Solon Selectwoman Elaine Aloes and Rockport Town Manager Rick Bates were appointed recently to the 12-member executive committee that helps guide the priorities and operations of the Maine Municipal Association.

Both Aloes and Bates will serve two-year terms on the MMA Executive Committee. Those terms will end on Dec. 31, 2018.

Aloes

Bates

Aloes, who has chaired the Solon Board of Selectmen since 1998, has more than 26 years of municipal experience, dating to 1990, when she first ran for the town board, according to a news release from the municipal association. Like many “hands on” municipal officials in rural Maine, Aloes has served on Solon’s Budget Committee, prepares the Solon town budget and Town Meeting warrants, and applies for municipal grants, according to the release.

Since 1999, Aloes has served on MMA’s 70-member Legislative Policy Committee, which steers the organization during each legislative session on municipal priorities and legislative positions at the State House. She previously served on MMA’s Executive Committee from 2001 to 2003.

Aloes works as an automobile damage appraiser for Bishop Auto Adjustment Co., doing mostly auto appraisals but also looking at large trucks, farm equipment and mobile homes and travel trailers. She is a graduate of Medfield High School in Medfield, Massachusetts, attended classes at the former Kennebec Valley Technical College (now Kennebec Valley Community College in Fairfield) and has participated in many training sessions held by MMA, the Insurance Institute of America and the state of Maine.

Bates is a well-known municipal leader in both New Hampshire and Maine. He has been town manager in Rockport since June 2013. Before that, Bates managed the town of Raymond, New Hampshire, from 2000 to 2007. He was that town’s longtime parks and recreation director, serving in that capacity from 1977 to 2000.

He also was on the Executive Committee of the New Hampshire Municipal Managers Association, holding the position of vice president at one point; and he is a past president of the New Hampshire Recreation and Parks Association.

Bates graduated from the former New Hampshire College (now Southern New Hampshire University) with emphases in community development and International Studies. He is a credentialed manager with the International City/County Management Association, and he received a 30-year service award from that organization.