FARMINGTON – People, jobs, community, and growth. The 10 candidates, including one in absentia, for four positions on the Board of Selectmen and School Board who gave their views on town policy Wednesday night seemed to have a lot in common.

Whether they came to Farmington after a long search later in life, or were born here, each one extolled the virtues of the community’s small-town feel, its kind, civic-minded and hard-working people, and its potential for incredible growth.

The 90-minute candidates forum was organized by the town and the Franklin County Chamber of Commerce as a way to introduce the group to the community.

“It’s more (candidates) than usual, I would say,” Town Manager Richard Davis said last week. “There seems to be a lot of interest, particularly in that two-year spot – with five candidates running for that one position.”

Chairman of the Board of Selectmen Mary Wright died in January with two years left on her term. John Frary, Drew Hufnagle, Stanley Kuklinski, Ryan Morgan and Bob Vallette are running for that spot. Kuklinski did not attend the forum, but sent a letter explaining he had a prior commitment, and offering his views on a variety of issues.

Selectman Mark Cayer resigned early last fall, leaving a year to be filled. Jon Bubier and Kyle Warren are both running for that.

Incumbents Dennis Pike and Stephan Bunker are running uncontested for two other positions on the board, and sent a joint letter, like Kuklinski, explaining they were needed elsewhere.

Three people are running for two school board positions. Current board members Yvette Robinson and Raymond Glass are running for re-election and Fred O. Smith is also running.

Candidates for the selectmen’s positions answered questions about their reasons for running, their views on the town’s strengths and weaknesses, and their attitudes toward regionalization.

School board candidates discussed budget priorities, ideas about regionalization, and creative thinking, among other things.

Selectmen candidates

John Frary:

Born at Franklin Memorial Hospital. Says he’s not opposed to a new municipal building – even one with Corinthian columns and stained glass – as long as the taxpayers can afford it. “They’re strained for space; well, the taxpayers are strained for a lot of things too.”

Drew Hufnagel

A former member of the town’s police force, he is well acquainted with the space issues in the municipal building, and thinks one way to help solve them would be to attract new industries or businesses to provide a wider tax base, but won’t the small-town character of Farmington.

Ryan Morgan

Attends nearly all selectmen’s meetings. Thinks one of the town’s strengths is the fact so many people are willing to get involved in community decisions, and is in favor of a committee to explore the idea of a new municipal building.

Robert Vallette

Has extensive background working for various government organizations and thinks he can bring that expertise to the table, if elected. Thinks the small amount of space available for the Police Department is “almost criminal” and says it may be more cost effective to “bite the bullet” fundingwise.

Jon Bubier

Has lived in Farmington for all but one year of his life and was inspired to run by Mary Wright. Thinks that as a service center for Franklin County, Farmington has a huge potential for growth, and thinks it’s imperative to carefully plan out how the town can physically meet that growth – municipal building included.

Kyle Warren

Thinks it’s important to come up with a good plan for a new municipal building. Thinks in many ways Farmington is on the right track, but thinks the town could also learn from nearby municipalities. Feels strongly that it’s imperative to actively encourage more young people to stay in town.

Stanley Kuklinski (not shown)

Thinks funding is getting harder and harder, with demand for services going up and the tax base staying more static, and feels it’s important to strike a balance by taking an active part in the town’s economic development.

SAD 9 board candidates:

Fred Smith:

Thinks that while the local schools are already top-notch, it’s the community’s duty to offer local kids the opportunity for a great education. The former option of “going to work in the mill” is no longer out there, and local kids need to be able to succeed in a changing marketplace.

Yvette Robinson: Thinks it’s important to be up front when budgeting. Says that often things like maintenance or upgrade costs are dropped when budgeting gets tight, but have to be put back into the budget later. Wants to encourage businesses to invest in local schools as they do elsewhere around the world, and hopes to have a hand in improving the school system.

Raymond Glass

As the current chairman of the school board, thinks it’s the give-and-take between diverse points of view that get the job done right. Says that the budgeting and funding issues the board faces are extremely complex, and thinks an important challenge is to keep upgrading programs, even without much extra money.