Next Tuesday, voters throughout the state will head to the polls to cast their ballots on five state referendum issues. And while some may be tempted to pass on voting this year, due to relatively few items on the ballot, there is no greater responsibility for a citizen than voting.
In Houlton, interest in serving the community appears to be on the rise as there are six candidates for two seats on the Houlton Town Council. Seeking election are Priscilla Monroe, Gerald Adams, Wade Hanson, John White Jr., Carl Lord Jr. and Stanley Ginish.
Michael Jenkins, a former town councilor will also appear on the ballot, but he is no longer eligible to serve as he has moved to a neighboring community. Jenkins moved after the ballots were already printed. Should the public still vote for him, and he wins a spot on the board, his position would have to be filled by the town council for an interim period, likely one-year until the next regular election.
There are also two candidates — Fred Grant and Jeremiah Crockett — seeking two available seats on the RSU 29 school board. Since the two candidates are running essentially unopposed the newspaper did not do candidate profile stories on them.
The Houlton Pioneer Times detailed the five referendum questions in this week’s issue. We also profiled the candidates for the town council. Now is the time for readers to do their homework. Read up on the referendum questions and candidates so you can make an informed decision when casting your ballot.
All six council candidates participated in last week’s candidates’ forum, hosted by the Greater Houlton Chamber of Commerce. The common theme from all six individuals was more needs to be done to address the budget. Concerns that residents simply could not afford another hike in property tax were repeated throughout the night, which is sure to be welcome news for many taxpayers.
While other areas of the nation may be rebounding from a long, slow recession, Houlton, and pretty much all of Aroostook County has not. More care needs to be taken to ensure people will not be forced to choose between buying food for their table or heat for their home or paying their taxes.
Take the time to research who you feel is the best candidate for the job of serving our community and go to the polls to cast your ballot. With so many candidates to choose from, the race for town council is sure to be a close one.
Joseph Cyr is a staff writer for the Houlton Pioneer Times. He can be reached at pioneertimes@nepublish.com or 532-2281.
