NORWAY – Incumbent county commissioner Steve Merrill is hoping to add another four years to the 14 he has served on the board.

“My experience has been very rewarding from the simple fact that I’ve met and worked with some tremendous people,” said Merrill.

Merrill said that while he has been on the board, the county has seen a steady growth of services without heavily impacting the county budget. He said the coverage of the Oxford County Sheriff’s Office has increased and the county buildings have been renovated to accommodate increasing space needs.

Merrill said that the commission was pleased to learn that the town of Raymond was considering joining the county, and that one of the reasons the town officials gave was the county government’s management of policy and fiscal matters.

Merrill said the commission has also increased its visibility and transparency over the years, recently holding a second monthly meeting and rotating meetings around the county for a time. He said the county has also increased training opportunities available through the Emergency Management Agency and upgraded the registries of deeds and probate.

Merrill said his goals include changing the county budget to a fiscal year to save on a tax anticipation note and investigating the possibility of becoming a charter county. He said the county government is suited to assist with regionalization projects in towns, and could offer assistance with services including animal control, road maintenance, and code enforcement.

Merrill said he supports keeping the jail operational and retaining the facility’s jobs. He said that while he supports maintaining the jobs at the Oxford Regional Airport, he would like to give maintenance of the airport to another entity.

“I don’t think the county needs to be the owner of the airport,” he said.

Merrill took a neutral stance on the casino, encouraging voters to make an informed decision rather than one made on emotion.

“I will support whatever the county taxpayers do,” said Merrill.

Though Merrill is running as a Republican, he said county government does not lend itself to partisan politics and is more a process of management.

“The sharing of thoughts and ideas crosses the aisle constantly in that venue,” said Merrill.