft and pass a balanced budget that will keep taxes down in the ever-changing economy, while ensuring economic growth.
Roderick, who serves on the town's Budget and Advisory Committee, says she is running for a seat on the Town Council to bring representation to all residents and allow their voices to be heard.
"I have always felt that having experienced officials serving the community is great for historical knowledge and continuity, but it's time for change," Roderick said. "There comes a time when extended service can be viewed as self-serving and shifting away from the original intent of service to have a more diverse representation of the community, allowing for fresh viewpoints and energy."
Roderick said that if she is elected, she wants to help ensure that the community continues to grow. With downtown revitalization on the rise, it will take fresh ideas and motivation to bring more businesses to town, she said.
"I would like to see us look at more services to our older residents, more things for families to do and try and address affordable housing and transportation needs for all. Having served on the Budget and Advisory Board for years and feeling its lack of authority when it comes to the budget, it is time to sit at the other table to have a voice."
She said she wants to work to keep communication transparent with town government, grow business opportunities in downtown, maintain the tax rate, address housing and enhance opportunities for people of all ages.
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