Four candidates are running for two open seats on the Rockport Select Board. Three are competing for two three-year seats, and one is running for a one-year term that opened up when James Annis stepped down last winter for health reason.

The three running for the two open seats are Denise K. Munger, Delores Michelle Hannan and Tiffany Ford. John Viehman is the only candidate running for the one-year term.

Elections take place June 11 at the polls at annual town meeting.

Penobscot Bay Pilot has posed questions to each candidate, providing the opportunity for the public to better understand their positions on issues. Here, candidate John Viehman responds:

Please provide a brief biography of yourself, explain why you decided to seek a seat on the Select Board, and what you are hoping to accomplish.

I’ve enjoyed an extensive career in the publishing and broadcast industry, having served as editor and/or publisher for a long list of publications, most notably Backpacker and, closer to home, Down East magazines. In the 1990s, I also hosted two outdoor television series nationwide on PBS, “Trailside” and “Anyplace Wild.”

I’ve always tried to balance my business interests with a commitment to supporting the greater good of the community. As such, I’ve served on numerous environmental, nonprofit, and industry boards, such as American Rivers, American Hiking Society, Outdoor Industry Association, and the Penobscot Bay Regional Chamber of Commerce, among others. 

Closer to home, I’ve served for the past 10-plus years on the Rockport Planning Board, having also served on the town’s Budget and Investment committees. I served as vice chair of the Rockport Library Foundation, which raised more than $2.5 million to build the new library and ensure that it was completed on budget and on time in spite of the unforeseen pandemic. Concurrently for the past 13 years, I served on the board and then as president of United Midcoast Charities, which funds 35-plus agencies that provide essential food, housing, health and safety, and economic security to residents of Knox and Waldo counties.

I believe we all have a responsibility to make our community stronger for the time we spend here. We should all contribute what our time and resources allow. At the moment, there are a lot of important issues before the town, and I’d like to apply my experience and skillsets to ensure Rockport remains a vibrant, welcoming community.

What are Rockport’s greatest strengths, and how do you hope to support them?

Rockport today is a town where people come to live, work, and play. Especially today, technology makes it possible to live where you want to live instead of where your employer lives. We have great schools, year-round recreational resources, an engaged citizenry, and an enviable quality of life.  The best way to support all that as a Select Board member is to serve as a guardian of what we have here, to be ever-mindful of threats but also keeping an eye open for opportunities to make it an even better place to live for many years to come.

What are Rockport’s greatest issues to address?

Issues on the top of my list are…

• Wastewater treatment—Whether we find a way to continue our relationship with Camden, create a regional solution, or ultimately decide to build a stand-alone facility, wastewater treatment is a pretty basic service that has to be provided. The question is how best to proceed. (Also see my answers to Question 4 below.)
  
  
• EMS—This is another must-have service, but there is more than one way to deliver it. Assuming voters approve the nearly $1.2 million EMS budget for the coming year, Rockport will be severing its relationship with North East Mobile Health Services (aka, ambulance services) and creating a stand-alone EMS based out of the West Rockport Fire Station. (See answers to Question 13 below.)
  
  
• Comprehensive Plan—The last Comp Plan was created in 2004 (that’s not a typo). The current plan predates huge advances in technology, a pandemic, demographic shifts, at least one generation (all of Gen Alpha and part of Gen Z), and an alarming variability in global climate, among other things. To say the world has changed since 2004 is a gross understatement. We need to pay close attention to the conversation around our new shared vision for the future. A lot is riding on it. (Also see my answer to Question 12 below.)
  
  
• Climate change—It’s becoming increasingly obvious that in the years ahead we have to accept more variable and potentially more damaging weather patterns. Unfortunately, that also means we’ll have to address the damage they inflict upon the Town and budget to pay for it as best we can. Concurrently, we need to take a more intensive look at our resiliency and develop a comprehensive plan to get out in front of the changing conditions wherever we can. It’s not a plan simply to hope the weather isn’t going to be as variable.
  
  

Rockport has a $33.7 million project proposal on the June 11, 2024 Town Meeting Warrant to construct a wastewater recovery facility on the Pen Bay Medical Center campus, and extend the sewer line on Route 90 to the intersection of Route 17.

On the ballot as well is a citizen initiative that opposes the aforementioned project; instead, a group of Camden and Rockport residents has been advocating that the two towns convene a citizen-led task force representing both towns to study the costs and benefits of continuing to work with Camden on wastewater treatment. They suggest a municipal collaboration, citing Midcoast Solid Waste, the public school system, and the two-town police department as cooperative examples of.

