Four candidates are running for two open seats on the Rockport Select Board. Three are competing for two three-year seats, and one is running for a one-year term that opened up when James Annis stepped down last winter for health reason.

The three running for the two open seats are Denise K. Munger, Delores Michelle Hannan and Tiffany Ford. John Viehman is the only candidate running for the one-year term.

Elections take place June 11 at the polls at annual town meeting.

Penobscot Bay Pilot has posed questions to each candidate, providing the opportunity for the public to better understand their positions on issues. Here, candidate Denise Munger responds:

Please provide a brief biography of yourself, explain why you decided to seek a seat on the Select Board, and what you are hoping to accomplish.

After retiring from my legal practice of 30 years, in 2015 my husband and I moved to Rockport, finally being able to live in the place we love best!  Our favorite thing about Rockport is the small town feel and strong sense of community.  I jumped into town life, listening, and learning about what makes this town so special – its people, of course! I continue to enjoy serving on the Select Board and working hard for our residents to make Rockport the best possible place it can be and would like to continue serving our residents.

My reasons for running are:

• Love of Rockport, its history and its future.
• Belief that I can make a positive difference on important issues that face Rockport. My legal background and willingness to do the hard work to thoroughly understand the facts and the context of complex issues has been and will be important to finding good solutions for Rockport. 
• Ability to listen, work well with others and find common ground solutions to difficult issues.
• Commitment to service and listening to you, our residents, on what you want for the future of Rockport.
• Fiscal responsibility — we owe a duty of being careful with your hard earned tax money.

 

What are Rockport’s greatest strengths, and how do you hope to support them?

There are so many, but to keep this short, I would start with Rockport’s natural beauty and its strong history and sense of community.  I support these through my current work on the Select Board and as liaison on the committees I’m involved in, as well as supporting our citizens who work and support these strengths.  As we are in the process of updating our comprehensive plan, the balance that our community has always supported in its planning efforts will come into play in supporting these strengths.  

Our strong community not only supports our long time residents, but new community members as well.  The Lesher Family is an example of this – their family foundation came forward last year with a wonderfully generous donation to all of Rockport for creation of a community park at the RES site.  Not only did the Lesher Family donate money to create this park, but they also made a generous donation to support the West Rockport Fire Station, which has now become instrumental in our ability to ensure emergency services to our residents.  I am a member of the working group for the RES site, along with many other residents; this group is working with the public and park design experts to develop a park that fits what our community wants at the RES site.  Because of the generous donation, it is easy to forget about it, but by next summer actual construction will begin on this community park, a dream for many.  

What are Rockport’s greatest issues to address?

1. Climate resilience, which includes working to minimize storm impacts on infrastructure.  Increasingly frequent storms with larger volumes of stormwater challenge our harbor, road, and wastewater infrastructure.  We have rebuilt the seawalls, but at very high tides, seawater continues to wash into the Harbor Park area, so more remains to be done.  Also, stormwater flow from more frequent violent rainstorms washes out roads and culverts and complicates wastewater treatment.  We must work with experts on how to ensure we are building and maintaining our harbor, roads, and stormwater flow systems to withstand these more frequent storms, as well as find sources of grant funding for these future investments. 
   
   
2. Housing.  In September 2023, the Select Board hosted a housing workshop to listen to our businesses and community members about this issue, as well as those who are working on solutions.  We heard how critical new housing is for our healthcare and education institutions, as well as for young families, the future of our community.  The Planning Board (with Select Board approval) has made many changes to the Land Use Ordinance that encourage housing; these are on the ballot this June and we hope the voters will approve these changes.  More will need to be done to encourage housing development in Rockport, including sewer expansion, but we also are mindful of the balance our residents want to retain, including protecting our small town feel and community.
   
   
3. Minimize Tax Increases.  There are many demands on our municipal budget, including necessary and ever increasing public safety expenses and infrastructure costs.  While the town staff, the Select Board and Budget Committee work hard each year to find savings and minimize tax increases, we also need to find ways to grow our tax base including new business development, new housing, and regional cooperation to share the costs of our services with other communities, while balancing the desire to keep our small town character.
   
   
4. We are also nearing the completion of a draft Comprehensive Plan, that will be circulated among the community this summer in public meetings and discussions to reach consensus on what our residents want for the future of Rockport. This will provide important guidance to the Select Board on what our residents want our priorities to be.

 

Rockport has a $33.7 million project proposal on the June 11, 2024 Town Meeting Warrant to construct a wastewater recovery facility on the Pen Bay Medical Center campus, and extend the sewer line on Route 90 to the intersection of Route 17.

