Editor’s note: the following is a collection of candidate profiles for those individuals running for the Houlton Town Council. They are listed in alphabetical order.
Name: Philip Bernaiche
Age: Not listed
Residence: Houlton
Political Party: Not listed
What other political offices have you held? Former member of the Town Council, Board of Budget Review, Zoning Board of Appeals, Road Committee, Parks and Recreation Advisory Board and Board of Assessment Review. I have served on different organizations over the years, including the Southern Aroostook Chapter Alliance for the Mentally Ill as its president. I was vice president of the Northern Alliance for the Mentally Ill in Maine.
In addition, I was appointed by Commissioner Melodie Peet, Department of Mental Health, as a member of the Aroostook Quality Improvement Council. I am an outstanding member of the AMI-Me Board of Directors and was awarded the charter member of the” Family Support Group Hall of Fame” by the National Alliance for Mental Illness.
What is your career background? I have done about all there is to make a living — trucking, farming, etc. My work history includes working as a trainman for the Bangor and Aroostook Railroad for years. I also worked at the Food Center on upper Military Street where I repaired televisions and sold white goods for 17 years. I then ventured into my own business, operating Phil’s Color TV service until my retirement.
What made you decide to run for this office? I decided to run for council because I believe we need a change. We don’t just need the good ole boys calling the shots. If we are going to have a future, we all must work together and I don’t feel that is happening now.
What do you see as the most important issue facing the community you will serve? The issues that are important are reducing spending now. We should not wait until it’s too late and not able to do anything about it except increase taxes. This is something that (current) councilors are experts at.
What I hear at council meetings is talk of another tax increase next year. Maybe the council doesn’t know this, but we are in a recession. I guess they are not all as experienced as they say. All we talk about is economic development. The town has hired a new manager and the tools to make this work. But the recession is still here and the council needs to wake up. People are at a point with no jobs, so the council needs to stop spending.
Why should people vote for you? My goal, if elected, is to keep the people informed. I would like to create a government that allows information to the citizens in an upfront manner. It is also important not to forget our young people need jobs, since they are our future. We have to take steps in a different direction to lower our costs. The council likes to buy now and pay later. Currently, taxpayers can only look forward to paying more in taxes. I want to control spending. I am sincere and dedicated and would like to be your councilor.
Name: Philip G. Cloney
Age: 49
Residence: Houlton since 1988
Political Party: Republican
What other political offices have you held? No political seats. I was a firefighter of the Houlton Fire Department for 21 years. During this time I was elected president of Sockanossett Hose Company No. 1 for 12 years. During my military career, I was the unit First Sergeant, responsible for the administrative, training, and the careers of soldiers assigned to the unit. I earned many commendations for achievement. I was a part of the annual trade show when it started in the late 1990’s when the show was hosted at the Houlton Armory.
What is your career background? From 1982-85 US Army assigned to the Maine Army National Guard in Fort Fairfield; from 1985-88 I was assigned to Caribou; from 1988-2004, I was assigned to Battery B 1-152 FA Houlton and in 1993 I was the non-commissioned officer in charge of the Houlton and Calais armories until my retirement in 2004. From 2004-11, I owned and operated a small successful trucking company.
What made you decide to run for this office? Hopefully, I would like to assist the town in growing and prospering. I have new ideas and would change the course of “business as usual.”
What do you see as the most important issues facing the community of Houlton? Property taxes, spending, road improvements to the main avenues into the town and Market Square. I would like to encourage new business to establish in the greater Houlton area.
Why should people vote for you? As any manager knows, success often depends on moving forward with multiple activities simultaneously. I’m working not only to gain your vote, but also to ensure that if I have the honor of being elected to town council I am ready to serve effectively from Day One.
Name: Mike Jenkins
Age: 55
Residence: Houlton
Political Party: Democrat
What other political offices have you held? If none, what other offices, honors, titles have you earned? Current member of Houlton Town Council, serving second term.
What is your career background? Management. I have recently retired from the Postal Service after a career of over 26 years. I began my work experience working for Ralph Peabody at his company at 15. I worked for the first automatic car wash in Houlton while attending high school. After graduation I worked in the farming industry until hired by the Ward Cabin Company. In 1981, I began attending Eastern Maine Vocational Technical Institute, graduating on the Dean’s List with an associate’s degree in refrigeration and air conditioning. In July of 1983, I worked for the Simons Company in Bangor until I returned to the Houlton area in 1986 to start my career with the Postal Service. I have experience in customer service, labor relations, mediation and am a certified facilitator, along with moderating the annual Monticello town meetings.
