TURNER – Annual town meeting begins at 12:55 p.m. Friday with election of municipal candidates beginning at 1 p.m. The polls will be open until 7 p.m. Town meeting reconvenes on Saturday at 9 a.m. at Leavitt Area High School.
There are three candidates for one opening on the Board of Selectmen, four candidates for three openings on the Budget Committee and one candidate running unopposed for the SAD 52 Board of Directors.
Board of Selectmen
Paul Bernard
53 years old
Wife, Dale, and two daughters
Profession: Owns the Sports Barber Shop on Lower Street in Turner
Political experience: Bernard serves as a member of Turner Conservation Committee and the Town Office Committee and is a member of the Board of Appeals. He is also a chaplain for the Civil Air Patrol in Central Maine and served on both the Auburn School Committee and Mount Apatite Committee before moving to Turner.
Community service: Bernard has worked with the Abused Women’s Shelter in Auburn; the Family AIDS Center for Treatment and Support in Rhode Island; the Lewiston Alternative Vocational Center; the Isaiah House, a residence for street people, and the Hannah House, a residence for pregnant women, both in New York City; as well as the Hope Haven Gospel Mission and St. Martin de Porres, both residences for the homeless in Lewiston.
“I am running for selectman to represent the town’s people fairly with no personal agenda,” Bernard said. “I feel as a selectman I will be required to address many issues unique to our community including property taxes and how to provide essential quality services while maintaining a reasonable tax rate.”
Bernard said school funding is another important issue as education costs are rising and are the biggest expense in the town’s budget.
“I realize school funding is an emotional and political issue,” he said. “Understanding how much to spend and the impact of state aid to education as well as enhancing communication with local school officials will be a big challenge.”
Bernard said he also feels that the town has to better address the issue of solid waste, which is fast becoming one of Turner’s highest costs.
Ralph Caldwell
62 years old
Wife, Sandi, two grown daughters and four grandchildren
Profession: Owner of Caldwell Farms
Political experience: Served on the Budget Committee for 18 years, served one term as a selectman, served on both the 1992 and 2002 Comprehensive Plan committees, and currently serves on the Zoning Review Committee.
Community service: Member of Turner Volunteer Fire Department for 36 years, member of the fund-raising and renovation committee for the Leavitt Institute Committee and currently serves as the chairman for that committee, member of the original Boofy Quimby Memorial Center building committee.
“I want to serve the town and encourage the volunteer spirit of our citizens,” Caldwell said. “We need to protect the assets of our community and our heritage, and I believe in a pay as you go’ town policy as opposed to incurring long-term debt through bonding.”
Jennifer Wadsworth
50 years old
Husband, Adrian, two grown children and one grandchild
Profession: Artist and owner of Gulf Island Gallery of Fine Art and, with Adrian, owner of River Rise Farm.
Political experience: Four terms as a selectman. Worked as Turner tax collector and town treasurer for several years in the 1980s has served on four search committees for Turner town managers.
Community service: Served on the Board of Directors for the Androscoggin County Extension Board, has worked in various school parents’ groups in SAD 52 and worked extensively with the cross country ski teams for both Leavitt Area High School and Tripp Middle School as well as the committee to build the ski equipment building at Leavitt.
“I’ve been involved in community affairs for the past 20 plus years,” Wadsworth explained. “I believe issues are best addressed at the local level whenever possible. I seek to reach consensus when working with the many members of town boards and committees. My experience has taught me that when an issue is settled by majority vote’ it never goes away.”
Wadsworth said that she believes the town is in excellent shape fiscally, and that it provides services efficiently to the community.
“I want to continue working with community members as Turner grows to update and implement the visions outlined in our Comprehensive Plan. I would rely on my experience as a selectman, and review all information and opinions available, to guide me when making policy decisions for the community.”
Budget Committee
Michelle Arsenault
27 years old
Husband, Sean, one son
Profession: Customer service representative for Oxford Networks
Political experience: Vice president for Androscoggin County, Maine State Federation of Firefighters, for two years.
Community service: Member of the Turner Volunteer Fire Department and president of the Turner Volunteer Fire Department Auxiliary.
Arsenault said she is running for the Budget Committee because it is time for someone in her age group to run for office.
“The various town boards and committees are making decisions that will affect our future and we need a voice,” she said. “This might inspire others my age to take an interest and get involved. The decisions the Budget Committee makes affect everyone’s fiscal future and obligations.”
Eric Breidenstein
26 years old
Single, engaged
Profession: Emergency room technician at Central Maine Medical Center
Political experience: Worked on budget committees for several different organizations and served as president of the United Methodist Men’s group in Linwood, N.J., before moving to Turner.
Community service: Has worked on Turner Rescue since moving here 18 months ago, is a member of the Lions Club and achieved the rank of Eagle Scout through various projects before coming to Turner.
“I am running for Budget Committee because I believe I am a person who will be accountable for how your tax dollars are spent,” Breidenstein said. “I have worked on budget committees with different organizations in the past, and hope I will be given the opportunity to use my talents here in the town of Turner.”
Scott Honaker
64 years old
Wife, Carolyn, two grown children, several grandchildren
Profession: Retired
Political experience: Served one term on the Budget Committee and is the only incumbent running for re-election. He served two terms on the SAD 52 Board of Directors during the 1970s and spent 10 years on the board of the Boofy Quimby Memorial Center.
Community service: Coached and umpired all sports in community programs for 25 years, worked with the Cub Scouts and is a trustee of the Leavitt Institute.
Honaker said he is running because “I would like to try and keep the taxes down.”
Charles Mock
43 years old
Wife, Elizabeth, three children
Profession: Paramedic for United Ambulance
Political experience: Has not held elected office but has spent his adult life as a public sector employee and serves on the State of Maine Emergency Medical Services Planning Committee. He served three years in the U.S. Army and three years in the National Guard as a combat medic.
Community service: Has served on Turner Rescue since moving here 18 months ago and is the training officer for the rescue unit spending 40 to 60 hours a month on that activity, is currently joining the Masons, has worked with the Boy Scouts, served as chairman of the finance committee at his church and was a firefighter in North Carolina.
Mock explains that he is running for the Budget Committee because “it is a good way to help determine how our family’s community moves into the future.”
“I am very conservative and have strong opinions on how things should be done fiscally,” Mock explains. “Government has specific functions and they should be accomplished efficiently.”
SAD 52 Board of Directors
Josh Morris is running unopposed for re-election. Morris was elected by write-in to fill a one-year term at the 2004 town meeting and is seeking a full three-year term.
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