I support this project.  This project also includes extending the sewer our Route 90, which will encourage economic development including additional housing along Route 90.

While I (and many other past and current Select Board members) have spent a lot of time over the past 5 years negotiating with Camden to reach an agreement on sewage treatment, it has become clear that Camden has its own issues to deal with when it comes to sewer and its treatment plant and is not currently in a position to enter into an agreement with Rockport, much less one that would allow increased wastewater flow from any new Rockport development along Route 90.  Because of this, I have reluctantly concluded that the best solution for Rockport is to build its own treatment plant.  

I have also learned that sheer will, dogged effort and expertise to make something happen may not be enough – in this case, there are forces bigger than those of us who tried to make this work between the towns.  Fortunately, because of the expertise and hard work of our task force, we have an economically viable option that will reduce sewer user rates over the long term (lower rates than if we stayed with Camden) and allow Rockport to control its own economic future by being able to expand the sewer out Route 90.

Initially we thought the problem between the two towns was that Rockport was paying more than its fair share for treatment at the Camden plant (we pay nearly 20% of Camden’s overall sewer budget, while we only contribute 7% of the total flow), resulting in our sewer rates being too high.  Camden, not surprisingly, was not interested in lowering those rates.  However, after learning more about the Camden system, we think the biggest stumbling block to an agreement between the two towns is that Camden is simply not able to allow long term increases in flow to its plant.  Its aging sewer system (54 years old) has a tremendous inflow and infiltration problem (rain water and surface runoff that enters into the old, leaking sewer pipes underground, which then goes to the treatment plant). This has resulted in frequent violations of Camden’s state permit. During our negotiations with Camden, unknown to us, Camden was in negotiations with DEP for these permit violations, which resulted in a consent agreement that Camden currently operates under.  This consent agreement explains why Camden has been unable to enter into a long term agreement and why they have urged us to build our own plant and leave their system.

I support continuing to work with Camden on wastewater issues, but that working together might be Rockport providing a new sewage treatment option for Camden (and Rockland) as they grow and their existing older plant(s) cannot accommodate increased flow. 

On the ballot as well is a citizen initiative that opposes the aforementioned project; instead, a group of Camden and Rockport residents has been advocating that the two towns convene a citizen-led task force representing both towns to study the costs and benefits of continuing to work with Camden on wastewater treatment. They suggest a municipal collaboration, citing Midcoast Solid Waste, the public school system, and the two-town police department as cooperative examples of.

What is your position on this issue?

Article 15, that requires our Select Board to create a task force to negotiate with Camden, does not oppose the Article 3 treatment plant.  It merely asks for an additional year to negotiate with Camden.  As the drafters and supporters of Article 15 initially recognized, support for the treatment plant is not mutually exclusive from wanting further discussions with Camden.  Both can happen.  Voters can vote for both Article 3 and 15.  There will be time for discussions with Camden during the first 12-18 months of design work on the plant and a positive vote on Article 3 will provide Rockport with the best leverage possible in any discussions with Camden.  But further delay in approving our own plant will only increase costs and lose opportunities for significant federal and state grant money that is uniquely still available this year only.

There was initial discussion this past winter of placing ordinance amendments before voters that would regulate short term rentals in Rockport. Do you want to institute STR regulations, and if so, what would they look like?

Our voters decided this issue in 2021, they do not want us to adopt STR regulations.  Without a significant change in that view, I believe there are other ways we can support affordable housing for families and workers in Rockport. 

As a Select Board member, how will you help ensure all villages (Rockville, Glen Cove, Simonton Corner, West Rockport and Rockport Village) all receive equal attention and investment by the town? 

I love hearing about the histories of the five villages of Rockport and have worked with and met with residents throughout Rockport about their concerns and have always worked to support all of our residents.  My work on the board of Legacy Rockport has allowed me to learn so much about each of the villages and their histories, and how to help with current concerns and projects.  Much of our town budget is equally spent throughout town, police and fire department protections, road crews, and town administration which serves all of our residents. Residents throughout town enjoy our library and the programs at the Opera House, our harbor, and our parks.  I want all residents in Rockport to feel part of the town, that the town works for them, and that their concerns and interests are valued.  We have big issues to address in Rockport that involve all of us -- the stronger we are together, the better will be able to thrive in the future.

What is your opinion of the draft Sewall Transportation Infrastructure Study for Rockport that proposes concrete suggestions for improving pedestrian and bicycle safety in Rockport Village, and building a pathway to the Camden Hills Regional High School? Do you support these infrastructure improvements, and investing in them?

