WILTON — Four candidates are vying for a seat on the Board of Selectpersons in elections from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday, June 9, at the Town Office. The winner will succeed Tom Saviello, who is not seeking re-election.
Three of the four candidates responded to requests for information on their employment, experience, priorities and future vision.
Joey Kinsey, 68, is retired and assists his wife with operating the Printing Warehouse and Four K Storage. His prior municipal experience includes two terms on the Planning Board and five years with Wilton Volunteer Ambulance Service, both in the 1980s.
His top three actions if elected would be trying to curb high taxes, seeking solutions to eliminating the abandoned building issue and seeing if more specialty shops could be encouraged to come to Main Street.
Asked where he wants to see Wilton 10 years from now, he said he would like to have every storefront and house occupied.
Jeffrey Adams, 68, retired in 2008 after 42 years with the Maine Department of Transportation. He was highway program manager the past five years. His prior municipal experience is serving on the Road Committee since 2009.
His top three actions if elected would be working with the select board and town manager to deliver cost-effective, innovative processes for delivery of services to the community; increasing voter participation in town elections and decision-making; and growing the local economy.
In 10 years, “I see Wilton as a vibrant, small-to-medium, growing community, driven by the addition of small-to-medium service industry businesses,” he said.
Irving Faunce, 69, is the administrator of Maplecrest Rehabilitation & Living Center in Madison. His prior municipal experience includes Planning Board, 2004-07; selectman, 2007-11; Road Committee, 2009-11; Budget/Finance Committee, 2015. Faunce, his wife and family, have developed a small business, Wilton Blueberry Farm.
His top three actions if elected would be creating a strategic vision for the downtown village, including demolition and development of the Forster site; attracting investment in affordable housing for the elderly in that area, and improving the appearance of downtown buildings; and paying careful attention to town operations and expenses.
In 10 years, Faunce would like to see Wilton as a safe and secure community where residents can afford to live comfortably and enjoy its natural resources and beauty, while having access to public safety, recreation, road maintenance, snow removal and cultural activities they need and deserve.
Gerald Whitney did not respond to requests for information, but recently said he thought people wanted a change on the board, prompting him to run for office. He also said he wants to see more residents participate in decisions made by the town, see storefronts filled on Main Street and work on rising taxes.
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