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The incumbent and the challenger in the contest for selectman offer differing priorities.

By RAY ROUTHIER, Staff Writer June 5, 2009

NORTH YARMOUTH — Experience and transparency are the themes of the two candidates running for a seat on the Board of Selectmen.

Paul R. Napolitano, a self-employed excavator finishing his first term on the board, thinks having experienced selectmen is important right now, especially since the board is in the midst of a search for a new administrative assistant, the person who handles the day-to-day duties of running the town.

Timothy L. Porter, a construction project manager who has never held elected office, thinks too many of the board's decisions seem to be made before the issues are discussed in public.

"It seems to me a lot of decisions are made beforehand, and things come off the agenda without much discussion. It's hard to follow the meetings," said Porter. "I'd like to smooth out the communication between the board and the public."

Napolitano, who serves as chairman of the board, says issues are hashed out in public.

"With all the written correspondence we get, things move slow. Sometimes we talk about something for three or four meetings before acting on it," said Napolitano.

Napolitano also believes it takes about a term to really learn the selectman's job.

"The other candidate is a nice guy and I'm sure he'd do a good job. But in a three-year term, you basically figure out what you need to do and how you need to do it, and your time is up," said Napolitano.

Napolitano says experience is especially important because the board has decided not to renew the contract of town administrative assistant Scott Tilton. Tilton has said his last day would be today.

Napolitano thinks someone who has experience on the board will know more about the qualifications and skills a new administrative assistant should have.

Porter said that besides improving what he sees as a lack of communication between selectmen and the public, he has no specific issues he'd like to work on. He says that during his career as a construction project manager, he has proven he is good at managing people and projects and he'd like to put those skills to work for his town.

"My children are grown and I have the time to devote to something like this," said Porter.

The only other contested race on the town ballot is for North Yarmouth's seat on the Yarmouth Water District board.

The incumbent is Guy D. Watson, who runs his own building and renovation company. The challenger is Stephen Gorden, who worked in various jobs in the water utility field before retiring, including a stint as operations director for the Portland Water District.

Staff Writer Ray Routhier can be contacted at 791-6454 or at:

rrouthier@pressherald.com