What qualifies a person to be the mayor of Augusta? Technically you need to live within the city and be a citizen of the United States. In reality, though, it takes a whole lot more.

Beyond the duties of running a good meeting and being present for local events, a mayor must understand issues that are of importance to the citizens, have experience that they can draw upon to make good decisions, be a master of relationship-building and be an advocate for economic development.

The person most qualified, in my opinion, is Mark O’Brien. His nearly three decades of experience giving back to this community shows his commitment to Augusta and its residents. His institutional knowledge will help us tremendously as we hire a new city manager and other staff and get them acquainted with our city. The long-term, positive relationships he has built over the years with stakeholders and partners of Augusta will benefit our city as a whole, allowing us to accomplish more, while keeping taxes low.

Mark is dedicated to Augusta, he is trustworthy and honest, and he is exactly what we need to keep heading in right direction. I encourage you to join me in voting for Mark O’Brien on Nov. 2.

Peter Pare

Augusta