AUBURN — A one-time candidate for Congress wants to fill a soon-to-be-vacant seat on the Androscoggin County Commission.
Jason Levesque, a Republican from Auburn, has asked Gov. Paul LePage to appoint him to the three-member county board next month, when Commissioner Jonathan LaBonte steps down from the commission to take on his role as the newly elected mayor of Auburn.
A year remains on LaBonte’s term, representing the towns of Auburn, Minot, Poland and Durham.
“I think I know the county quite well,” Levesque said. “It’s a good challenge. I think there’s a lot of problems that need to be solved. Hopefully, my experience in the business community and politics, when I was running for Congress, can be brought to bear.”
In 2010, Levesque ran for Maine’s 2nd Congressional District seat. He was defeated by incumbent Democrat Michael Michaud.
This may be a smaller role than serving in Congress, but Levesque said he feels a responsibility to serve.
He doesn’t need to be paid either.
“I’m sure it’s not that much,” he said Friday. “This is a civic responsibility. If it does pay, the county can have their money back.”
Currently, the job carries an annual salary of $7,273.15 for two commissioners and $8,492 for the chairperson. It also comes with a benefit package that includes health insurance.
Levesque figures he’ll have to surrender four to 10 hours per week to the county, if appointed.
He’ll manage it, though it won’t be easy, he said.
Levesque, 37, is the owner and CEO of Argo Marketing, a Lewiston-based call center that helps companies analyze their products, price points and appeal.
It’s a time-consuming job and his business is growing, he said. But he has the flexibility to make time for the community.
His wife, Tracey, is doing the same. On Nov. 8, she was elected to the Auburn School Committee.
“Now, the Levesque family is batting .500,” he said.
Levesque said he has been following county issues, including discussions over the need to renovate the Civil War-era courthouse and who should answer emergency calls throughout the county.
He figures his work ought to give him some insight into the 911 issue.
“I own a call center,” he said. “I know telephony, cost structure, staffing and so forth.”
Though he is still learning details about the debate, he said he would lean toward consolidation in hopes of saving money.
On the building, he said the county must first decide what services it wants to provide for the foreseeable future. Only then can it determine what it needs.
“What kind of things do we want the county to do in this day and age?” he asked. “We need to define what the county’s role is. That will help dictate what we need for facilities.”
Before going any further, though, LePage needs to make his choice.
“I’ve expressed interest in filling that spot,” Levesque said. “Obviously, the decision is up to the governor.”
The political process is somewhat unusual this time.
Vacancies in the past few years have leaned on political parties’ local offices to forward names to the governor. However, at the time he was elected, LaBonte was not enrolled in any party. He later joined the Republican party.
The county chairs of both the Republican and Democratic parties — Tom Reynolds for the Democrats and Tom Shields for the Republicans — said Friday that they had made no official overtures to fill the position. This time it is up to the individuals.
Peter Rogers, LePage’s communications director, confirmed Levesque’s contact but he had no other names, only a rumor of a possible candidate for appointment in Minot.
The Sun Journal tried unsuccessfully to find another person seeking the county job.
The governor plans to make a decision about the appointment after LaBonte leaves office, Rogers said.
dhartill@sunjournal.com
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