What made you decide to run for this office? I would like to continue serving the community as a town councilor. The town has numerous items that are going to need to be addressed and I believe I can provide experienced leadership in these endeavors.
What do you see as your primary goal if elected? Finding new sources of revenue. As the economy has suffered, revenues have dropped. The federal and state governments are passing on mandates to local governments, while continuing to cut funding. This passes an added burden on to Houlton.
What do you see as the most important issue facing the community you will serve? The budgets for the upcoming years are going to be tough, but we need to try to hold down taxes and decrease spending.
Why should people vote for you? I want to work to maintain and hopefully improve the services we all enjoy as citizens of Houlton. I bring experience to the council and have a demonstrated ability to work in an environment where there are differences of opinion.
Name: Carl William Lord, Jr.
Age: 58
Residence: Houlton
Political Party: Democrat
What other political offices have you held? I have served our town in many capacities. I served on the council for three years. The first year I served as co-chair. I am currently serving as a member of the Board of Assessment Review and the Board of Budget Review, having served for eight years with several years as chairman. I am also currently serving as chair on the Zoning Board of Appeals. As a leader you need to have the courage to stand alone if need be, the courage to make tough decisions and the compassion to listen to the needs of others. You must show respect in order to get respect. That is who I am.
What is your career background? All my studies were at NMCC. I am a licensed high-pressure boiler operator; know industrial ergonomics; and A/Z grant writing. I have worked for lumber mills and farmers before getting into manufacturing for 28 years. The last year and a half I have been employed by a subcontractor for the government.
What made you decide to run for this office? I am seeking a seat on the council because I believe that all of the people of Houlton should be represented equally. It is time to tell the superPACs of Houlton that we need someone with experience and common sense. I have refused campaign money and also help, because if I did accept, I would become one of them, a politician and a puppet. I am beholden to no one person or group. As always, my obligation is to the town and its citizens. That is why I stay involved on the town’s boards and committees. I have only one thing on my agenda if elected. I will try to keep taxes down where the elderly and our poor can stay in their homes if they choose to and put more money in the pockets of our middle class citizens so they can spend it on their families and not on higher taxes. Elect people that care for our town and its citizens.
What do you see as the most important issue facing the community you will serve? I will help the council make better decisions and also have more dialogue on all the issues facing our town. Having someone that has a lot of experience with the town’s budget would be a plus. If the citizens remember, in 2004, after listening to the hardships that some taxpayers were going through, I made a suggestion (motion) that we give back half a million dollars to the citizens. We as a council passed my motion and we returned this amount to the citizens. (what a great feeling it was). As the town’s budget sets today it will be a big challenge to keep the mil rate from rising to a level where not only the taxpayers will be greatly affected but also the impact on economic development could cause even bigger problems. Why would you borrow money when you don’t have enough revenue to cover it? The property tax increase tells me that we should think twice before putting our children’s future into debt. This is unacceptable to me. This is no time to vote for someone who has not served on at least one board.
Why should people vote for you? The impact of our country’s recession spells less money from the federal and state governments. That means less money for the County and our town, so as always the taxpayers will have to make up the difference. Jobs would give employment to Aroostook County, but until we get those jobs, we must do better at keeping out cost down. Houlton deserves better and we can do better. Let’s be the shining star, after all we are the capital of Aroostook County.
Name: Daniel Craig Peabody
Age: 38
Residence: Houlton
Political Party: Republican
What other political offices have you held? I am the current president of the Southern Aroostook Minor Hockey Association and served on the board of directors. I am also on the board of directors for the Houlton Community Golf Course.
What is your career background? I owned and operated Peabody Lawn and Leisure, a John Deere dealership until I sold it in May 2010. I am currently a territory manager for Nortrax Equipment Company.
What made you decide to run for this office? I decided to run for town council when the town was in-between managers. I felt it would be a positive time to get involved with the council.
What do you see as the most important issue facing the community you will serve? I believe in controlling expenses for the taxpayers is the most important issue for the community.
Why should people vote for you? I feel people should vote for me because I am a realistic, business-minded candidate. I am willing to dedicate my time to serve the town of Houlton.
