Ward 4, municipal airport area

Address: 95 Monroe St.

Personal: Married, two children

Occupation: Bakery clerk at Shaw’s, Lewiston

Education: 1975 graduate, Edward Little High School

Political experience: None

Community Groups: Member, Auburn City Democratic Committee

Rowell wants to help labor groups

AUBURN – Donna Lyons Rowell said she never intended to run for City Council.

She began paying attention to city politics last year, when the council was struggling to settle labor contracts with police and fire unions.

“The firefighters, the police and the teachers – they’re why I got into this in the first place,” Rowell said.

She was among several who attended the meetings and spoke, but she left each meeting with the distinct impression that the sitting councilors didn’t listen to what she said.

“Sometimes, it’s like they have their minds made up before they even go out to vote,” she said. “There’s no sense that they listen at all. It’s frustrating for the citizens. Why bother to go and voice their opinion if it’s just going to fall on deaf ears?”

That’s when she decided to run.

“I can complain about things all I want,” Rowell said. “Now it’s time to step up to the plate and see what I can do.”

Rowell said she’s been going door to door throughout Ward 4 and attending public benefits. She says she sees links between national, state and local politics this year.

“People say they want change, on all levels,” Rowell said. Locally, that shows up in frustration with the sitting councilors and the city manager.

“People tell me they see bad spending, leaders that are out of control,” Rowell said. She sees money spent on a new city building and new parking garages when other departments face cuts.

“I think the city gets laughed at for its lack of priorities,” Rowell said. “We have this nice new city building, but we can’t stick to a contract with our firefighters.”

Rowell said she hopes to change the council’s priorities. Less money needs to go to downtown development, more to the people working in the schools, the firehouses and police stations.

She’d also protect those three groups from cuts as much as possible if voters approve a tax cap this November. She’s not sure how to do that, however.

“There’s no way of knowing just what would happen,” Rowell said. “In the end, you need to do what you can to protect those essentials. I hope we could do that.”

Rowell said she’d favor having the Charter Commission put term limits on city councilors and the mayor’s office.

“Sometimes people get too comfortable in their jobs, and they need change every once in a while,” she said. “They get too comfortable with each other. They end up listening more to each other than to their constituents. I think they need a break. It’s time to bring in some new energy.”