BETHEL — Six candidates for two three-year terms on the Board of Selectmen were grilled by a moderator and audience at Tuesday night’s selectmen candidates forum at Crescent Park School.
They are James Bennett, Pat Carter, Seabury Lyon, Peter Southam, Lloyd Sweetser and Larry Smith, who was ill but sent his neighbor in his stead to read his statements to prepared questions only.
Incumbents Jack Cross and Dennis Doyon are not seeking re-election.
The candidates were asked seven prepared questions by moderator Steve Wight, such as their experience in municipal government, for which they gave prepared statements.
And then, Wight, a Newry selectman for 23 years before retirement, sought questions from the audience. Voters will select two candidates at town meeting elections on June 14.
One woman wanted to know what board meetings are about and how to discern a selectman’s natural inclination on issues.
“All you’ve got to do is ask people,” Carter said.
Lyon suggested that town officials make meetings more “people-friendly,” to which Bennett agreed.
Southam, a self-described loquacious person, said he’d be happy to talk with people and Sweetser said he’d make himself available for the community.
Businessman Jeff Parsons asked candidates what Bethel should do to try and attract more businesses to the area to expand the tax base. He sought 20-second responses.
Lyons said officials should follow already written reports on what to do.
“The heavy lifting has been done here,” he said. “It’s not rocket science. All we have to do is pick up the reports, read it and pick out the parts that fit our town best.”
Bennett said, “Somebody’s already invented the wheel. We don’t have to reinvent it.”
Carter said, “It’s hard telling not knowing,” generating laughter from the crowd of about 50 people.
Southam suggested courting businesses and encouraging those owners to move to the Bethel area.
“It is important for us to grow the town,” Sweetser said.
“There are resources out there and we need to reach out to them and help support people that do more to open a business and be there for them.”
tkarkos@sunjournal.com
-
- Moderator Steve Wight, standing, reads off the next question for Seabury Lyon, left, Jim Bennett, Pat Carter, Peter Southam and Lloyd Sweetser at Tuesday night’s Bethel selectmen candidates forum. A sixth candidate, Larry Smith, was ill and had his neighbor attend the meeting and read Smith’s prepared statements to Wight’s questions.
-
- While Bethel selectman candidate Lloyd Sweetser, right, listens at Tuesday night’s candidates forum in Bethel, candidate Peter Southam answers a question from the audience during the 90-minute session.
-
- Larry Engdahl of Bethel seeks responses to questions about how to keep young people from leaving town after high school and how to take better advantage of Maine’s aging population at Tuesday night’s Bethel selectmen candidates forum.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
Comments are no longer available on this story