What is your position on this issue?

The now-disbanded task force that researched this issue over the past few months was primarily charged with determining the best possible technology and location for a stand-alone wastewater treatment facility. It presented a strong case for locating it on the grounds at Pen Bay Medical Center, which already has some of the “plumbing” in place. In that sense the task force’s work was highly commendable, but a LOT more time needs to be spent on alternative approaches beyond building a stand-alone facility. That includes building upon our longstanding partnership with nearby towns—Camden and Rockland—for a regional approach to share the costs.

When you factor in the interest on the bond for a stand-alone facility and some of the other assumptions for adding sewer lines, the total cost would be coming in north of $50 million. That easily makes it the largest single investment for the Town ever… and by a LOT. 

An interesting aspect to a stand-alone facility revolves around who actually pays for it. While everyone has a vote to determine whether we move forward, it would be just the c. 600-700 current and future users of the sewer system and any household with access to the sewer system who actually foot the bill. Effectively, that means adding more than $1,000 annually to those sewer and non-sewer users’ bill. Again, that’s all the more reason we should move slowly and deliberately here.

The premise of Article 3, which would authorize the funding for a stand-alone wastewater treatment plant, presumes that the only path forward at this point is for Rockport to build its own facility. While that ultimately could prove to be the case, I’m not convinced that we’ve fully explored our options, including building upon the longstanding, two- and three-town approach to treating Rockport’s wastewater. I have a hard time accepting that “communication” issues would be allowed to stand in the way of what’s best for taxpayers.

Time and again we’ve shown that sharing services (e.g., schools, police force, solid waste/recycling, assessor) saves taxpayer dollars in both the short and long term. It’s hard to imagine that this would not be the case with wastewater treatment. 

Article 15 is the result of more than 300 residents having signed a petition that would create a task force to fully explore ALL the options going forward, but especially building on the collaborative efforts with Camden and Rockland. 

In short, we really need to take our time to ensure that we’ve explored all the options and double-checked all our assumptions. I don’t believe that’s the case at this point in time.

There was initial discussion this past winter of placing ordinance amendments before voters that would regulate short term rentals in Rockport. Do you want to institute STR regulations, and if so, what would they look like?

The discussion being referred to here was much broader than short-term rentals, which were only a small part of a much bigger conversation around affordable housing and recent mandates from the State. Here’s the fulls context:

My sense is that there’s a consensus over the lack of affordable housing in the state of Maine, but it’s particularly acute here in Rockport. This troubling trend doesn’t just impact those people who can’t afford to live here, it ripples throughout the community. Without reasonably priced housing in all its forms, we can’t attract the workforce we need for our hospitals, schools, public safety, marinas, hotels, restaurants… the list just goes on. In short, it hollows out a town pretty quickly. 

As a member of the Rockport Planning Board, I’ve been involved in a year-long process to amend the Land Use Ordinance and bring it into alignment with a statewide mandate (commonly known as LD 2003) to remove barriers for creating additional housing. It was no easy task but the resulting amendments appearing on the June warrant ensure that our ordinance is as supportive as possible. I hope voters agree and approve the proposed amendments.

In those same meetings we invited representatives from local housing groups, employers, and other interested parties to share their experiences and knowledge on the housing issues. Data emerged that shows just to sustain the existing housing needs here in Knox County, we need 800 additional units. Based on population, Rockport’s share of that problem is 200 units. I think that’s an achievable near-term goal… to add 200 housing units in one form or another (apartment rentals, multi-unit, or freestanding homes). It gets us started down a path toward solving a vexing problem and gives us something we can build on to add even more housing over the next few decades. Rockport needs to focus on remaining a “year-round town” first and foremost. And that means we have to be willing to see the bigger picture with every decision.

Specific to short-term rentals, technology has enabled non-resident owners of properties to effectively operate sizable commercial enterprises in otherwise residential neighborhoods. That to me is the core issue, because it makes it difficult to foster year-round residents who are part of the workforce, who have children in our schools, who can afford to buy a home here. Fostering community would be a good issue to address in the Comprehensive Plan. 

To be clear, it’s important to distinguish this issue from an owner-occupied (aka, home-based) short-term rental business. I don’t think anyone wants to interfere with someone renting out a room in their own home or an accessory dwelling unit to supplement their income. 

As a Select Board member, how will you help ensure all villages (Rockville, Glen Cove, Simonton Corner, West Rockport and Rockport Village) all receive equal attention and investment by the town? 

