Name: Daniel O’Neill
Party: Democrat
Hometown: Oxford
Hobbies: I like to keep busy. I play guitar in my downtime, but I am also a builder, a mechanic, a teacher, a father and a friend.
Can you talk a little bit about your background? What do you do for work?
My youngest son and I operate as a logging contractor, mostly in Oxford County. We have been in operation since 2013. He cuts and yards with cable skidders, and I provide logistical and mechanical support. I am also employed full-time as a manager in training at a convenience store nearby, with 35 employees.
Prior to that, I served as a trades instructor and SkillsUSA adviser at Lewiston Regional Technical Center, bringing real-world work experiences to high school students in small and large group project work. I also brought the Reflection Process to Auburn Middle School as a manner of helping suspended students resolve behavioral issues.
Previous to that, I made a career as an auditor in the trucking industry, and as a guitarist or bass man in many bands from here to Texas. I have a Bachelor of Science degree in social and behavioral sciences from the University of Southern Maine and an Associate of Science degree in transportation technology from Mesquite College in Dallas County, Texas.
How do you feel your work experience has prepared you for the Oxford County commissioner’s office?
I have learned to serve the needs of people by carefully listening and clarifying what they have to say. Every individual brings value to their work and possesses insights one may have to work at to understand. Most people are in possession of the solution to their problems when empowered to do so. I have also learned that the expectation of value for investment is not only reasonable, but imperative. I am not afraid to take the time to read a contract thoroughly.
What are some things you’d like to accomplish, if elected as commissioner?
The office requires a certain degree of transparency in all matters outside of personnel issues, and fairness to all who seek services. The commission should also serve the greater good. Down the road, I expect to do some analysis of how we provide services, where they are available, and how folks can interface with our departments in more convenient ways. It’s a long way from Porter to Rumford, from South Paris to Upton. It’s very important to me that constituents feel they are getting a solid value for the services we provide.
Is there anything else you would like to share with voters?
I have a record of service in Oxford on the Economic Development Committee, the Comprehensive Plan Committee, the Budget Committee, and a brief stint as an alternate on the Planning Board. I am cautious and thoughtful, deliberate and convincing when necessary. I believe we have made Oxford a better place over the years and prepared the town for greater things going forward. This is my first run for office.
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