PARIS — Democrat candidate Roy Gedat is running in a two-way race for his second term as Oxford County Treasurer.

In an interview Thursday, Gedat, 61, said he hopes to build efforts to modernize the county’s accounting system.

“Taxpayers want their hard-earned money to be spent with maximum efficiency, just like at home and in their businesses,” Gedat said. “Fiscal responsibility isn’t Democratic or Republican — it’s just good sense.”  

Gedat was elected to his first four-year term in 2010, with his focus affecting practices within the county administration to make it run more smoothly. 

He said those strides include consolidating Oxford County’s banking accounts and improvements in bill-paying and payroll — including shifting from a weekly to a biweekly pay period for employees — as well as other accounting practices.

While those improvements have laid a foundation, Gedat said bringing current practices into line with standards common in most public financial sectors will take time. In the long term, he supports transitioning to a charter government and synchronizing its fiscal calendar to those of area municipalities.

The treasurer’s position is part-time; Gedat estimated his duties amount to about 13 hours a week. 

A small business owner, Gedat’s financial management background includes over 25 years as executive director of local and statewide organizations, including an elder home care business and policy advocacy in Maine and Washington, D.C. 

Throughout the years, he has served as treasurer of the Norway Historical Society; ombudsman, Maine Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program; and was a member of Consumers for Affordable Health Care Coalition and the Oxford County Democrats.

He has also served as president of Norway Downtown Revitalization Committee and has volunteered for more than 10 years on the Norway Town Budget Committee.  

Voters take to the polls Tuesday, Nov. 4.