While well intended and with all due respect, the premise of this question predetermines that we are five separate communities, and I don’t think that’s helpful. We are the Town of Rockport.

Speaking candidly, it’s always puzzled me to hear people refer to “Rockport’s 5 Villages,” some of which date back to a time when residents used horses and buggies to get around town. While I have great respect for our historical roots and more than my share of nostalgia for “the good ol’ days” that come with them, it’s not very relevant to today’s issues. So let’s stop worrying about whether one member of the family is getting an equal share of attention and focus on doing what’s best for the entire family.

What is your opinion of the draft Sewall Transportation Infrastructure Study for Rockport that proposes concrete suggestions for improving pedestrian and bicycle safety in Rockport Village, and building a pathway to the Camden Hills Regional High School? Do you support these infrastructure improvements, and investing in them?

I don’t see any reason to not support what is being studied and may be proposed. There has been a lot of public input and Sewall has done a good job of facilitating the conversation. It can only make us a safer, healthier community. Presumably, much of it will impact State roads, which may open the door to State/Federal funding. So it’s unclear what the final infrastructure improvements will cost, if anything. I look forward to seeing the final recommendations.

 In an era of drug overdoses, mental health emergencies, retail theft incidents and increased reliance on public safety resources, how will you, as a Select Board member, work to keep your town safe?

We’re fortunate to have strong and capable leadership starting with Town Manager Jon Duke, ably supported by Police Chief Randy Gagne and Fire Chief Jason Peasley. Together, they run point on what increasingly have become troubling regional trends. I trust them to consult with the Select Board to ensure we have the public safety resources we need in place in Rockport.

Are Rockport’s land use ordinances and current zoning districts effectively ensuring sustainable growth in town?

For its part, the Planning Board recently did a top to bottom review of the Land Use Ordinance to eliminate obstacles to sustainable growth and to ensure it’s supportive of the Town’s Comprehensive Plan, which is a key document long overdue for an update. The June Warrant includes a long list of amendments to the LUO as recommended by the Planning Board, and I hope voters will support them. (Also see my answer to Question 5 above.) 

How do you see Rockport fitting into the greater regional economy and culture?

Generally speaking, to sustain the level of services we provide and sustain our quality of life here in Midcoast Maine, collaboration with our neighbors is almost always going to be the best path forward. We’re stronger and better when we do things together. It’s that simple.

What is the importance of local government, and how do you see yourself, as a Select Board member, in it?

Local government is the heart of our democracy, with all its fibrillations. In New England that takes on a whole new flavor, as evidenced by our Town Meetings. Like any representative of the people in our system of government, I anticipate a large part of my job is listening (or reading). Then it’s a matter of sorting through what I’ve heard (or read) and using my best judgment to achieve the greatest good. It’s not a perfect system, but it’s the system we designed and I’ll do my best to make it work better for us. 

What municipal committee(s) would you like to be a liaison to, and why?

It makes great sense to have me serve as the liaison to the Planning Board, given my 10+ years of experience there. 

An updated Comprehensive Plan is due to be presented to voters this fall, so I’m keenly interested in supporting that effort.   

Camden and Rockport now share a police chief and an assessor. Are there other cost-sharing arrangements that Rockport could do, with Camden or other towns, to spread the staffing responsibilities; e.g., share a planner? Public works director? Harbor Master? Police, fire and EMS?

We should always be challenging ourselves to find more efficient ways to manage town services. Some of those services will “scale” and make sense to share with other towns; others don’t. So in those cases, you need to focus on other ways to be more cost-effective. No matter how you structure things, it shouldn’t be at the expense of the quality of life in Rockport. 

A good example is our EMS (aka, 911) services. There’s no question that we need EMS services. The issue is whether having our own stand-alone EMS service, as opposed to taking a regional approach, is the best way to go about it. My concerns echo those already expressed above on the wastewater treatment facility. We know that sharing costs with another town or regionally makes sense in other service areas, so it’s hard for me to think otherwise with EMS services. 

How will you advocate for the Rockport taxpayer as you shape and govern a municipal budget, and juggle various interests that request municipal funding throughout the year?

Any budget involves tradeoffs. In the end it should be the road map for operating the Town. That doesn’t mean you ignore the unexpected.  If those unexpected needs truly come out of the blue with minimal likelihood of recurring, well, you have to sort out how best to deal with them in the moment. If they’re likely to recur, however, you had better start developing a plan going forward. The storm damage this past year presents a good illustration of how to approach this. (See answer to Question 3 above.)