LIVERMORE FALLS – Two candidates are running for one, three-year selectman’s term Tuesday and all other town and SAD 36 school candidates are running unopposed. One SAD 36 position has no candidate.

SAD 36 school board Director Denise Rodzen and former SAD 36 Director Ernie Souther are vying for one three-year term on the Board of Selectmen. Elections run from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday, June 12, at the town office.

Rodzen says she finds tax relief the biggest issue for residents. She cited increased taxes each year, the need for more jobs, keeping people shopping and spending locally, revitalizing the downtown area, getting a town charter to prevent the town from shutting down again and recycling as top issues.

If elected, “I would work toward creating goals (for our town) and partnerships with our neighboring towns that would benefit all involved. As towns, we need to buy smart and spend even smarter,” Rodzen said. “We need to stretch the dollar and get the best value for our money. We do it now with several school systems and we need to further investigate those possibilities with our towns. I don’t want to stop services to our townspeople, in fact I want to make sure that we keep our services and possibly get more without having to spend more money.”

Souther said he sees school funding as the biggest issue facing the town.

“Since the largest part of the town’s budget goes to the schools,” Souther said, “I’d say the governor’s district consolidation policy makes school funding the No. 1 topic.”

If elected, Souther said, “I would pay attention to what is being proposed locally, and stay in touch with how other municipalities are handling it. From what I’ve seen and heard, the SAD 36 superintendent is, and has been doing some forward thinking in this area.”

Rodzen sees her 11-years-plus experience as an active school board member as a benefit for the town, providing her with knowledge on dealing with budgets, negotiations, decision-making, and ways to keep spending down.

“I also consider myself approachable. My phone has rung off the hook on school issues. People have stopped me while grocery shopping or running errands and have felt like they could talk to me about how they felt on issues or some of their concerns. I know I can’t solve every problem, but I do know I can listen to what the townspeople have to say and what it is they want. I am not afraid to admit if I don’t know something, and also not afraid to go out and find the answers.

“I am not afraid of hard work; I don’t shy away from difficult situations and I prefer to bring resolution to matters in a time-ordered fashion. I want to see Livermore Falls grow and prosper and be a town that people are waiting to move into to raise their children or to retire in.”

Souther also believes his experience of six years on the school board, 24 years as a Livermore Falls taxpayer, 18 years of coaching, officiating and being commissioner of various sports will help him as a selectman.

“During my eight years of active duty military, I have been exposed to different forms of community management in Maine, Florida and New Hampshire,” Souther said. “As a postal employee, I have worked in 15 communities and believe me, a postal worker hears the concerns of any community you serve.”

Souther said his exposure, experience and the ability to listen and evaluate would be a benefit to the town.