Cooke, Soule-Leclair seek election for Lewiston City Council in Ward 5

Billie Jayne Cooke Submitted photo

Name: Billie Jayne Cooke

Age: 56

Occupation: Owner/operator of the Inn at the Agora and the Agora Grand Event Center

Political experience: None

Why do you think you’re the most qualified, or best candidate for this seat?

I live and own a business in Ward 5. My son attends public school. I am fully committed to Ward 5 and making decisions that make sense for our community. I have been educating myself and I am eager to take on the challenges facing our city.

Please name two issues that you believe are critical to Lewiston’s future, and how you would address them.

Safety: we need to make sure all residents and businesses have a voice in making Lewiston a safe home for our families and a great place to have a business.

Housing crisis: housing first is crucial. We need 24-hour shelter beds, transitional housing and more affordable housing to end housing insecurity and improve the economic outlook of the city.

What actions will you take to support businesses and grow the local economy?

If we want people to invest in Lewiston, Lewiston needs to invest in people. That means ensuring everyone has a safe place to call home, giving our public schools the resources they need to educate and inspire the next generation of Mainers, and working with the community to grow after-school programs and child care options so that parents can work. I will do everything I can to secure local, state and federal funding for this upfront investment in our future.

What solution do you support to address homelessness in Lewiston?

There are many layers to homelessness. I do believe in housing first. I want folks to be able to access what resources are available. We need to do more to help families who have lost or are losing their housing; having a housing voucher is meaningless if you can’t find anywhere to accept it and you continue to live in your minivan as a result. To have unhoused people sleeping on the streets is inhumane and bad for our city’s image; we need to make it a high priority for them to have someplace safe to go.

What do you want voters to know about you?

I grew up in northern Maine. I spent my earlier adult years in Pennsylvania. I am the mother of four adult sons who live in Pennsylvania and Virginia, and one younger son who is a junior at Lewiston High School. My husband, Wess, and I have been happily married for ten years.

Eryn Soule-Leclair Submitted photo

Name: Eryn Soule-Leclair

Age: 49

Occupation: Business owner

Political experience: None

Why do you think you’re the most qualified, or best candidate for this seat?

My wish to serve the people of Ward 5 comes from the realization that my boots-on-the-ground observations of growing community challenges combined with my professional and personal background gives me a great foundation for representing the different voices and concerns of those living in my ward on the City Council.

Please name two issues that you believe are critical to Lewiston’s future, and how you would address them.

Without aggressively tackling crime in Lewiston, progress in other areas of development cannot happen the way it should, and this is a waste of our great potential. Residents need to feel safe to walk the streets again! After hearing too many stories about people being afraid to go to parks with their children or even go to the corner store, I believe it is beyond time to take back our streets from criminal and anti-social elements. I plan to spearhead the implementation of the Neighborhood Watch program not only for Ward 5, but for all neighborhoods who wish to participate.

What actions will you take to support businesses and grow the local economy?

By prioritizing safety and social order, we will lay the foundation for the momentum of our local economy. While we work to mitigate our growing social challenges, we must also restore our identity as a community with a strong, ready workforce. Doing so will attract business investment, new housing and retail development, as well as working families looking for a great place to raise children. Enlarging our tax base is imperative if we are to meet the needs of the community, from education to infrastructure to fully-staffed first responders.

What solution do you support to address homelessness in Lewiston?

As homelessness becomes increasingly widespread, we must acknowledge that more than one solution is needed, and no solution will be perfect. There is not “one” homeless population: seniors, families, those suffering from mental health problems and those caught in addiction all have different needs and should be approached differently. We must prioritize children, families and the elderly. Calling on the state to fund rehabilitation centers for those who are committed to overcoming addiction could be a worthy first step for those who wish to move beyond cycles of losing housing and employment due to substance use disorder.

What do you want voters to know about you?

My life experience as a mother, daughter, sister, grandmother of a special needs child and neighbor to many has grown out of the roots of kindness and compassion given to me by my parents. Running multiple successful businesses has taught me to analyze issues carefully and make decisions wisely.