Three people are running for two seats on the Hermon Town Council in the June 11 election.
Two candidates, Joshua Berry and Jason Forbes, discussed their viewpoints during a forum moderated by the League of Women Voters on May 30 in advance of Tuesday’s election.
Candidate Terry Hamm-Morris did not attend the forum.
Councilors Danielle Haggerty and Steven Thomas are not running for reelection. After three consecutive terms Thomas cannot run for reelection. He must wait one year before running again, according to the town’s charter.
Berry, the town manager, resigned his position in March, with it taking effect at the end of June because he has a young family and needed more flexibility. He is running for town council because he said he wants to still be involved in the community.
“It just really felt like it was a good opportunity to stay involved at a level that would be more impactful than just the volunteer level,” Berry said.
Forbes moved to Hermon 12 years ago from his hometown of Presque Isle. He is a veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps and served 15 years with the U.S. Merchant Marine fleet.
He decided to run after volunteering for family friend Austin Theriault’s campaign for the 2nd Congressional District. Forbes said there are things in the town he wants to change and Theriault inspired him to take action.
“I decided … to put my skin in the game and put my money where my mouth is and help our community move forward,” Forbes said.
Previous town management has kept taxes low while also having limited debt, Berry said. That’s the way he said he wants to keep the town operating, while ensuring residents receive good services.
Hermon is a thriving community, Forbes agreed. However, the town’s growth is limited by sewer and water infrastructure that needs work, he said. The town has a 30-year contract with Bangor that expires in 2026, which they will need to either renew or figure out how to operate the system themselves.
Drinking water and wastewater is provided in limited areas of the town, so expanding that access and profiting from those services should help the town grow, Forbes said.
The town is working on next steps for the water and sewer infrastructure, Berry said.
Forbes has years of management experience through his time in the military and the merchant fleet. He said while it’s a different type of management, the lessons still apply.
“I’m a go-getter,” Forbes said.
Berry said he has a good working knowledge of almost every department and asset in the town, which will be helpful for council discussions.
“There’s a lot going on, and it’s good to have that knowledge and be able to discuss it publicly,” Berry said.
