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Home My WebLink About2010-08-09 10-283 ORDERCOUNCIL ACTION Item No. 1 () : } 8 3 Date: August 9, 2010 Item/Subject: ORDER, Authorizing Casting the Election Ballot for the Position of Maine Municipal Association Vice President and Executive Committee Members. Responsible Department: City Council Commentary: Each year member municipalities have an opportunity to vote on the election of MMA Vice President and municipal officials to serve on the MMA Executive Committee. A five -member Nominating Committee is appointed to review nominations submitted by municipal officials and conduct interviews with those municipal officials qualifying and interested in serving as the MMA Vice President. The MMA Nominating Committee completed its task to put forth a Proposed Slate of Nominees for 2011. There are three candidates for the Executive Committee: Michelle Beal, Ellsworth City Manager, Marston Lovell, Saco City Councilor, and Robert Yandow, York Town Manager. For MMA Vice President, there are two candidates: Sophia Wilson, Brownville Town Manager and Clint Deschene, Hermon Town Manager. Ms. Wilson was nominated by the Nominating Committee; Mr. Deschene was nominated through the petition process. The City council will need to determine which Vice Presidential candidate to vote for, and then cast the City's ballot for that candidate and the proposed state of MMA directors. Department Head Manager's Comments: A short Council Workshop will be held prior to the Council meeting to discuss thi WAt, City Manager Associated Information: Order, MMA Letter, Candidate Profiles, Ballot Budget Approval: Legal Approval: Introduced for X Passage First Reading Referral Finance Director City Solicitor Page _ of _ 10 ".'83 Assigned to Councilor — Gratwick August 9, 2010 o�.vs o��fa tis CITY OF BANGOR 'P4TED, FE �- (TITLE.) ORDER, Authorizing Casting the Election Ballot for the positions of Maine Municipal Association Vice President and Executive Committee Members. By the City Council of the City of Bangor. - ORDERED, THAT, the City of Bangor hereby cast its ballot for the election of Maine Municipal Association Vice President and Executive Committee Members as follows: Vice President: Executive Committee: Michelle Beal, Marston Lovell, Robert Yandow And be it further Ordered that the Interim City Manager is hereby authorized and designated to sign and submit the MMA voting ballot in accordance with the Council's decision regarding the Candidates for Vice President and Executive Committee. IN CITY COUNCIL August 9, 2010 Motion Made and Motion Made and by Substitution Name of Clinton Passed Seconded for Passage Seconded to Amend to Include the Dechane Motion Made and Seconded for Passage as ended Pas d as Amended ITY CLERK (TITLE,) -Authorizing Casting the Election Rallot for the Position of Maine Municipal Association Vice President and Executive Committee members Assigned to Councilor G fit- Maine Municipal Association " . D 60 COMMUNITY DRIVE AUGUSTA, MAINE 04330-9486 JUL 7 Z010 (207) 623-8428 www.memun.org CITy K"AGVWs OFFICE TO: Key Municipal Officials of MMA Member Cities, Towns and Plantations FROM: John Sylvester, MMA President Selectman, Town of Alfred DATE: July 6, 2010 SUBJECT: Annual Election — MMA Vice President &Executive Committee Members Deadline for Voting Ballots — Friday, August 13, 2010 by 4:30 p.m. Each year member municipalities have an opportunity to vote on the election of MMA Vice President and municipal officials to serve on the MMA Executive Committee. A five -member Nominating Committee is appointed to review nominations submitted by municipal officials and conduct interviews with those municipal officials qualifying and interested in serving as the MMA Vice President. The MMA Nominating Committee completed its task to put forth a Proposed Slate of Nominees for 2011. This information was mailed to member municipalities along with information on the petition process as established in the MMA Bylaws. It is now time for each member municipality to cast its vote. Enclosed you will find the Voting Ballot which includes the Slate of Nominees to serve on the MMA Executive Committee as proposed by the MMA Nominating Committee, as well as a municipal official nominated by petition. A brief biographical sketch on each nominee listed on the Voting Ballot is enclosed for your reference. The Voting Ballot must be signed by a majority of the municipal