BIO INFO:

Rodney Hall

Address: 989 Route No. 2 West, East Dixfield

Age: 40

Occupation: Agriculture

Irv Faunce

Address: 83 McLaughlin Road

Age: 61

Occupation: Director of Program Operations for Western Maine Community Action, owner of Wilton Blueberry Farm.

Doug Hiltz

Address: 358 Depot St.

Age: not available

Occupation: Postal clerk/coffee news publisher

Russell Black

Address: 23 Black Road

Age: 54

Occupation: Self-employed farmer/logger

Keith Swett

Address: 155 Swett Road, East Dixfield

Age: 43

Occupation: Self-employed, saw blade business

School directors, selectmen up for vote

WILTON – Two positions on the Board of Selectmen will be determined by voters on Tuesday, June 12, with voting held from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the town office. The town will also vote on the SAD 9 school budget of $23,766,097, a 3.4 percent increase over last year and two SAD 9 Board of Director positions.

Present board chair, Rodney Hall, is challenged for another three-year position by Irv Faunce and Doug Hiltz. Selectman Russell Black competes with Kenneth Swett for the second selectman position, also a three year term.

For Hall and Hiltz, taxes are a major issue facing the town while Faunce believes there is a need for change.

“Attracting and expanding businesses to recreate new employment opportunities is a major issue,” Hall said. “With an increase in business will come a tax relief for all.”

With 14 years of experience, four of those as chairman, Hall said he would work to formulate a plan to make this a viable solution.

“I come from a family with a vested interest in the well being of Wilton because we have lived and farmed in Wilton for eight generations,” he said.

A short-term issue, Hiltz said, is the upcoming property tax revaluation.

“Property taxes will most likely be going up for most taxpayers in the near future. The taxpayers are going to want to know why,” Hiltz said.

With the same questions as every other taxpayer, Hiltz said he would gain an understanding of the issues and decisions made previously in order to apply that knowledge to future decisions. But, he said, I think the most important thing is to keep the taxpayers informed and involved.

For his first attempt at public office, Hiltz said, he brings a strong desire to serve his town and an ability to analyze a problem or situation from all perspectives and to make sound judgments.

“We need to change to a positive way of thinking about our town and a more positive way of conducting our government,” Faunce said. He suggests promoting the many assets of Wilton and will continue his work on the Comprehensive Plan Committee.

If elected, he will support and help conduct meetings that are fair, open and friendly to the public. “We will seek out and respect all points of view,” he said.

Faunce said as an experienced manager, he will bring strong leadership, facilitation and budget management skills to the board.

Holding down taxes without giving up the good services that Wilton offers is an issue that will be facing the town, said candidate Russell Black.

“As a small town we are really going to have to look at sharing equipment and services, regionalization without loosing local control,” he said.

Black said the town needs to operate with what funds are available and do an effective job of managing departments as well as to scrutinizing large purchases, which he said he has done for the past three years.

A lifelong resident of Wilton, Black has been active in town business, serving 18 years on the Planning Board. He thinks the current Board of Selectmen has done a good job correcting problems, as needed, especially with the police and firetruck issues.

Swett said getting more people involved in the town is an important. People complain, but then don’t go to meetings, he said, which ends up with 50 people making decisions for the whole town.

He would like to see the town consider referenda, like the town of Jay, where decisions are made through voting at the polls, with a larger percentage of people participating.

A former selectman and current Planning Board chairman, Swett said he brings to the board the ability to stand up for what you believe even when others oppose you.

Robert Pullo, a member of the SAD 9 Board of Directors, is running unopposed for another three-year term. A second position on the board remains vacant. Voters may write in names and are advised, if they do so, to also check the box beside the name, said Lynn Jellison, town clerk.