Mark A. Smith Sr. is making his first run for political office in Tuesday’s election. He’s one of six candidates on the ballot for selectman.
Smith, 45, feels its time for a change in Buxton. “It’s been nice,” Smith said about living in town, but he thinks that things are out of control politically.
He feels the $1.8 million garage proposal voters will decide on Tuesday is too costly, but he would support a more moderate one.
“The cost is way out of control,” Smith said about the proposal recommended by selectmen. “This isn’t Portland.”
Also, with Buxton free of municipal debt, Smith is opposed to borrowing money to build the garage. As he campaigned door to door, he said very few people in Buxton knew about the garage proposal.
“It’s time things are more widely publicized,” Smith said.
Smith said many Buxton people have told him its time for a change. He said some public service employees, including some firefighters and police, are unhappy with selectmen. “I’m hearing a lot of concern,” Smith said.
There’s a morale problem and bickering among town employees, according to Smith. “We need to get to the root of the problem,” Smith said.
He wants all discussion of issues by selectmen to be televised. Now, he said, they meet in their office before going on camera at the weekly meetings. “I would change that. I want it all to be on camera,” Smith said. “Selectmen are overstepping their bounds about everything,” he said.
Smith lives on Middle Camp Road near Bonny Eagle Pond. He objects to the town’s refusal to plow snow on some private roads that have public easements.
He has lived in Buxton for four years, but he had been in Buxton about five years previously. He grew up in Westbrook and earned a GED from Westbrook High School in 1982. He is divorced and has three adult children.
He’s a mechanic, but is presently unemployed and partially disabled.
He wants to be elected to make changes. “I don’t have a problem talking with anyone about anything,” Smith said.
cutline (Mark Smith) – Mark Smith Sr.
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