In reflecting on the last four years as your mayor, I am amazed at how quickly time has gone by as we have considered the many difficult decisions required for responsible growth and development of our community.
The primary focus of my efforts has been balanced leadership. I have taken a three-pronged approach – meet the service needs of the community, diligently control municipal spending while making operations more efficient and create a more inclusive government. We must have a clear vision of our community goals, preserve our traditional values and have citizen input at all levels of government.
I have made a commitment to make Westbrook more “economically vibrant and affordable.” We have successfully reduced overhead costs of operations without impacting essential services; restructured government processes by eliminating redundancy and consolidating resources; and outsourced services where it proved to be more cost effective. With the school department, Westbrook Housing, South Portland and the private sector, we have more comprehensive legal counsel, welfare administration, building maintenance, information technology, recreational facilities management and tax assessment. We have strengthened resources where needed in public safety, code enforcement and building maintenance. I’m working hard to continue to identify future opportunities that will keep spending down.
Under my leadership, we have aggressively, but sensibly, pursued commercial development that complements and enhances our city. New and expanded business provides jobs and grows our commercial tax base, thus offsetting the cost of the rapidly growing residential tax base. Balanced growth is essential in controlling the property tax rate. We have seen a significant rise in residential development, as Westbrook has been “rediscovered” for its quality of life. At the same time, we have fostered economic development with an equally significant increase in commercial growth.
The former Warren Furniture/Stevens Block is now a thriving business center. Stockhouse Five accommodates several businesses, such as MESDA, an important partner in my efforts to grow information technology employment. In Cumberland Mills, Maine Medical Center’s expansion provides an excellent gateway to Main Street and, with other new businesses in our downtown, highlights its revitalization. Westbrook Heights Business Park is home to Cintas and Sigco, both of whom have invested millions of dollars for their commercial development. We successfully negotiated a Tax Increment Financing package that encouraged IDEXX to make Westbrook its corporate home, within an aggressive timeframe that facilitates their $138 million expansion. Last, but certainly not least, we have encouraged J. B. Brown’s rebirth of the former Saunders site in a way that will benefit both the neighborhood and the city. Our city is moving forward at just the right pace.
Increasing citizen involvement is a passion of mine as we face the many challenges of a growing an increasingly diversified community. I’m proud to say that through the various boards, commissions and committees that I have established, we have more community members actively engaged in civic leadership than ever before. As a result of citizen input during the second Economic Development Summit, for instance, I established the Westbrook Development Collaborative, a diverse group of community, business and civic leaders who will help me develop, refine, and assist in the implementation of economic/community development initiatives to ensure the long-term well being of our city. Inclusive and collaborative leadership best describes my past four years as your mayor, and residents will continue to have a voice and be heard. Together, we will continue to keep the “WE” in Westbrook.
As we embark on the building of a new middle school, we must ensure that this project meets our current and future needs. I’m pleased to work with the school department to look for new ways to deliver cost-effective educational services, thus reducing the property tax burden. Review and consolidation of school and municipal functions that do not compromise education or service are critical and are on my agenda for the next two years.
We all want our city to be the best it can. I will continue to keep my promise to make sound decisions, to spend your tax dollars responsibly, to reduce taxes whenever possible and to ensure that the community is included in decision-making processes.
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