Jean Demetracopoulos, Oldfields Road, currently the Chair of the Town Council, is running unopposed for the three year seat on South Berwick Town Council.
See all the236diner stories on the 2009 elections
Here is Ms. Demetracopoulos’ response to the questions posed by the236diner:
Tell us something about yourself?
I have two boys in college and live on our Old Fields Rd farm with my husband. I am seeking my second term as a town councilor. I served on the Conservation Commission
1990- 2006 and two Comprehensive Plan Update committees in 1989 and 2002. I am committed to balancing the town’s growth with the desire to retain its rural qualities and character.
-What do you see as the biggest challenges and opportunities facing South Berwick?
There are short term and long term challenges for South Berwick.
Short term; Financially, the town is faced with serious challenges.The town is required to present and maintain a balanced budget. Over the last two years, the council has had to rebuild the undesignated fund from exceptionally low levels. Importantly, the proposed excise tax reduction referendum in the November election could remove another ~ $450,000 from the town budget if passed. This will result in permanently cutting $450,000 from the budget through existing program reductions or raising the tax rate by ~$.75. Either choice will have profound impacts on residents and this referendum needs to be actively discussed in the upcoming weeks. Another challenge is the vitality of the downtown businesses. With the advent of the Community Development Committee, the dialogue between downtown businesses and the town should identify issues which town government can address to assist those businesses. In the current economic climate, new economic development is beyond our control. That said, we can be working to encourage small business development in the downtown area and to position ourselves for when the economy turns around by laying a foundation for TIFF’s and other financial incentives.
The future of the library is both a challenge and an opportunity. Library use continues to grow in the current cramped facility. The move to the Young St property will provide a real home for library programs and an opportunity for books to be in shelves that folks can reach. The process for making that move is underway. The church building will require extensive renovation and this will have a cost which can not be born by the taxpayer alone. This will be a community project and the community needs to play an active role. Ultimately, that involvement will determine how long it takes for the library to move to its new home.
Long term challenges and opportunities include resident involvement in the town. South Berwick has had a long history of being a community and not just a zip code where people live. I repeatedly hear the desire to keep our downtown vibrant and our rural areas undeveloped. Our daily decisions reflect our commitment to these words. At the town level, maintaining this balance requires the active involvement of the public. Yet over the past years, there have been many vacancies on town boards. Participation on committees provides an opportunity for people to impact what the town looks like and does. It hosts an opportunity for community leadership development. On a personal level, the decision to buy local goods from downtown merchants is critical to keeping the downtown vibrant.
-If you are elected, what priorities will you have for your term in office?
The role of a town councilor is to oversee expenditures and set policy.
I look at our tax dollars as an investment in town services. Town meeting verifies the level of service which the residents’ desire. As a councilor, I feel it is my responsibility to oversee the expenditure of those dollars for efficiency and performance. Councilors also have a responsibility for the financial health of the town corporation. Short term decisions need to be balanced with long term consequences regarding the fiscal health and operational well being of the town infrastructure.
I believe government should be a dialogue between residents and administration. Effective communication is of utmost importance.
-What strengths, skills, and qualifications would you bring to the office?
I ask LOTS of questions and I work hard to listen to residents and town staff. I am willing to make difficult decisions and explain why. I try to look at both the big picture of an issue and the details. I am one of five voices on the council. My personal vision for the town is no more important, nor less important, than the other 4 councilors sitting at the table. I will advocate for a position, but also try to find middle ground on tough issues. Solutions are usually found in compromise and if we work to answer peoples’ genuine questions, I believe we will usually end up in the right place.
-What is your vision for South Berwick in five years.
It is my hope that South Berwick in five years would look and feel very similar to what we experience today. Growth, done right, can embrace town values. Commercial development does not need to mean strip malls, but it does require a partnership between the private sector and the public sector to foster responsible development. I hope that the downtown is a place that people want to walk around. I hope that the library will have had its grand opening and that the Young St property will be an integral part of the downtown. It is my hope that people will still be able to buy produce at farm stands, walk, fish and hunt in an undeveloped rural area of town.
How will your term on the Town Council help to move the Town in that direction?
Government is not known for moving quickly. Consideration of broad points of view requires deliberation. That said, having a clear process identified, with clear opportunities for public input and benchmarks or timelines for getting things done, creates a format for steady progress.