I have been one of the Select Board liaisons to the study and support the study’s suggestions.  The good news is that some of the improvements can be achieved with minimal costs to reduce traffic lane width (slows traffic), add parking, and add bike lanes by repainting the roads.  An important aspect of this study, which was funded with a DOT grant, is that it also makes us eligible for additional DOT grants to help fund the more expensive study recommendations.  This would be important for the path to the high school, which will be a tremendous asset for our community, but will require significant grant or private donor funding to make a reality.    

In an era of drug overdoses, mental health emergencies, retail theft incidents and increased reliance on public safety resources, how will you, as a Select Board member, work to keep your town safe?

I support our excellent public safety officials 100%.  I am always appreciative of the hard and dangerous work our police officers and firefighters face to protect us and keep us safe.  As a Select board member, at budget time, I listen to our police chief, Randy Gagne, and our fire chief, Jason Peasley.  When they and our Town manager tell us what they need to keep us safe, I listen to them and support their budget requests.  

Are Rockport’s land use ordinances and current zoning districts effectively ensuring sustainable growth in town?

The Planning Board recommended, and the Select Board approved a number of changes to our land use ordinance and zoning districts that are on the ballot for voter approval.  These are changes intended to support sustainable growth, including incentives to develop workforce housing that our schools and the hospital (and other businesses) desperately need to continue serving our community, as well as continue being a place that young people and young families can afford to thrive and grow in.

How do you see Rockport fitting into the greater regional economy and culture?

Rockport is a hub in this area.  Smart, targeted business development can help expand our tax base and provide some relief to our residential taxpayers.  We have an active Economic Development committee that is currently working on a project to talk with our existing businesses about what support they need to enhance their success in Rockport.  I support this type of ground up approach and listening to our businesses and residents to improve and strengthen what we have. 

What is the importance of local government, and how do you see yourself, as a Select Board member, in it?

Local government is the bedrock of our democracy – and our Town meeting form of government means all of our voters have a say on important issues.  I believe in local government and the importance of listening to our residents, which is why I work hard as a Select Board member, to give our residents the best representation possible.  Our Select Board and Town manager have worked hard to find new and better ways of keeping our citizens informed, since local government works best when our citizens are engaged, know what is happening in the town, and let us know what matters to them.  Our Select Board meetings are live streamed so not only can folks attend in person, they can watch them from home, and can speak and comment to us on these meetings.  We have public meetings to keep voters informed on issues that affect them and our town. Our town website, the town newsletter, and Civic Ready, a system that residents can sign up to receive email or text alerts about important town happenings and events – are all used to keep our residents informed. We also have an engaged local press that is an important part of keeping our residents informed.  

What municipal committee(s) would you like to be a liaison to, and why?

Our committees are an important asset to the Town and allow our talented residents to contribute their time and provide service beyond what our Town staff can do.  As a result, Rockport can do more for its residents without increasing taxes.  I am currently the liaison to the Parks Committee, the Library Committee and Legacy Rockport, all of which I enjoy.  I work hard on these committees to support the efforts of our wonderful citizen volunteers who step up to serve our town.  

Camden and Rockport now share a police chief and an assessor. Are there other cost-sharing arrangements that Rockport could do, with Camden or other towns, to spread the staffing responsibilities; e.g., share a planner? Public works director? Harbor Master? Police, fire and EMS?

I absolutely believe in cooperation between our neighboring towns – the more we can share and work together, the better for all our residents especially in reducing costs, keeping taxes down, and sharing expertise and ideas.  This has been successful over the years, and I believe that we need to continue to look for more opportunities to do that. 

One area of cooperation that doesn’t receive as much attention is mutual aid for emergency response – our firefighters (and police) in the two towns (and other towns in the area) work together very well when it comes to emergencies and keeping our residents safe and healthy.  Like mutual aid, I also believe that we should look for partners in the area, to help share costs and provide services to our residents.  This has worked well at the Transfer Station where we work with four towns, and the high school where we work with five towns.  

How will you advocate for the Rockport taxpayer as you shape and govern a municipal budget, and juggle various interests that request municipal funding throughout the year?

We simply must look for efficiencies and cost savings everywhere we can find them.  Our taxpayers work hard for their money, and they deserve a Town government that provides the services they want but also keeps their taxes as low as possible.  Grant funding and looking for cost savings and new sources of revenue are critical, as well as regional cooperation opportunities.  

Free space! Is there anything else you'd like to say to the voters that we haven’t considered?

It’s not easy being a small town these days – even providing basic municipal services is expensive and complex.  We also must protect our small town way of life, while creating opportunities for our residents to thrive.  It is going to take the best of each of us working together to meet these challenges. I would appreciate the opportunity to serve Rockport and all residents on these and other challenges to improve this wonderful small town that is our shared home.