officers or a municipal official designated by a majority of the municipal officers, and received by the Maine Municipal Association by 12:00 noon on Friday, August 13, 2010. We have enclosed a self- addressed self -stamped envelope for your convenience. The Voting Ballots will be counted and the election results confirmed under my direction as President of the Association. Election results will be available by contacting the MMA Executive Office or by visiting the MMA website at www.memun.org on Friday, August 13, after 4:00 p.m. A formal announcement of the election results will be made at the MMA Annual Business Meeting being held Tuesday, October 12, at 10:45 a.m., at the Augusta Civic Center. Newly elected Executive Committee members will be introduced at the MMA Annual Business Meeting and formally take office on January 1, 2011. If you have any questions on this information or the election process, please contact Theresa Chavarie at 1-800-452-8786 or in the Augusta area at 623-8428, or by e-mail at tchavarie@memun.org. Thank you. MAINE MUNICIPAL ASSOCIATION EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF PROPOSED SLATE OF NOMINEES FOR 2011 MMA VICE PRESIDENT (1 -Year Term) CLINT DESCHENE • Town of Hermon, Town Manager (July, 2002 — present) • Board of Directors, ECOTAT (irrevocable trust that manages a public garden for the benefit of Hermon residents) (2002 -present) • Town Manager, Town of Bradford (June, 1999 -June, 2002) • Maine Municipal Association (MMA), Executive Committee, Member (2005 — 2009) • MMA Strategic & Finance Committee, Member (2006 — 2009) • MMA Property & Casualty Pool Board of Directors, Director (2005 — 2009) • MMA Workers Compensation Board of Trustees, Trustee (2005 - 2009) • MMA Legislative Policy Committee, co -member for 32 Senate District (2008-2010) • Co -Chair of Policy Working Group to review MDOT Road Classifications (2009 -present) • Appointed to Governor's Committee to research Excise Tax Law (2008) • Graduate, Bangor Region Leadership Institute (2008) o Steering Committee Member (2009 — Present) o Treasurer (2010) • President, Penobscot Valley Council of Governments (2006 — 2007) • Municipal Representative to Bangor Area Chamber of Commerce (2002 — Present) • Graduate, Maine Municipal Leadership Program (2003) • Board member, Ecotat Land Trust, Pine Tree Chapter Red Cross (present) • Member, Masonic Lodge # 174 (present) • Member, Anah Shrine Temple (present) • Suffolk University Law School — Juris Doctorate (1998) • Intern at the Maine Department of Attorney General (1996) • University of Maine, BA (1991-1995) • Congressional intern to Senate Majority Leader George Mitchell (1994) SOPHIA WILSON • Town of Brownville, Town Manager (2000 — present) • Brownville Water and Wastewater Systems, Superintendent (2001 — present) • Maine Municipal Association (MMA), Executive Committee, Member (2008 — present) • MMA Strategic & Finance Committee, Member (2008 — present), Chair (20 10) • MMA Property & Casualty Pool Board of Directors, Director (2008 — present) • MMA Workers Compensation Board of Trustees, Trustee (2008 — present) • State of Maine Workers Compensation Board of Directors, Director (2009 — present) • Penquis Leadership Institute Steering Committee, Co -Chair (2006 — 2009) • Municipal Review Committee, Director (2006 —present) • Penquis Tourism Task Force, Member (2005; 2007 — present), Chairperson (2009) • Maine Rural Water Legislative Committee, Member (2003 — present) SOPHIA WILSON (continued) • Piscataquis County Economic Development Council, Executive Committee, Director (2001 -Present), Executive Committee Member (2002 -present, President (2005, 2010) • Penquis Solid Waste Corporation Board of Directors, Chair (2001-2008), Treasurer/Secretary (2008 - present) • Maine Town & City Management Association, Member (2001 — present) • Maine Municipal Tax Collectors & Treasurers Association, Member (2001 — present) • Community Response Coordinator, Womancare/Aegis Association (2000 -present) • Young Careerist, Main Street Business & Professional Women (1998) • American Red Cross in Eastern Maine, Director of Development (1995-1996) • University of Maine, Graduate Teaching Assistant (1994-1996) • City of Bangor, Municipal Intern (1994) • Bachelor of Political Science, University of Maine (1989 — 1993) • Master of Public Administration, University of Maine (1993 - 1996 MMA EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEMBERS (Three 3 -Year Terms) MICHELLE BEAL • City of Ellsworth, Manager (2007 — present) • City of Ellsworth, Finance Director (2000 — 2007) • City of Ellsworth, Treasurer (1996 — 2000) • Maine DOT & MMA Legislative Policy Committee Working Group (present); • Urban Issues Subcommittee (present) • Maine Coastal Memorial Hospital, Board of Trustees (present) • Woman of the Year — Business & Professional Women (2008) • Ellsworth Chamber of Commerce, Board of Directors, Member (2006 — 2007) • Downeast YMCA, Board of Directors, Member (2006 — 2007) • Municipal Leadership Program, Graduate, Class of 2003 • Maine Town & City Management Association, Member; Executive Committee (2007 — present) • Maine Municipal Tax Collector & Treasurer Association, Member (1995 —2007) MARSTON LOVELL • Manufacturers Analytics, computer and communications systems services, Owner and Operations Manager (1987— present) • City of Saco, Councilor (2007 — present) • City of Saco, Deputy Mayor, elected by the council (January 2010 — present) • Maine Municipal Association, Legislative Policy Committee, Member (2008 — present) • Biddeford -Saco -Old Orchard Beach Transit Company, committee (board) Member (2008 —present) • Southern Maine Regional Planning Commission, Municipal Representative (2007 — present) • Dyer Library Association, private, non-profit library and museum complex, board of trustees, Member (2001-2006), Treasurer (2002 — 2005) • Three National Corporations, progressively more responsible positions resulting in Divisional Controller for two of those corporations (1978 — 1988) • BSBA in Accounting, BA in Liberal Arts, University of Southern Maine (1975 —1978) 2 10 " 83 MARSTON LOVELL (continued) • Town of Sanford, Representative Town Meeting, member, (1974 — 1976) • Maine Medical Center, Research Department, research assistant, internationally recognized published research (1970 — 1974) • Children's Hospital Medical Center of Boston, Anesthesia Department, chief laboratory technician (1967— 1968) • Peter Bent Brigham Hospital, Research Department, research technician, (1966 — 1967) • Military Service, as a reservist, progressively more responsible positions including four engineer troop commands, six staff positions four of which were construction related, military construction experience Viet Nam, Germany, New England, 2 Achievement Medals, 4 Commendation Medals, Meritorious Service Medal (1963 — 1970, 1977 — 1994). ROBERT YANDOW • Town of York, Manager (2005 —present) • Maine State Coordinating Council for Public Health, Member (2009) • York District (County) Public Health Council, Chair (2008 — 2009) • Maine Town & City Management Association (2005 — present) • National Taxpayer Advocacy Panel (Advisory Group to IRS), Maine Representative (2007 — 2008) • Southeastern Arizona Governments Organization -Administrative Council, Vice Chair (2003 — 2005) • Arizona City Managers Association, Board of Directors (2003 — 2005) • Arizona City Management Association (2001 — 2005) • Government Finance Officers of Arizona (2002 — 2005) • City of Bisbee, Arizona, Manager (2001 — 2005) • City of Barre, Vermont, Manager (1997 — 200 1) • Vermont League of Cities & Towns, various committees (1997 — 200 1) • Central Vermont Economic Development Corporation, Board of Directors (1997 — 200 1) • Vermont State Emergency Response Commission, Chairman (1990 — 1995) • Williston, Vermont Elder Housing, Vice President (1989 — 1990) • Williston, Vermont, Board of Selectmen (1985 — 1988) • Williston, Vermont, Library Trustee (19 84 — 1985) • Williston, Vermont, Planning Board (1984 — 1985) • Town of Essex, Vermont, Police Department (1980 — 1996) • City of South Burlington, Vermont, Police Department (1972 — 1980) • Bachelor of Science, Trinity College (1995) • Master of Public Administration, University of Vermont (1997) • International City Managers Association, Member (35 Year Service Award) • Teaching Certificate for Public Administration Courses, Arizona Community Colleges Sophia Leotsakos Wilson 564 Bear Hill Road Dover-Foxcroft, Maine 04426 (207) 965-2561 August 4, 2010 Mr. Richard Stone, Council Chair City of Bangor 73 Harlow Street Bangor, Maine 04401 Dear Chairman Stone: I was recently nominated by a five member nominating committee composed of municipal officials from across the State to be the next Vice President and then President of Maine Municipal Association (MMA). The purpose of this letter is to encourage you to