Dresden First Selectman Philip Johnston faces a challenge from Dale Hinote in his re-election bid.
Johnston was elected to a one-year term in 2011 and re-elected for a three-year term in 2012. He is seeking another three-year term.
“I think I’ve helped encourage openness in local government and respect for fellow selectmen and voters in general,” Johnston said.
He cites the Dresden Board of Selectmen’s work to address a backlog of tax-acquired properties among the board’s accomplishments during his tenure.
Under Maine law, towns automatically foreclose on properties for nonpayment of taxes after three years. When a town forecloses on a property, it cannot collect a tax on the property, and the loss of revenue shifts the tax burden onto other taxpayers. The ownership of foreclosure properties also presents potential liability issues.
“Up until I was a selectman, we had quite a few properties that basically were owned by the town for upwards of 20 years,” Johnston said. The selectmen have sought to return the properties to the tax rolls “either by selling the properties or getting the former landowners or property owners to pay their back taxes.”
If Johnston returns to the board, he will seek to continue this process.
Johnston also cites the use of a competitive bidding process and the requirement of a performance bond for the snowplowing contract as recent important work by the board.
He would “like to continue to organize and standardize our contract work with outside vendors for roadwork and services we provide the community,” he said. For example, he would like to standardize bidding practices.
“I think there’s a tendency, particularly in small-town government – it’s easy to fall back onto ‘Let’s have someone do something that did it before,'” Johnston said.
A competitive bidding process ensures that the town continues “to provide excellent service for a competitive price,” he said. “I think we’ve been doing that.”
Johnston would also like to continue to improve the financial stability of the community. “I think folks are concerned with the impact of the RSU – the cost of the RSU,” he said.
Dresden belongs to Kennebec Intra-District Schools, also known as KIDS, Regional School Unit 2, or RSU 2. Dresden has “the highest per-student cost in the RSU,” Johnston said.
The formula in place to determine costs for member towns results in “favoritism to the larger towns and not equal treatment to all towns, so I’d like to work on that,” Johnston said.
Johnston said he brings integrity to the position and “will continue to work to encourage respectfulness to our fellow residents (and) my fellow selectmen and to be open to every and all suggestions.”
“Small-town government is not about politics,” Johnston said. “It’s about doing the best job you can do with a limited amount of resources.”
Johnston, 67, is originally from Rhode Island. He holds a Bachelor of Architecture degree from the University of Minnesota. He became a registered architect in several states and had his own practice in Pennsylvania for almost 20 years.
Johnston continues to work as an architect and construction coordinator and owns a consulting business. “I’ve been the owner’s project manager for the last two major courthouses in the state for the judicial branch,” he said.
He was the project manager for the Penobscot Judicial Center in Bangor and currently fills the same role for the Capitol Judicial Center in Augusta.
The latter project will conclude this year and Johnston will move on to a similar role with the city of Augusta as it begins an addition to and renovation of the Lithgow Public Library.
Johnston and his wife moved to Dresden in 2003 after their children graduated from college. “We wanted to get closer to the ocean and we’ve always loved Maine, so we moved here before we retired,” Johnston said.
Johnston recently completed a three-year term on the Lincoln County Budget Advisory Committee. His prior experience in municipal government includes several years as a member of the Dresden Planning Board.
Johnston lives with his wife, Edie Johnston, who owns and operates Maine Medicinals Inc., a manufacturer of organic elderberry syrup and other products. The Johnstons have three adult children and four grandchildren.
Johnston likes to spend time with his family, outdoors, and on the water.
The polls will be open at Pownalborough Hall from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. For more information, see “Three run for treasurer in Dresden” in this edition.
