I grew up here in Camden, splitting my time with my dad, who still lives on Spruce Street, and my mom in North Union, just on the edge of the Burketville town line, and after moving around a bit, I'm back. I live with my husband and two kids on Mechanic Street. When I went away to college in Florida, I often took pride in telling people that back in my hometown there were no fast food chains or drive thru windows. Instead of Home Depot, Wendy's and Seven Eleven, we have Rankins, French & Brawn and Village Variety, and it didn't happen by accident. People were often surprised and even inspired by this novel idea that the citizens of a town could get together and decide deliberately what kind of a community they wanted.

But I didn't move back to Camden for its zoning laws or its charming downtown or even for the picturesque harbor. Yes, there are many things that are lovely to look at in Camden, but I've always been more interested in peering into storm drains than storefronts, and always appreciated Camden more for its people than its scenery. I've been involved in a lot of volunteer work for many causes and nowhere is it easier to garner support to solve problems and make the world a better place than in Camden. That's why I moved back.

So why does Camden sometimes feel less innovative than other towns? Where are all the solar panels that I see in other places? The hybrid electric police cars? Or even just the recycling bins in the town office? Why is Camden a model of a perfectly preserved historic downtown, but not a model of environmental sustainability? Why is the prettiest harbor in Maine also one of the most polluted? Why do we have a reputation as "anti-business" even though everyone I talk to agrees that we need more jobs here, and why do we have fewer than 50 people showing up to the annual Town Meeting many years?

It's partially because a huge portion of the people who live here have no idea what's going on in local government, and we're doing very little to get them involved and up to speed. Not surprisingly, they devote their talents and lend their voices to other causes.

Growing up in Camden, and even just a few years ago, running for the Select Board was something I thought I'd never want to do, but that was before I understood why it matters. Today, I've seen enough to feel both inspired and empowered, and I've learned the basics of navigating the often tangled web of boards, committees, warrant articles, secret ballots, public hearings, interlocal agreements and overlapping departments.

I've served on Camden’s Budget Committee, the Personnel Board, the Conservation Commission and the Town Manager search committee, and I think I've attended nearly every meeting of the Mid-Coast Solid Waste Board over the past three years. During this time, I've been both an outspoken critic of the Camden Select Board, as well as one of their most public defenders. What has most struck me is the disconnect between the conversations I hear in the street or read on social media, and the discussions I hear at Select Board meetings.

In Camden, our system of government is a form of democracy so pure that most of us don't even know how it works. I attended high school right here in Camden, but I don't remember anyone telling me about the role of the Select Board or the things to be voted on at town meeting. At the state and federal level, we have a republic, not a democracy, and this is the system we teach in schools. We can choose who we want to represent us, but after that, we either live with the decisions they make, or we vote them out. Not so in Camden. Here, we both elect our representatives and also drive their agenda and vote on their recommendations. The Select Board gets to choose a town manager, but citizens must vote on budgets, ordinances, and many contracts and policies that the town adopts.

Ultimately, it's a great system; the last holdout in the experiment of direct democracy that began in New England nearly 400 years ago, but if people don't know how it works, then it doesn't work at all.

As a town, we've done virtually nothing to educate our citizens on the process of the town meeting form of government and we've done very little to update the process to make it work better. It's no wonder that citizens are confused by the protocols and frustrated by the pace.

If Camden is to evolve and remain a place where diverse socioeconomic groups can live and work, we must do better at informing citizens about upcoming issues and give them an opportunity to weigh in without attending a meeting.

A regular town newsletter letting people know about everything from construction projects to special town meetings, as well as a properly managed town calendar and an updated website, would go a long way in helping people understand what's happening and participate in the things that matter to them. Just like at the state level, our public hearings could easily be accompanied by online "public comment periods." Many towns, and even our school districts have implemented community wide surveys (made available both online and in paper form), and more of this would provide valuable insight for the Select Board to use when setting priorities.

I recently worked with the Midcoast Waste Watch group to conduct a successful survey of residents regarding waste and recycling, and the results are a available at this link. People appreciated the opportunity to provide feedback and it was heartening to read hundreds of thoughtful comments from residents whose opinions otherwise would have gone uncounted.

In addition to my interest in engaging a better cross section of the community in decision making, there are two other issues that will be top priorities for me should I be elected.

1. Reducing waste and pollution. Megunticook River remains on Maine's list of polluted water bodies, Camden harbor is one of the most polluted in the state, our recycling rate is lower than many similar communities, and we continue to bury reusable building materials in the Rockport quarry/landfill on a daily basis. We have several great committees doing very good work to identify ways to both save money and reduce waste (the LED street lights are a perfect example). I will work closely with them and with other experts in advocating that Camden be bolder and braver in this area.

2. Jobs. Camden is at an economic and demographic crossroads and the warning signs are all there. We have a population that is both aging and declining, and between 2000 and 2014 Camden saw an increase in the number of service jobs but a decrease in every other sector. Property values have risen, commercial properties are disappearing, and we continue to suffer from a well documented lack of affordable housing. I want Camden to be a place where people can make a living year round, and I do not believe that everyone can be an Internet entrepreneur working from a coffee shop. Our current system often makes it difficult for new businesses to comply with or even understand the rules, and we must find ways of being more proactive and flexible. I worry that our system may be weighted against working people who can't always attend endless meetings and I'm especially worried about the people who have lived here all their lives who can't afford to stay due to rising property values and taxes.

I know I won't be able to make everyone happy on every issue, but I can promise to help people stay more informed and to collect more input from more people without them having to attend meetings to do so.