Penobscot Bay Pilot has posed questions to each candidate running for the Camden Select Board, providing the opportunity for the public to better understand their position on issues important to the town and region.

1) Please provide a concise (paragraph) biography of yourself 

1. Please visit my website "bobfalciani.com" for a more detailed discussion of my background. Briefly, I was born in Boston and raised in Quincy, Mass. I was educated in Massachusetts where I received two degrees in engineering and a master's in business administration. I was very fortunate during my 30 year career to have had the opportunity to work with a large number of towns and cities across the USA and overseas. I still teach and do consulting from my Camden home office. Now I am so very excited to have the opportunity, if elected, to provide our town support with my time, my experience and my love of this town.

2) What are the 3 most pressing issues facing Camden today, and how would you like to see them resolved?

In the past weeks, I have heard from a large number of individual and town committee members regarding their concerns. For many, the predominant concerns include the perceived lack of spending controls, the increasing amounts of property taxes, as well as the fact that we are not paying enough attention to maintaining the vibrancy of our beautiful town.

In response to these 3 concerns, I would pursue the following actions:

• a. Develop procedures for "projecting" Town Budget/Finance Plans (3-5 years). Indicate where spending is needed or requested before scheduled elections or town meetings. Show projections for property taxes based on planned expenditures thus providing a clearer look at where tax dollars will be spent before they are committed. This puts a major focus on tax planning and control. It also highlights what decisions have to be made in advance. I have discussed this with numerous people who are actively involved with town committees, and they unanimously agree.
• b. The issue of the Town's vibrancy is partially a function of in-town events which draw people to our community. As an example, surrounding towns have First Friday art exhibitions to encourage people to intermingle, dine, etc. I believe we need to develop similar community events that will continue to define and sustain the town's energy. Other key elements are to ensure we are "perceived" as business friendly including defined, proactive economic development activities.

3) How will you protect the Camden taxpayer as you shape and govern a municipal budget, and juggle various interests that request municipal funding throughout the year?

The select board and town manager need to work in a proactive not reactive mode. As mentioned above, forecasting spending would allow for better planning and would help when funding requests are identified. Is it needed this year? If it is needed, then what expenditure does it replace? The town's budget needs to be managed in a similar way that we all manage our own personal funds. Sometimes we cannot buy what we would like or need unless we sacrifice something else.

4) Camden has refined and promoted itself as part of an outdoor recreational economy for several years. Do you believe that is worth continuing, and if so, how so?

4. There are a number of other towns that have successfully promoted themselves as a 12-month destination. I know Camden can do the same. To accomplish this in Camden, we will need more winter conferences, additional fun attractions for summer visitors, and four-season multiple uses for the snow bowl. All of these are challenges, but it has been and can be done. We need to follow the examples of others who have accomplished this. We don't need to reinvent the path to being a 12 month destination.

5) How do you see Camden positioned in the larger regional Midcoast economy?

Camden needs to sustain its vibrancy. If it were to diminish or are "perceived" to be diminishing, Camden's economic position in the Midcoast will also diminish.

6) A proposal has been made to transform the 77 acres of town-owned Sagamore Farms, on Route 1, to a park with trails alongside a business center, or some other entrepreneurial use. It has also been suggested that such a building have a green roof, and the farm becomes a model for business/park land development. What is your opinion on that idea?

Sagamore Farm represents a wonderful opportunity for Camden. The location and size provides numerous options. I am totally confident that whatever we decide to develop there will fit perfectly into the natural environment of the site and its surrounding area. Trails, open space, solar farms, etc., can all fit well, but the development of some form of entrepreneurial operation is very important. This property has very high potential and can easily help us to achieve the objective to increase jobs for young families and thus have a major effect on economic development. Other towns like ours have incorporated uses such as Culinary/Hospitality Institutes, Software Design Incubators, Research Incubators, etc., as a few examples. I look forward to better defining these options in the very near future.

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

This is a tough question for me as I am interested in all of our great committees. I look forward to being part of the budget committee. I would also like to continue working with the Route 1 Advisory Committee. The Harbor, Parks and Recreation, and Snow Bowl 4 Season committees are also on my list. I am happy to work wherever the Select Board thinks will be the best fit.

8) How will you protect the town-owned Ragged Mountain Recreation Area from overuse as the region becomes more attractive to biking, skiing and hiking

If we just look at the DEP led accusations regarding the snow bowl redevelopment, it is obvious that more attention should be paid to the impact that expansion/use has on Ragged Mountain. The impact on the area itself and surrounding areas (e.g., Hosmer Pond) must be managed. This topic reinforces the need to ensure that we have an adequate management/organizational structure in place for Ragged Mountain.   

9) How do you envision the future of solid waste processing for the four towns; i.e., recycling, waste stream reduction

I do not consider myself to be an expert on this topic; however, I do know that the challenges of waste management, in terms of recycling and waste stream, are significant. What we are experiencing in these areas is very similar to other areas/States, except that Maine has less available material recycling options. In short, we need to continue to find other ways to separate/utilize recycled materials and prevent them from winding up in the landfill.

10) Various municipalities in Maine have invested in solar farms. Should Camden?

10. Solar is a great energy option. Any proposal for a solar farm in Camden needs to be individually evaluated. We need to ensure it is the best land use for any specific location and ensure all cost/benefit elements are considered (e.g., initial cost, energy savings, maintenance, etc.)

12) Is it important for municipalities to invest in high speed internet infrastructure (as Rockport and Rockland have explored) or should it be left to market forces?

Absolutely! The world is moving very quickly toward "work from home" options, especially for our children and grandchildren. This drives the need for high speed and reliable internet. One of the ways to bring more good paying jobs here would be to capitalize on people moving here and working their jobs from home. Both businesses and home office workers must have high speed internet. I can assure you that any economic growth is tied to the internet.

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

Yes, this should be continually explored. There are towns/cities that are larger in size that have one department manager with dispersed support staff who may be in one or more locations. I do not believe any town should think of itself as an "island". We should have regular discussions with surrounding towns exploring these win -win options.