Pull-out:

Name: Mary Frank

Address: 184 Holley Road, Farmington

Age: 58

Occupation: Speech language pathologist. Previously a federal special intelligence analyst, a sheep farmer, a licensed private investigator and business owner, and a personal caregiver.

Education: B.A. in German literature from Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tenn., and M.S. in communications disorders from University of New Hampshire, Durham, N.H. Other job- and community-related training, includes computer-related sessions.

Name: Pam Prodan

Address: P.O. Box 910, Wilton, ME 04294. Residence on Weld Road in Wilton.

Age: N/A

Occupation: Attorney

Education: Allegheny College (B.A.); Tufts University; University of Maine Law School, (J.D.); University of Maine at Augusta. 

FARMINGTON — Two women are seeking a four-year position as Franklin County treasurer at the polls Tuesday, Nov. 2.

Mary Frank, a Republican from Farmington, and Pam Prodan, a Democrat from Wilton, are seeking to succeed longtime Treasurer Karen Robinson, a Republican of Wilton.

The winner will take office Jan. 1, 2011.

The candidates each have skills they believe will benefit the county and help them interact with people who work within and outside the county.

“I enjoy people and have strong interpersonal skills, based on experience with a wide range of work and volunteer connections,” Frank said. “I feel that I can work well with the current county staff, for whom I have high regard. I understand how government works because of years in state and federal positions — the county treasurer’s role in working with other county offices, accountability to the commissioners and to the people, and responsibility meeting county and public needs.”

She plans to answer questions asked and if she doesn’t immediately know the answer, she will find those answers, Frank said. She also plans to keep communication open to agencies within and outside Franklin County.

Prodan believes her background provides her with a solid basis to perform well and interact well with all people who she will encounter in the job of county treasurer. 

“My professional experiences include being a lawyer who deals regularly with town and county governmental issues. So I have a clear understanding of what county government does, and its relationship to the state and town governments,” Prodan said.

She has taken seven courses in accounting in the past five years at the University of Maine at Augusta, including governmental accounting and auditing, Prodan said.

“Probably because I have taught at the college level and I do a lot of writing myself, I am skilled at understanding and explaining complex subjects,” Prodan said. “I expect to be able to make county financial information available in a format that the public and other users can understand and access easily.”

Frank sees the treasurer’s position as a support role to the county commissioners, to the residents, and to county employees.

She would use computer-based systems QuickBooks, Excel and others effectively to help her fulfill the treasurer’s role, Frank said. She believes attending state, local, and other meetings for a better understanding of “how things work for us” and hearing what the multiple towns and territories in Franklin County want, and contributing to the annual budget preparation are major parts of the position.

“Being available on a regular basis to listen and respond is very important,” Frank said. “This is behind-the-scenes work that helps keep the other county departments ready to meet the public’s needs. The treasurer is a contributor to a team.”

Prodan said the county treasurer does not have a vote on public policy, and can act only according to statute, with the approval of the county commissioners.

“However, the treasurer is independently elected, and so there are ways for the treasurer to be a leader,” Prodan said. “For example, my goals as county treasurer will be government accountability and transparency.”

With regard to accountability, Prodan said, the treasurer should work with the auditors to assess the design and operation of internal controls used for county finances.

“The control environment sets the tone of an organization,” she said. “I will ensure that adequate controls are in place to provide reasonable assurance as to the reliability of financial reporting, the effectiveness and efficiency of operations, and compliance with applicable laws and regulations.”

With regard to transparency, part of the job of the treasurer is to report on the financial condition of the county, Prodan said.

“The treasurer should be on the lookout for potential financial liabilities, and I intend to properly account for any liabilities so as to give an accurate picture of the financial condition of the county,” she said. “I will also evaluate the revenue and purchasing processes and policies to see if any improvements are warranted.”

Prodan said she believes the treasurer should be directly involved in the procedures for handling any complaints about financial matters.

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