Maine news, sports, weather | Kennebec Journal, Augusta, Maine

CHELSEA

7 take papers for selectman spot

Election slated for March 29

By Mechele Cooper mcooper@centralmaine.com
Staff Writer

CHELSEA -- Seven people -- a mix of newcomers and familiar faces -- have taken out papers to compete in a watershed election on the Board of Selectmen.

The March 29 election is to replace former Selectman Tanya Condon, who resigned in November 2010, and will provide the town with two functioning selectmen.

Board of Selectmen Chairman Carole Swan, 52, was arrested Feb. 10 in a corruption probe and is prohibited from entering the Town Office. With Condon's vacancy and Swan's arrest, the town currently is left only with Selectman Michael Pushard.

After Friday's deadline, the seven would-be candidates now must return signed nomination forms to the Town Office no later than 4 p.m. Thursday to fill the 15 months remaining on Condon's seat. Candidates must collect at least 25 and no more than 100 signatures.

Benjamin Smith, Cecil Crockett, Ronald Harvey, Ken Rideout, Robert Drisko, Linda Leotsakos and Jesse Jellison are seeking the seat. All said they want to rebuild town government and protect residents from unscrupulous actions by town officials.

Benjamin Smith, a Maine Public Utilities Commission lawyer, said his intentions are simple.

"To help Chelsea through the difficult issues that it is confronting, re-establish a municipal government that is serving the interests of its citizens rather than select individuals, and enable Chelsea to move forward and begin conducting business in an open, honest and legal manner," Smith said.

He said residents deserve to know what has happened to their hard-earned tax dollars. He also believes he can be of service to the town with his legal background, including several years in private practice and the public sector.

He said the town needs a charter. Charters contain language relating to the powers and responsibilities of selectmen, the town manager and their removal from office; as well as an explanation of the budget process, he said.

"It would have been helpful to have a provision regarding removal of a selectmen in order that the town would not be held hostage until an individual chose to resign or ran out his or her term," Smith said.

Leotsakos is a well-known resident who said she would bring years of leadership and budget experience to the position.

"My goal is to restore trust in government with accountability, full transparency and to help the town establish safeguards to ensure we will never be in this position again," she said. "My first priority is to support an outside independent audit. We have to determine our financial position. Are we solvent? What outstanding bills are owed? Once this is established, we then can begin to develop a municipal budget to take to Town Meeting in June."

Leotsakos is a retired school principal who also worked in the nonprofit sector and volunteered on the town's Budget Committee and Planning Board.

Drisko, a former Chelsea town manager who served from 1998 to 2005, touted his experience in municipal government.

With the fiscal year in its final quarter, he said it's "crunch time" for crafting a town budget.

Drisko said the town is behind in preparing for the tax commitment, property assessing as of April 1, local sales ratio evaluation and budget preparation.

"I also believe that the person elected to that position must have the best interest of all the citizen of Chelsea in mind, and not serve at the will of a few special interest groups," Drisko said.

Remaining Selectman Pushard "needs a person to fill the vacant selectmen's position that can step in and be ready to help and work with him to accomplish these immediate and very important tasks," Drisko said.

Drisko said the town needs to re-establish a "line item budget" process that is realistic, accountable and reconciled on a regular basis.

He said Chelsea needs to re-establish itself as a respectful community that serves the needs of all its citizens.

"This is what I have attempted to accomplish in the past -- granted, not always without a few personality clashes. That goes with the job with individuals and or groups who put their special interest ahead of what is best for the town."

Rideout, who also wants to improve Chelsea's reputation, said he believes the town must "leap beyond the past into the future."

"Chelsea always seems to have had a bad reputation with questionable acts going on, but no one ever stood up and did something about it," Rideout said. "We need to listen to the people and stand up for them, and make sure leaders themselves are educated and keep the people informed by having easy access to public records. They have to act responsibly and protect the people."

Rideout, who operates a catering service, said he is a hard worker and will always try to do the very best job he can.

"And I think I can do that for the town," he said.

Jellison, co-owner of the Jellison Fuel Company in Chelsea, said he wants to restore public trust in local government.

He said everyone he has spoke with is frustrated with the way the town has been run.

"I'd like to bring some fiscal responsibility to the government and an open-door policy to citizens as far as leaders listening and helping them out," Jellison said. "We need a more open government."

Attempts to reach Harvey and Crockett were unsuccessful Friday.

The municipal election is March 29. Polls will be open at the Town Office from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Mechele Cooper -- 623-3811, ext. 408

mcooper@centralmaine.com