complete the MMA ballot and to tell you a little about myself. After a childhood spent living in Southern Maine, I moved to Bangor and graduated from the University of Maine with degrees in Political Science (Bachelor) and Public Administration (Master). It was through my Master's Internship with the City of Bangor that I found my passion for local government administration. After several years developing skills and experience in the non-profit social service sector, I was hired as the Town Manager in Brownville, Maine. As a Town Manager in a very small, rural community, although I found myself wearing many hats and immersed in the day-to-day operations of my town, it became very clear that much could be gained in reaching out to our neighbors to work together. Over the last decade, I've spent a great deal of time and effort working with my colleagues to bring municipal officials in our area together to streamline and strengthen the regional efforts related to economic development, solid waste, service delivery, and leadership/capacity building. I've served on the MMA Executive Board for the last two and a half years. Most of this time, I've been a member of the Strategic and Finance Committee, of which I am now Chairman. I've been a "customer" of MMA for all of years in municipal government and have been a member of several MMA committees and affiliate groups. Executive Committee membership has given me an opportunity to learn great deal about the association; enhanced my respect and appreciation its mission and operation; and left me wanting to be even more involved. I'm particularly pleased with the current effort to improve communication with constituent communities and focus on ways that the association can provide even better service to its members. - As Vice -President and later President of MMA, my plan would be to concentrate strengthening the voice and position of municipalities in the development of public policy. Along with attempting to knit a more cohesive voice of membership, I would also work to develop stronger, more effective relationships with the Executive and Legislative branches of Maine State government. We must work to stop unfunded mandates to municipal government, unnecessary regulations, and raids on historic municipal funding sources. MMA provides a great product to our members; however, the organization needs to continue with regular self evaluation and work to identify ways that services can be improved. As the way business is conducted evolves and incorporates new technology, MMA must change too. It is imperative that MMA is able to deliver an array of educational programming in a variety of formats that meets the diverse needs of elected and appointed municipal officials. I am asking that your municipality vote for me as the next Vice President on the MMA election ballot and would appreciate your passing my letter on to your fellow elected officials. If any of you would like to talk with me about either my candidacy or what you think MMA's or local government's priorities should be, please contact me at (207) 564-0121 or sciwilson(amiyfairpoint net Thank you for your consideration. Sinc ely, Soph a Leots s i n 5 Herman Town of Hermon PO Box 6300 Hermon, ME 04402 July 9, 2010 RE: MMA Vice President To Whom It May Concern, ]REV�JD JUL 14 2010 CITY MANA'ES,S OFFICE I am writing to request your support for my candidacy for Vice President of the Maine Municipal Association (MMA). Throughout my career as a public servant I have come to understand the many challenges that municipalities face in our State. I began my career in the Town of Bradford where I served as Town Manager for three years and have served as Town Manger of Hermon for the past eight years. For five years I served on the MMA Executive Committee and also served on the MMA Strategic and Finance Committee during that time helping me to develop a deeper appreciation and understanding of the many struggles Maine towns must confront. Most recently I have been serving as Co -Chair of the Policy Working Group to review MDOT Road Classifications. Although the process is not yet finished, I am working diligently in collaboration with the Committee to review the transportation needs of all Maine communities, small and large. Maine has 491 units of local government- each unique in their own way and having their own identity and challenges to overcome. My experience as Town Manger and service at MMA demonstrate