I'm voting for Bob Butler for Waldoboro Selectman. The first time I met Bob, he asked me to sign his petition to run for the budget committee. I asked him who he was and why in the world he wanted that job! I'm sure I was a little abrupt, but Bob was very polite. He seemed to sincerely want to do something good for the town and this was how he felt he could contribute, so I signed his papers. Since that time, we and our families have become friends and we've shared many good conversations about our community; where we're doing well and where we can do better.

Over the years, we've admired Bob's ability to see where he can make a difference and follow through without getting distracted. Despite a considerable amount of opposition, Bob has politely and professionally kept on working with the town on committees and in a previous term on the select board and the results are impressive.

Thanks to Bob's patience and persistence working on Waldoboro's Solid Waste ordinance, we're saving money in tipping fees and we're being better neighbors to Cushing, Friendship and to each other. As a selectman, Bob worked with his fellow board members, the town manager and town departments, to update policies and contracts. Among other gains, this reduced healthcare insurance costs by more than a million dollars. His vision and resourcefulness as a member of the Broadband and Communication Technology committees have helped bring a huge investment in fibre optic broadband infrastructure to the Village and North Waldoboro. This is an advantage to both business and residential customers at no cost to the town.

Bob and I come from the same part of the country; northern Minnesota and rural South Dakota, and we share a certain ethic. Our families were pioneers, working hard to make a living in harsh conditions. You didn't survive if you couldn't get along with your neighbors. You didn't look down on people who came from somewhere else or had different ideas, and you did all you could to leave things better than you found them. I feel that this is one of those areas where we can do better in Waldoboro and that's why I'm voting for Bob Butler.

Charlotte Davenhill lives in Waldoboro