Issues & Political Concerns
When I was elected Mayor in 2020, we were all reeling from the impacts of COVID-19. Our city emerged from the pandemic with the guidance of our Hallowell Board of Health and by working together and helping one another. Today, downtown Hallowell is busy, and the city is vibrant from north to south and from the Kennebec River to our western woods and farmland. But like all families, Hallowell is faced with increasing costs of providing city services and supporting our children’s schools. Rising housing costs and a shortage of dwellings affect aspiring homeowners and renters alike. We also need to maintain the city infrastructure, including our roads, sidewalks, green spaces, and buildings. Let’s work together to build on the successes of the last three years while addressing ongoing challenges.
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My goals as mayor:
Vibrant Community
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Maintain, and critically, protect, Hallowell's diverse and vibrant community, ensuring all feel safe and welcome here
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Bring Hallowell’s new residents into the city’s political decision-making process.
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Engage with the City’s staff, City Council, businesses, volunteers, and residents to maintain Hallowell as a cultural magnet in central Maine.
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Maintain active budget communication between the City and RSU2 to promote high-quality education while ensuring that impacts on our city's budget are considered.
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Enhance Hallowell’s arts and culture environments.
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Support the Hallowell Food Pantry to better serve our residents.
Economic Vitality
Environmental Sustainability
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Promote economic vitality throughout the entire city, balancing investment in city needs with impacts on taxpayers.
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Maintain and improve city infrastructure, including updating our capital improvement plan for climate adaptation. I recommend using existing federal funds to modernize our stormwater management system.
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Seek funding to renovate the old fire station to respect voters’ wishes while minimizing impacts on taxpayers.
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Maintain a focus on the strategies in the Economic Development Plan, including:
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Invest in downtown Hallowell;
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Seek funding to revitalize Hallowell’s waterfront from the boat landing to Granite City Park;
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Improve housing opportunities, guided by the recommendations of the Housing Committee I appointed in 2022
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Build a state-of-the-art Public Works facility to serve our city's needs for many decades.​
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Work with nearby towns on regional service provision.
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Conserve Hallowell’s natural resources for the benefit of current and future generations.
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Maintain and enhance Hallowell’s outdoor recreation areas.
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Support partnerships with stewards of natural areas on our borders, such as the Effie Barry Conservation Area at the entrance to Howard Hill. See my support for a universally accessible trail to the Howard Hill overlook here
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Re-engage the city’s forest management planning process.
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Advocate for an expanded rail trail system south to Brunswick.
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Engage actively as a member of Maine’s Community Resilience Partnership to reduce carbon pollution in Hallowell and become more resilient to climate change.
I would love to hear your thoughts on the future of our city, please contact me anytime.