HARTFORD — Selectman Lee Holman wants a fifth term. Clarence Hill, who’s worn a number of hats in the town, looks to unseat her in Tuesday’s town elections.
The term is for two years.
Holman is a homesteader who moved to town in the mid 1970s.
Hill moved his family here in 1991 and did body and fender work on vehicles for more than three decades, retiring as an insurance appraiser. He previously served as the town’s animal control officer, fire chief, fire warden and constable.
Both candidates agree the most important issue facing the town and selectmen is roads.
“I know a lot of the roads are real bad from the bad winter we had,” Hill said.
“How that plays out will have a lot to do with the other big race on the municipal ballot,” Holman said. “Who will be elected as road commissioner? Four guys are running and I expect each has an entirely different philosophy about . . . what needs to be done.”
She said she hopes the new road commissioner will follow the ordinance that requires jobs costing more than $5,000 to go out to bid to alleviate any possible conflict of interest.
“I’m hoping we can work together on both of the one- and the five-year road repair plans . . . as the Road Committee has worked up,” Holman said. “I really, really hope that the new road commissioner will work with, instead of against, the Road Committee.”
If Hill could put money into the town budget, he said he’d invest in economic growth.
“I think the town really needs something to boost it up a little bit,” he said. “(We need) to get some kind of business in here.”
He said if residents want to purchase anything major, they have to travel to Auburn, Norway, Jay or Rumford.
“The stores that are here are higher-priced,” he said.
Holman said another issue that should be addressed is organizing the town’s ordinances and policies, including crafting an administration ordinance because there is no town manager.
“I don’t want to craft that myself, it’s not about me,” she said. It should be a group effort, she said.
Hill believes there should be some changes, including increasing the frequency of bulky waste pickup. If residents miss the pickup date before winter, they have to hold onto it until the snow recedes.
“I think there ought to be some kind of way to get rid of it before then,” he said.
Voting will be from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday, June 9, at the Town Hall.
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