JAY — Incumbent Selectman Warren Bryant and former Jay School Department Business Manager Deb Holland are vying for a three-year selectman’s term in Tuesday’s election.

The polls will be open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the Community Building.

One question townspeople face this year is whether to raise $326,800 for curbside trash and recycling pickup in 2010-11.

Bryant, as well as other selectmen, believe the service should be cut to save money.

“Too many families are finding it extremely difficult to pay their taxes,” Bryant said. “The state has cut the school subsidies very drastically and they have been making job cuts. The town also has been hit hard by the state.”

The state reduced the revenue sharing for the town by “several hundreds of thousands of dollars” from last year and lowered the Homestead Exemption by $3,000, he said. 

The Police Department cut the dispatch service to save the taxpayers, he said. The Highway Department also cut two jobs to save money, and this year the town needs to make further cuts or taxes will rise, Bryant said. 

Eliminating curbside service is an option Jay taxpayers have to keep their taxes from going up noticeably, he said.

Holland is glad selectmen decided to give citizens a choice on this issue.

“I have to give credit to the selectmen for looking at all areas in the town’s budget to see where they feel there could be reductions to help keep the property taxes down for its citizens, while minimizing impact,” she said. “On the other hand, I have heard concerns from a few people about the elderly and others who may be unable to take their own trash to the transfer station, and I believe this is a valid concern. In difficult economic times, communities have to decide what is necessary and what is nice to have for services.”

If elected, Holland said she will take the time to talk with the town officials and the townspeople to get the general feeling of what the biggest issues are for Jay.

“I have no preconceived agenda that I bring with me to the board,” Holland said. “I am simply interested in being a contributing member to the team of select people who have a huge responsibility of overseeing a great community.”

A major issue facing the town, Bryant said, is the lack of jobs.

If re-elected, he said, he would continue work on trying to bring more jobs to the area and help the town become more business friendly. He would also continue to try to “make our town more attractive to future businesses and taxpayers,” he said.

Bryant, a former town emergency dispatcher and highway crew worker, said he uses common sense and logic to make decisions, he said.

They “play a big role in doing the selectman’s job,” Bryant said. “I try to be cool-headed in all of my decisions and give everyone a chance for their input before making my decisions.”

If elected, Holland said she would continue her practice of making informed decisions. She believes her nearly 20 years experience as a business manager in Jay and RSU 52 school systems is an asset.

“I believe my work as a business manager has given me the experience necessary to serve in the role of selectperson,” Holland said. “One of the biggest responsibilities I have is to manage the finances for my school district. I am knowledgeable about fiscal controls that are a must in any organization to ensure that funds are being spent appropriately. Another area that I have extensive experience is in negotiations with employees on collective bargaining agreements.”

[email protected]

Warren M. Bryant

Address: 46 Barbridge Drive, Jay

Age: 65

Occupation: Retired

Education: Graduate of Livermore Falls High School with college prep courses

Deb Holland

Address: 46 Belmont Drive

Age: 40

Occupation: Business manager

Education: Bachelor’s of science in business administration from Thomas College in Waterville