AUBURN – Elmer Berry, a Democrat and chairman of the Androscoggin County Commission, is running for re-election to the commission.

Berry would like to bring the county into the 21st century by continuing the works of the commission to regionalize county and local government. The regionalization movement, now a statewide effort, started in Androscoggin County, Berry said.

He described it as an effort to consolidate local government services to provide them on a countywide basis, instead of the massive duplication that exists now. The commission has held three meetings with area towns to form a county municipal association to work in that direction. The goal is to provide top service at a much lower cost.

Berry said he takes pride in the fact that Androscoggin was the only county this year to hold the line and give taxpayers a decrease in tax levy.

Berry was born in Lewiston, served in the U.S. Navy and attended the University of Maine. He served two terms on the Auburn School Committee, two terms on the Auburn City Council and was a Maine state senator. He serves on several boards, including the Commission on Incarceration, Sentencing and Finance, appointed by the governor to represent all 16 counties.