LISBON — Residents will vote March 5 for one of the five people vying for a two-year Town Council seat left vacant by Don Fellows, who left to winter in Hawaii last December.

Four of the five candidates — William Kuhl, Nicholas Craig, Normand Albert and Jason Smith — attended a Feb. 20 candidates forum hosted by the town to discuss issues each hopes to address. A final candidate, Jeremy Barnard, was not able to attend.

Kuhl has lived in Lisbon since 2002 and as someone “from away” he has been able to see the town from an outsider’s perspective, he said during the forum. He previously served on the Planning Board, Positive Change Lisbon and the Parks and Recreation Committee.

“I’ve had the privilege in the various committees and group’s I’ve served on to try to do a lot with a little and I think I would serve Lisbon well and contribute to the betterment of the town,” he said.

Kuhl sees Lisbon as being at a crossroads and it needs to decide what it wants to be, he said. By smart planning, strong community engagement, aggressive outreach to private partners and open communication officials can make the town a good place to live while preserving its history.

Craig is a Lisbon Falls native. He lived in Auburn for a decade then returned to Lisbon with his wife to raise their family, he said during the forum. He has served on the Planning Board for nearly two years and recently became the vice chair.

“I’m hoping that I can bring some new ideas to the council and help contribute positively in any way that I can,” he said.

He hopes to help the town decrease the overall tax burden on residents, which is an issue for many who he has spoken with in town, he said. To help achieve that, he hopes to help promote more business growth and address housing issues to make the town more appealing.

Albert, a Lisbon native who now lives in Lisbon Falls, previously spent six years on the Town Council where he learned how to collaborate. He he hopes to do again if elected, he said during the forum.

“What compelled me to come back is just the opportunity to see things differently than current council, that’s it,” he said. “I see some things that I’d like us to put a little bit more focus on.

He feels that the town’s growth should be scalable and sustainable, he said. He would like to see the town come up with future growth plan that is smart, sustainable and is long-term in scope. He noted emergency services and housing as two of many considerations for a growth plan.

Smith owns Lisbon Cannabis Company. He and his wife, along with their six kids, are active members in the community, he said. They have been involved in Save the View at Worumbo, Positive Change Lisbon and Friends of Worumbo.

“I’m really looking to bring some new entrepreneurs into town, really get business thriving and make it a town that people are happy and excited to come to,” he said.

He feels that there have been more obstacles put in place the last couple of years for business owners and he would like to help make the town a place that is welcoming to businesses and people who want to do things that will help generate revenue for the town, he said.

Barnard and his wife own more than one business in town and have lived in Lisbon for more than 10 years, according to Town Clerk Lisa Ward, who read Barnard’s prewritten responses for him. He was not able to attend the forum.

He thinks if the town focuses on making it a good location to retire, that it will make the town a better place to live for everyone, he wrote. He floated the idea of lowering property taxes for retirees.

Visit the town’s website, lisbonme.org, to view a sample ballot and to view a video of the town’s candidates forum.

Copy the Story Link

« Previous

Photo: Visiting Sabattus Pond for ice fishing

Next »

Livermore Falls has two contested races on April 23 ballot