My family and I have been Auburn residents for 21 years. The current mayor, Jonathan LaBonte, impresses us because he bucks the usual trends. Once he graduated from the University of Maine, he could have joined his fellow graduates and found work in some other state, but he chose to return to Auburn to work to improve the city.

Mayor LaBonte focuses on positive change. We have observed him to be enthusiastic about setting positive goals for the city’s future, and he has the know-how, skills and connections to achieve those goals.

Moving Auburn forward: If you watch and listen, you would see that he is focused on that target, and that is the type of person I want to have as my mayor — a mayor who can shape a future that will attract new businesses and give college graduates, including my daughters, an incentive to come back to Auburn.

Churchill Barton, Auburn