Three candidates are seeking two, three-year terms on the Woolwich select board. The candidates are Dale Chadbourne, Thomas B. Davis and Allen Greene. Chadbourne and Greene are incumbents. Voting on Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 8, will be at Woolwich Central School on Nequasset Road from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Absentee ballots are available at the town office during business hours.

Wiscasset Newspaper asked each candidate to provide brief biographies including their involvement in community and professional organizations; and for responses to two questions: Considering the position you are running for, what do you feel are the three most pressing issues; and to share with our readers why they are running. Their responses appear alphabetically, the way their names appear on the ballot.

Dale Chadbourne: “The number one concern for me is the welfare of our senior citizens and other residents who are on fixed incomes. With the way fuel prices are rising, how are they going to afford to heat their homes this winter? We set aside funds for home heating assistance but I’m worried whether we’ll have enough to see us through the year.” He’s been a Woolwich selectman for three decades, having served a number of years as vice chairman.

“It seems like everything costs more, groceries, household goods, you name it. There isn’t a lot the select board can do about this except try its best and hold the line on town expenses. The fact that we’ve kept our mil rate the same for the last two years took a great deal of effort on the select board’s part.” Doing so, continued Chadbourne, helped keep property taxes in check in spite of increases in the school budget and county tax commitment. “Hopefully having another town-wide revaluation will help, provided that it’s fair to all the town’s property owners.

“I was serving on the select board the last time the town had a revaluation. It’s something that needs to be done. But as I said, the biggest thing as far as the select board is concerned, is to see that it’s carried out fair and equitably.”

Chadbourne said he has concerns about the planned replacement of a water line along Nequasset Road and Route 127. He said motorists have been using this route to avoid the Station 46 bridge construction taking place on Route 1. “There isn’t much the select board can do except make people aware of this and work with the contractors whenever we can.”

Chadbourne’s first term on the select board was in 1992, the year the board went from three to five members. He’s been continually re-elected since, including one term when he didn’t take out nomination papers but still won as a write-in candidate. Chadbourne has called Woolwich home since he was a boy; he grew up on a 100-acre family farm on Chopps Cross Road. One of his early memories is rising early to do chores out in the barn including churning milk.

After graduating from Morse High School in Bath, Chadbourne started a towing and wrecker service, Shad & Son Towing. He continues to operate the towing and emergency road service from his home on Thunder Road that he shares with his wife Sherry. He also plows snow.

“I’ve always believed a selectman’s job is to listen to what people in town have to say, what concerns they have. That’s the thing I enjoy most, meeting and talking to people. I’ve always encouraged people to either drop by and see me, or telephone if they have a concern, suggestion, or just want to talk.”

Thomas B. Davis: Better known as “Tommy,” Davis resides on Wolf Pond Road. He holds a bachelor of arts in computer science from William & Mary and a bachelor of music education from University of Southern Maine. He works as a CTO and software architect/developer (financial services sector; defense sector). He’s a member and officer of the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary and is serving as a trustee of Patten Free Library in Bath. He is chair of Woolwich’s Communication Committee.

Davis believes the availability of broadband internet is a critical infrastructure need for the community and he’s working towards making this happen. “Many of our neighboring towns are also planning broadband solutions, and we should join them. Time is running out for our town to take advantage of the many grant opportunities and private-sector initiatives that may make it possible to bring broadband to Woolwich with little or no impact to taxpayers. Our communications committee has been spearheading this effort in Woolwich, and our town will do well to see this to completion.

“It is important for our town to continue to attract excellent professional and volunteer providers for our Fire and Rescue services. For example, given the current state of the job market in health care disciplines, we may face challenges to these services in our community in the near future. I want to pledge my focused support for these services and personnel to continue our high standard of public safety services to our citizens.”

On another subject Davis wrote, “State and federal money for the purpose of developing community resilience has recently become available to communities like ours, and we should take full advantage of them. These programs provide funding to make sure we are prepared for adverse situations in our community due to public health incidents, weather and climate, economic conditions, and other unexpected world and local events.

“There are many small and large initiatives we can undertake to make sure the impact of such events is minimized in Woolwich, by taking advantage of these grant programs.” 

Davis said he moved to Woolwich 25 years ago because of the natural beauty, agreeable community, and other perks of living in a rural neighborhood. “I have lately retired from a long career as an entrepreneur and software technologist and am now inspired to focus my energies on my community, which is why I have become increasingly involved in Woolwich government, and other community organizations.

“I believe my technology expertise in particular would be helpful to the operation of the town and communicating effectively with our citizens, and my experience as an entrepreneur in the field of financial services technology will bring new perspectives to the economic issues we face. I am very much a hands-on leader, and am more than willing to roll up my sleeves to get stuff done for the town of Woolwich.”

Allen Greene: Greene is a retired engineer who now works part-time as a substitute teacher. He and his wife Janice have resided in Woolwich for over 30 years on Old Stage Road. Greene holds a bachelor of science degree in electrical engineering. Greene has served two consecutive terms on the select board and previous to that 20-plus years on the town’s planning board. He’s served on the Special Events Committee, Monument Committee and the committee which drafted Woolwich’s cannabis ordinances.

“Being a town of several demographics it’s important everyone is provided with the support they need. None is more important than the Emergency Medical Services and Fire and Rescue.” Every year, Woolwich sees an increase in ambulance calls, he continued. “With an aging population, myself included, I consider it a priority to maintain the best EMS services possible.

“In a time where it seems like everything is costing us more, I consider it a priority to not increase our property taxes. Each year, there has been an increase in school and county taxes but through very controlled planning and spending by the Select Board we have been able to have very little or no increase in property taxes.

“While it will always be a priority to maintain our ‘small town’ atmosphere, there are advancements needed to keep us a community in the present and future. There are still areas in town that are not able to receive affordable reliable internet service. This has been a problem way too long. During remote learning due to COVID, several children were not able to participate in school due to the lack of internet service.

“With more and more jobs being carried out remotely it’s important that (reliable internet) service is provided to all. For us who are lucky enough to have the service, the time has come for it to be improved with high speed broadband for everyone in town. This is a priority for the state and a priority for me. I just returned from the Maine Municipal Association Convention and attended informational sessions on this subject that will be helpful going forward. I am very encouraged with the town’s Communication Committee partnering with other communities in taking this project on.”

Greene called Woolwich a friendly community where families raise their children in a wonderful atmosphere, and the town’s senior citizens have the services they need. “It is important that we ensure this continues and improvements are made where necessary. I will continue to work to see this is a priority and listen to our residents' concerns.”