my dedication to assist Maine's municipal governments in confronting those challenges and making sure all municipalities' voices are heard. Serving in local government is an opportunity. It is an opportunity to provide a vision and make decisions that positively affect the daily lives of the people in our communities. But with such privileged opportunity comes great responsibility. As one of our Founding Fathers once stated, "A common passion or interest will, in almost every case, be felt by a majority of the whole; a communication and concert result from the form of government itself." In other words, as government officials we have great responsibility to respond when citizens in our communities express needs. As MMA Vice President, I will do what I can to give local governments the resources they need to provide the communication and action needed make certain they can effectively respond to their communities. My record as a public servant serves as a glimpse into the passion I have to be an effective leader, not just for my community, but for the State as a whole. As MMA Vice President, my goal is twofold. First, I will represent all of Maine- from Maine's smallest communities, to suburbs, to the largest of service centers. Second, as an advocate for all Maine municipalities I will foster a positive working relationship with the governor elect's administration that will give municipal governments the influence they deserve in the decision making process. Throughout my career as a Town Manager and service for MMA I can fully identify with the impacts the poor economy is having on Maine's services centers. State funding cuts and a poor economic climate necessitates that we innovate to reduce expenses and cooperate with nearby communities to continue to provide an adequate level of public services while maintaining a balanced budget. Additionally, the financial state of service centers can significantly influence the economy of their surrounding communities and the economic state of Maine as a whole. Therefore, it is necessary that we are able to support the industries and businesses of our service centers that are so critical in providing the necessary jobs that lead Maine's economy forward. As MMA Vice President I will provide the leadership necessary to foster a relationship between the State and our service centers to make certain the needs of the citizens and businesses in your town or city are being heard and addressed. Let's work together to bring our communities to where we want them to be. The challenges are many as we move forward, but let's use this as an opportunity to usher in an era of healthier cooperation between our communities and the State. I am inviting your town to vote for me as the next MMA Vice President so we can make this a reality. I would sincerely appreciate your passing this letter and the enclosed ballot on to your elected officials for review and consideration. The yellow ballot that was recently mailed to your Town by MMA included a printing error and needed to be reprinted. The enclosed updated ballot has been enclosed for your convenience. If you would like to speak with me further about my candidacy or issues of concern that you would like to see addressed, please don't hesitate to contact me at (207) 848- 1015 or (207) 478-5069. You can also express your opinions or concerns to me through email at cdeschene@hermon.net. Together, we can move MMA and Maine forward. Sincerely, It& Aaoew� Clint Deschene A Enclosure 1 ri Z. J Maine Municipal Association Election of MMA Vice President & Executive Committee Members REVISED VOTING BALLOT Deadline for Receipt of Voting Ballots —12:00 noon on Friday, August 13, 2010 ilia VICE-PRESIDENT - 1 YEAR TERM Vote for One Proposed by MMA Nominating Committee: Sophia Wilson, Town Manager, Town of Brownville Nominated by Petition: Clint Deschene, Town Manager, Town of Hermon El DIRECTORS - 3 YEAR TERM Vote for Three Proposed by MMA Nominating Committee: Michelle Beal, City Manager, City of Ellsworth Marston Lovell, Councilor, City of Saco El Robert Yandow, Town Manager, Town of York [] PLEASE NOTE: The Voting Ballot may be cast by a majority of the municipal officers, or a municipal Official designated by a majority of the municipal officers of each Municipal member. Date: Municipality: MMA Annual Election c% Theresa Chavarte Maine Municipal Association 60 Community Drive Augusta, Maine 04330 FAX: (207) 624-0110