MICHAEL W. BROWN
AGE: 33
ADDRESS: 26 Mill Road
PERSONAL: Married, two children
OCCUPATION: Agent for the Maine Department of Health and Human Services
EDUCATION: Bachelor's degrees in business and economics, University of Southern Maine
POLITICAL EXPERIENCE: Vice chair of Cumberland's shellfish commission
KAREN E. CAMPBELL
AGE: 47
ADDRESS: 58 Stonewall Drive
PERSONAL: Married, three children
OCCUPATION: Stay-at-home mother
EDUCATION: Bachelor's degree in business administration, Stonehill College; master's of business administration, University of Texas
POLITICAL EXPERIENCE: None
Voters in Cumberland on June 9 will choose between two candidates for the MSAD 51 school board and cast their votes on whether to allow a credit union on Main Street.
The referendum question is particularly contentious. Not only have residents forced an overrule referendum question on a town council zoning vote, but two Main Street residents also have sued the town over the zoning change in question.
The town council voted 5-1, with one abstention, in March to approve a contract zone for 327 Main St. The parcel had been a flower shop for a long time. After the flower shop closed, the property reverted to residential zoning.
But the Atlantic Regional Federal Credit Union wants to tear down the old building and build a credit union, and the council approved a contract zone to allow that use.
Daniel Nuzzi, a member of the informal group Save Main Street, said some residents believe the action was improper.
"I think the major issue is that the people in Cumberland and along Main Street, which is zoned residential, want to be able to rely on their zoning for security and to protect their property values and property rights," said Nuzzi.
A credit union would be inconsistent with the town's comprehensive plan, said Nuzzi, and is a "fairly significant departure" from the type of business that was there before. Residents are upset over a proposed two-lane drive-through and an exterior ATM at the credit union, he said.
Two residents of Main Street made similar arguments in a lawsuit filed in Cumberland County Superior Court asking a judge to void the town council vote.
Council Chair George Turner said the old building had fallen into disrepair, and the credit union had agreed to construct a "Victorian-style" building that fit into the neighborhood.
Main Street is a state road, Turner noted, with several other small businesses in the immediate area, including a gas station and a convenience store.
"It's exactly what we need for this community," said Councilor Jeff Porter.
The credit union would provide the town with $25,000 to $30,000 in taxable revenue, said Porter. It would also be another business in town willing to support community charities, he said. And it would give Cumberland residents a local place to do their banking, he said.
In the school board race, two candidates are seeking the seat being vacated by Tom Shepard.
Michael W. Brown, 33, has two children, one of whom will enter the school system this fall. He said the reason he and many others in Cumberland move to the town is the quality of the school system.
"I want to be part of the process to maintain the quality of these schools," said Brown.
The schools are having a hard time, with state funding and local revenue sources dropping. The system will need open and clear communication with residents to make challenging budget decisions, said Brown.
"I'm not going forward with an agenda," said Brown. "I'm far more invested in the process than the outcome."
Karen E. Campbell, 47, is married, with three children in school. The fact that she has children who have come up through the system gives her a perspective that some other board members may not have, she said.
Campbell has been involved in the schools, she said, from teaching Junior Achievement to serving in the Parent-Teacher Organization and heading up a booster club.
"I see this as an opportunity to give back to the community and to maintain the quality of the education in the school system," said Campbell.
Campbell said her business background could help the school system's effort to diversify its revenue streams as it looks to possibly build an endowment.
"I value education and I value the education that MSAD 51 provides," said Campbell. "I think that if someone wants to vote for me, that is something I would look to continue, while trying to do it in a fiscally responsible way."
Staff Writer Matt Wickenheiser can be contacted at 791-6316 or at:
mwickenheiser@pressherald.com
Reader comments
Click here to view or add comments on this story
Were you interviewed for this story? If so, please fill out our accuracy form