AUGUSTA — A pilot who says he has decades of experience in city affairs and a marketing specialist who says he is passionate about helping move Augusta into the future will vie for a two-year at-large seat on the City Council.

David Smith, chief pilot for Maine Instrument Flight, will compete on the Nov. 8 ballot against Daniel Emery, a marketing specialist for Maine State Credit Union, to fill the remaining two years on the council seat vacated by William Stokes when he was elected mayor.

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Smith, a former longtime member of the city’s Planning Board and current trustee for the Greater Augusta Utility District, said he has been involved in city affairs since purchasing his home in the city in 1974.
“I’ve always been a participant in the world around me,” Smith said. “That’s just the kind of person I am — involved.”

“I’ve never been able to stand back and let other people do all the work for my benefit,” Smith said. “I pay attention to what’s going on in my neighborhood, my city. I listen to others, I don’t reject new ideas automatically, and I build a consensus whenever possible.”

Emery, active in Kennebec Valley Junior Achievement, the Augusta Downtown Alliance and other community groups, said he strives to do what he can to make Augusta a better place to live.

“I love living in Augusta and I see a tremendous amount of potential and opportunity for our city and our citizens here,” Emery said. “I am young and passionate, and I want to be part of the team that moves Augusta into the future.”

Emery said the most important issues facing the city are business development, job creation and education.
He said a robust school system would help keep people in Augusta and attract new families and businesses.
If elected, he said he would search for and create networks with businesses and community organizations to encourage education and entrepreneurship.

Smith said the most important issues for the city are maintaining an affordable level of services, creating a climate for more and better jobs, improving the school system to better prepare students, protecting neighborhoods from nonresidential encroachment and finding compatible uses for riverfront properties.

Both candidates said the controversial R.C. & Sons Paving plant does not belong there.

Located in a gravel pit off West River Road, the facility has drawn numerous complaints from residents of the nearby Grandview neighborhood.

Smith said when he was on the Planning Board and that area was rezoned, the rezoning was meant to exclude asphalt plants in the zone.

“The city should enforce the existing ordinance, change the Land Use Ordinance to eliminate incompatible uses from inappropriate zones, and always look to eliminate unintended consequences,” Smith said.

Emery said the city should assist R.C. & Sons in finding a new location for its paving plant, preferably within Augusta.

“That would relieve Grandview of the smell issue, wouldn’t cause an issue in any other neighborhoods, and would allow R.C. & Sons to continue operating their business,” Emery said.

Both candidates said the city should restrict, not ban, fireworks.

Smith supports some restrictions on fireworks, especially the noisy kind.

“I really don’t think people want to add to the noise near their homes with explosions 24-hours a day, 365-days of the year,” Smith said.

Emery said adults should be allowed to use consumer fireworks in an appropriate location.

“I also think that, if they act irresponsibly and it leads to damage or injury, they should be held accountable, Emery said. “There is always a possibility that fireworks could cause damage or injury, but that risk decreases if they are used responsibly.”

The election is Nov. 8. The deadline to request an absentee ballot is Thursday.

Keith Edwards — 621-5647
kedwards@centralmaine.com

Name: David P. Smith
Age: 61
Occupation: chief pilot, Maine Instrument Flight
Family: married, two children
Education: graduate, Lisbon High School; attended University of Maine at Augusta; private, commercial and airline transport pilot licenses.
Public service: 11 years, Augusta Planning Board; 2007 Comprehensive Plan Committee; Augusta Airport Advisory Committee; past director, Kennebec Valley Chamber of Commerce; past trustee and chairman of Augusta Water District; current trustee, Greater Augusta Utility District.

Name: Daniel M. Emery
Age: 28
Occupation: Marketing specialist, Maine State Credit Union
Family: Single
Education: associate’s degree in business
Public service: Kennebec Valley Junior Achievement board member and volunteer; Augusta Rotarian; Cynergy co-chairman and steering committee member; Maine Credit Union League Ending Hunger Committee; Augusta Historic Preservation Commission; Augusta Downtown Alliance Promotion Committee co-chairman; Kennebec Leadership Institute graduate.