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STATE HOUSE

LePage taps 30 volunteers to aid in transition

He includes Democrats and independent

By Rebekah Metzler rmetzler@mainetoday.com
MaineToday Media State House Writer

AUGUSTA -- Gov.-elect Paul LePage on Tuesday named 30 people Tuesday to a volunteer advisory panel who will help develop policy priorities and comb through job applications for positions within his administration.

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Staff photo by Joe Phelan Gov.-elect LePage announces a group of people who will aid his transition effort, helping to vet job applicants and develop general policy goals and governmental reforms during a Tuesday morning news conference in the State House Hall of Flags in Augusta. The list includes many with prior government experience, many from the private sector with experience working with government and a few fresh faces. The group also includes Republicans, Democrats and independents.

Staff photo by Joe Phelan

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For the full list and biographies of Gov.-elect Paul LePage's transition advisory team, visit the transition team's website: www.LePagetransition.com.

People with a variety of work and political backgrounds made the list, everything from lawyers to business owners to foresters to those in public service, as well as Republicans, Democrats and at least one independent.

"We are working hard to take on this responsibility of governing and I am pleased to announce another important step today," said LePage. "While no sampling will ever fully represent the whole, the team joining me today is a very good representation of Maine and its people."

LePage said he has received more than 1,000 applications to date for approximately 150 administration jobs he has to fill.

"I have asked the transition advisory team to help identify the skill sets and characteristics needed to fill key positions in my administration. We are looking for the best and brightest, without concern for political party or labels," he said.

Some surprises on LePage's list included outgoing state Sen. Lisa Marrache, a Waterville Democrat, and Pete "The Carpenter" Harring, a tea party activist and founder of tea party website www.Mainerefounders.org.

"I got a call last week and I was happy to offer whatever I can to help them," said Marrache, who did not run for re-election in 2010.

Marrache said she's known LePage for a long time, served with him on the Waterville City Council and worked on issues with him while she was in the Legislature and he was Waterville mayor.

"It's not going to be 100 percent (agreement) but I've always been a little more moderate in my views, so I think that we do cover each other somewhat," she said. "And I think sometimes it's good to have somebody who might say, 'have you thought about this or that' and maybe it's not part of their plan but maybe it might get them thinking."

Harring, who is a carpenter, said he was excited to be a part of the transition team and hoped to bring insights from Maine's "everyman" to the table.

"It's obvious that Paul is willing to work with everyone to get the problem solved. Just by having me help will show a message to all the rest of the grassroots movement across the state, and I hope that we can accomplish some great things for the state of Maine," he said.

Harring is optimistic the LePage administration will bring the changes to state government he and other grassroots organizers have worked for, though professed to hearing change is not coming fast enough for some.

"There are some people out there grumbling about it. In today's society, people are used to instant gratification, and we're only just three weeks past the election, and you can't expect miracles to happen," he said.

Soon after the transition announcement, Harring was criticized by a progressive advocacy group, the Maine People's Alliance, for comments he made online about liberals.

"Liberals are like Slinkies ... they're really good for nothing ... But they still bring a smile to your face when you push them down the stairs," stated a graphic Harring posted on his website in February 2009.

The Maine People's Alliance called for Harring's removal from the LePage transition team for the Slinky comment and others attributed to him.

LePage's team responded by standing by Harring.

"Pete Harring is on the Transition Advisory Team because thousands of Mainers share his frustrations with the direction we have been heading," said Dan Demeritt, LePage's spokesman. "Gov.-elect LePage does not always agree with everything Pete has to say, but he believes Pete has a viewpoint that should be heard."

LePage said his team has a lot of work to do, but he has already made a decision about who will serve as his commissioners of the Department of Conservation and the Department of Public Safety, though he's not ready to reveal them yet.

"We are trying very hard to identify and make offers to everyone before the first of the year, but that is a really tight schedule," he said.

"I really am looking for loyalty to our agenda, I am looking for someone who has thick skin, because I believe there's going to be some tough work ahead, and there has to be a chemistry between myself and the individual. I at least want to be able to be in the same room with that person and have a dialogue," LePage said of his cabinet appointments.

More transition announcements will be made next week, LePage said.

Rebekah Metzler -- 620-7016

rmetzler@mainetoday.com