NEW SHARON — Voters will go to the polls Friday, March 14, to elect two selectmen and a Water District trustee.

Voting will be from noon to 7 p.m. at the Town Office at 11 School Lane.

Selectman Paula Nason is seeking a one-year term unopposed, and Robert Ayer, Tory Mooar and Robert Neal are seeking a three-year term.

James Reis is a candidate for a one-year term as water district trustee and Edward Ferreira is seeking a two-year term. Write-in votes are possible for three-, four- and five-year terms.

The Franklin Journal asked candidates for the contested races a variety of questions.

Why are you seeking a seat on the board?

Robert Ayer is one of three candidates seeking a three-year term on the New Sharon Board of Selectmen. Submitted photo

Ayer: I am running for a board seat for several reasons, primary among them is my sense of obligation to the town that raised me and made me who I am and how I am. I want to represent the voices of the people who do not feel as if they are being heard when it comes to town politics. I want to advocate for our Cape Cod Hill School and our fire department, for our small businesses, our farms and our community.

Mooar: I was born and raised here in New Sharon. I bought my parents’ house and raised my two children here. I have been an active firefighter and EMT for the town of New Sharon for 25 years. I feel I owe this community more; because of them I have been able to do what I do as a firefighter/EMT for this community. I think we also need to open up more opportunities for our children in this community such as sports or other fun activities.

Neal: New Sharon has been good for my family and me. We started a successful farm here, becoming the largest turkey farm in Maine. I believe those who benefit should put back in. I have the experience to start working on Day One. I served on the select board (2016-19). I also served the town for nine years on the Mount Blue School board of directors, including two years as chair. As a widower and retired farmer, I have the time to do my share of the board’s work.

What skills would you bring to the board?

Ayer: I have sat on several boards and committees in the past, including the third strategic direction committee for the restructuring of the University of Maine System. I have the ability to look at issues from many different viewpoints, which allows me to see several approaches to problem solving. I am able to think outside of the box and can be quite creative when it comes to finding solutions. I work well with others and I listen well. If I don’t know, I will find someone or something to point me in the right direction and I will get back to you when I have some useful information.

Tory Mooar is one of three candidates seeking a three-year term on the New Sharon select board. Submitted photo

Mooar: Nowadays I think having some common sense is a rare skill. This community is made up of people with all sorts of work backgrounds. I myself have worked cutting wood in a few different manufactures mills, plowed winter roads, drove dump trucks, was a beer and wine salesman for 15 years, and fought fires and saved lives for 25 years. All these jobs demanded common sense decisions and good communication skills. The ability to communicate with others and get results and being respectful to all.

Neal: Basically, I get stuff done. For example, when the town needed a new firehouse and town office, the select board and the building committee didn’t agree on much of anything. I began attending building committee meetings, looking for the points on which we could agree. By working so closely with the building committee, we saved nearly $1 million in building costs.

I work at working for residents.

What are the most pressing issues facing New Sharon and how would you work to address them?

Ayer: If you ask 10 different people in New Sharon that question, you are likely to get 10 different answers. I cannot see just one pressing issue that needs to be addressed, but I do see many. Here are a few that come to mind immediately. County taxes have gone up roughly 40% to $205,149 in the last few years. New Sharon’s commitment to RSU 9 has gone up as well. The money raised by taxation in New Sharon only goes up about 3% a year, so cuts have been made in every way possible to keep the funds raised by taxation to a minimum. Roughly half of our municipality budget is sent outside of New Sharon.

We have farmers that have had federal grant money for building upgrades and equipment needed to continue running their farms told the funds are now frozen, due to Gov. Mills going against federal law and insisting that biological males compete against biological females in our schools and universities.

Mooar: One major issue that I hear the most about is the condition of some of the town’s paved roads. As we all know the longer we push off these big projects the more expensive they get. We need to find balance. Another issue we are trying to work through is outdated town equipment like fire department gear such as air packs and air bottles. We should be staggering the purchases of this equipment so we don’t have to spend huge chunks of cash all at once.

Robert Neal is one of three candidates seeking a three-year term on the New Sharon select board. Submitted photo

Neal: Let’s name four. Maine is becoming again the most heavily taxed state relative to ability to pay. New Sharon doesn’t have a huge property tax base, relying on private homes and small businesses. We have to work with other governments to restrain the growth in property taxation and working with our legislators to try to stop the state from passing tax increases on to the towns.

Second, we have to ensure we are getting the biggest bang for our tax bucks, whether this means pressuring the school board to be more careful or ensuring we have a sound procedure for making town purchases.

Third, we need to examine the cost and service of trash/recycling pickup. The cost has risen dramatically while the service has deteriorated.

Finally, work to make housing more affordable. Young people can’t afford to own, and sometimes town ordinances make ownership harder. One positive result of more affordable housing would be keeping our elderly in town.

Last year, voters changed the date when interest on unpaid taxes would start to accrue as well as the rate of interest. Would you support similar amendments this year and why or why not?

Ayer: No one wants to see the interest rate at the state’s level of 8%. We have a town meeting form of government in New Sharon and every year in the town warrant there is an article number for this question. Citizens can amend this article from the floor and do. I am very much in favor of letting the community vote for what they believe would be a fair interest rate.

Mooar: I honestly didn’t read too much into this last year. I have always received my tax statement from the town and paid it as soon as I can. Every person’s situation is different. Not every person can just pull money out of thin air. I feel as long as the person is showing true effort to pay their taxes owed to the town they shouldn’t have to sell their souls to make it happen.

Neal: Both could be changed, but need to be changed by motions from the floor during annual town meeting. I would not oppose a longer period, say 45 or 60 days, for paying taxes. And I favor lowering the interest rate from 8% to a rate more in line with current bank rates.

This year voters will be asked to change the positions of tax collector and town clerk from elected to appointed. Do you favor those changes and why or why not?

Ayer: I do favor the position of town clerk and tax collector being appointed positions. Those positions are very demanding and need to be performed at the highest level of competency. The town votes in the select board, if they want the board to appoint these positions they will vote for it on the 15th. The will of the people is what I want to represent and whatever they decide, I will gladly do my best to ensure that their will is how the town of New Sharon will be run.

Mooar: I believe that the townspeople should be able to elect who they want to represent them in these positions. If they were going to be changed to appointed positions then there should be a set of prerequisites that will need to be met so that the public knows that the person being appointed by the boards has the qualifications to do these positions correctly swiftly and cost effectively as well.

Neal: I reluctantly support both changes. In the past, including while I was on the select board, I opposed them publicly because I believe deeply in democracy, and electing officeholders is our most basic way to participate in democracy. However, the jobs of clerk and collector are becoming more and more complicated, partly because of a rising tide of state mandates and regulations. These jobs now virtually require a manager and/or an accountant.

Sign up for Franklin Now