LEWISTON — Elaine Makas has announced her candidacy for re-election as Lewiston’s representative on the Androscoggin County Commission.

Prior to her appointment as commissioner 15 months ago, Makas served as one of Lewiston’s representatives to the state Legislature. During her six years in that capacity, Makas was recognized as a strong advocate for the people of Lewiston. She is best known for her successful efforts to prevent the importation of out-of-state toxic waste by Casella into the Lewiston landfill; to improve the water quality standards for the Androscoggin River; and to raise money for benches in Veterans Park honoring the two Lewiston servicemen who were killed in Iraq, according to her announcement. In addition, Makas successfully sponsored several important pieces of legislation that increase public access to information, it stated.

Although her role as county commissioner is different than that as a state representative, her goals are essentially the same: to assure that Lewiston’s interests are protected and advanced, and to provide people with the information they need to make their own decisions, she said.

As county commissioner, Makas has been elected vice president of the Central/Western Maine Workforce Investment Board,Inc., which oversees publicly and privately funded job training and re-training programs.

Under her leadership as chairman of the Androscoggin County Safety Committee, the committee has successfully reduced the financial costs of work-related injuries, her announcement stated. Makas was also instrumental in Lewiston’s winning bid to host the 2010 state Democratic party convention, bringing hundreds of people and an estimated million dollars into the community, it said.

Makas is an adjunct associate professor at University of Southern Maine’s Lewiston-Auburn College.

She holds a doctoral degree in social psychology and is a trained mediator. She is also a longtime, dedicated volunteer within the community, including serving as chairwoman of the Board of Androscoggin Head Start and Childcare, a member of Lewiston’s Energy Savings Committee, and volunteer for 20 years at the MPBN Great TV Auction.


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