Jon Beekman, left,  and his son, Todd, pose at the Montreal F-1 race last year, enjoying a day of high-speed action and father-son bonding. Submitted photo

FAYETTE — Jon Beekman, a longtime community volunteer and former Fayette Select Board member, recently reflected on his 12 years of service, including six as chair, discussing the challenges, accomplishments and future of the town. Recommended by Fayette residents as a valuable community member, Beekman emphasized the importance of civic engagement, infrastructure investment and long-term planning for Fayette’s success.

He initially ran for the board out of a belief that civic participation is essential to a town’s vitality. “I believe that everyone who can should volunteer and contribute to the municipality they live in,” he said.

During his tenure, one of the most significant challenges he faced was balancing infrastructure needs with tax impacts. “Deferred maintenance does not save anyone money, and that is a hard message to get across,” he said. “The cost to make these improvements correctly and not Band-Aid them is often difficult for voters to acknowledge.”

Among his proudest accomplishments was initiating a Capital Investment Plan, which set aside funds in reserve accounts for major expenses, reducing the need for full borrowing or bonding. He noted that voters were more likely to support recommendations backed by facts rather than emotion.

While he acknowledged that there were memorable moments and debates during his time on the board, he chose to let those remain as memories.

Community involvement

Beyond the Select Board, Beekman has remained deeply involved in Fayette’s civic life. He served on the Budget Committee before and after his board tenure and was part of the committee that negotiated the withdrawal of the Fayette School System from its alliance with the Winthrop School System. He also represented Fayette in solid waste contract negotiations that resulted in a partnership with Readfield and Wayne for use of the Readfield Transfer Station.

Currently, he volunteers with the Friends of Starling Hall, a group dedicated to fundraising and renovating the historic building. His past service includes three years on the Kennebec County Budget Committee and five years with the Maine Municipal Association’s executive committee, where he chaired the Strategic Finance Committee.

Among Fayette’s traditions, he holds the annual town meeting in high regard. “Town meeting is a wonderfully valuable and informative tradition,” he said. “Some see this as a negative, but it is a privilege and a right, and I believe it results in the best direction for the town, regardless of the outcome.”

Over the years, he has observed changes in Fayette, including an increase in new volunteers on boards and committees and a trend toward larger homes being built. However, he believes the town has remained a caring community, with an even greater sense of impact and empathy.

Looking ahead

Since leaving the Select Board, he sees both opportunities and challenges for the town.

“Taking full advantage of a renovated Starling Hall for civic and municipal services is a great opportunity,” he said. “Encouraging residents to volunteer on some of the newer services and advisory committees is also key.”

However, he noted that maintaining Fayette’s infrastructure remains a pressing challenge. “Raising sufficient tax dollars to build a new Town Office and maintain our road infrastructure will be difficult,” he said.

For current and future Select Board members, his advice is straightforward: make decisions with a long-term perspective. “Realize that it costs money to maintain a growing multi-million-dollar business,” he said. “If you don’t maintain the town’s resources, very quickly it costs the shareholders [taxpayers] more.”

He also urged board members to follow the guidance of the Road Committee. “They know better than the board,” he said.

Reflecting on his years of service, Beekman expressed gratitude to the community. “Thank you for trusting me and giving me the opportunity to serve on the Board of Selectmen,” he said.

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