Camden Select Board Candidate Jenna Lookner
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.
Please provide a concise (paragraph) biography of yourself
I was born at Pen Bay Medical Center in Rockport and raised underfoot at The Waterfront Restaurant, opened by my father and his business partner Sam Appleton in 1978. Working in the restaurant, as well as watching my father's various undertakings in municipal government have been tremendous aspects of shaping my interest in, and dedication to, Camden. After completing Camden Hills Regional High School (I was a member of the first graduating class at the Rockport building!) I attended Wheaton College, where I concentrated in Political Science before transferring to Emerson College where I studied journalism.
2) What are the 3 most pressing issues facing Camden today, and how would you like to see them resolved?
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.
There are three seats available on the Select Board, two three-year terms currently held by Jim Heard and Don White, and one one-year seat, following the untimely passing of Select Board member Leonard Lookner, last winter.
Heard is not seeking reelection, but White is.
Both Jenna Lookner and Steve Beveridge are seeking to fill Leonard Lookner’s seat.
The candidates have responded with their individual written answers.
1.) A lack of streamlined accounting/ financial practices. While the recent audit of Snow Bowl finances may have created waves, I have stated previously that my interest lies in discovering how such management practices were allowed to continue. As stated by the auditor contracted by the Select Board, the Snow Bowl finances tell a greater story of how the town does business. I am interested in the breadth of that story, and in working to execute transparent and responsible practices that transcend all aspects of Camden's financial management.
2.) Jobs! Camden must concentrate on fostering a robust year-round economy in order to thrive. Bookended by the cultural destination cities of Rockland and Belfast, I am concerned that Camden will continue to become a bedroom community. Growing up in a small business family I was taught that the balance of the summer tourist economy, and the sleepier winter economy can be achieved. I would like to explore ways that Camden can invite low-impact business growth that creates viable year-round professional jobs. We also need to be open minded to the ventures that might assist our existing local businesses during the winter months. I have already stated that I would like to create an ad-hoc committee to assist prospective businesses interested in locating to Camden. I believe an inviting, open-minded, and user friendly approach will allow these business owners to navigate the requirements of Camden's business ordinances and requirements with support from a community that wants to work with them.
3.) A lack of communication among municipal government both internally and with the public. I believe that the public apathy we often hear about in Camden is partially due to a lack of information. Attendance at public meetings is abysmal with rare exception. My communications background has taught me that it is imperative to communicate clearly and to communicate well. I believe that every citizen can find some aspect of town government that interests them, and I would be very interested in working to engage a greater body of residents in our day-to-day municipal affairs. I envision this transparent, readily available communication in the form of a bi-weekly digital newsletter. I would also encourage residents to familiarize themselves with the numerous resources available on the town's website including archived meeting video live streams and minutes.
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?
I believe my nonprofit background will serve me well in regard to budgetary requests and the various interests that make them. In my career, I have often been presented with opportunities (and pressing needs) that were not in my departmental budget. I have learned to weigh the value of those opportunities, and their urgency, against the authorization of funds, something that all budget driven entities must do at a fundamental level. The taxpayers of Camden will be my first priority, and I will look for input and guidance from my constituents. I would like to examine the size of the budget committee and the efficiency of working with such a large group, in my experience, effective committees are generally fewer than 10 members, each bringing a unique perspective or skill set to the table. That's not a direct conflict with my previous statement, all input will be largely valued, however the decision making process will ideally be streamlined.
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?
I believe that Camden is naturally positioned to be a part of the outdoor recreational economy due to unique amenities including our harbor, Ragged Mountain, Camden Hills State Park, and more. I believe that we must be cognizant of whether this marketing/branding position is effective from a fiscal standpoint. With the Snow Bowl reportedly ending the season in the black, and with continued national news coverage of events such as the National Toboggan Championships, I believe this strategy can continue to be refined and measured for efficacy (it would be important to review a marketing budget, a marketing plan, and the source of the funds used in marketing). I also believe Camden must continue to tout its value as a destination shopping, dining, and historic area. With two James Beard nominated chefs among our vibrant food scene, and an eclectic and wonderful mix of downtown shops and businesses, Camden must focus on all of its assets in order to attract the greatest number of visitors and/or new residents.
5) How do you see Camden positioned in the larger regional Midcoast economy?
I feel Camden has fallen behind the cities of Rockland in Belfast in recent years due to its reputation for being a prohibitive community to do business in. While Camden still hosts prestigious conferences and events including PopTech, the Camden Conference, and the Camden International Film Festival, we simply do not have the year round momentum that our neighbors do. I see Camden playing a tremendous future role in the arts economy, and I would love to see existing historic sites and resources, including the Camden Library History Center, utilized and prioritized as cultural and educational attractions. I also believe we need to be considerate of the prohibitions that we place on businesses attempting to create/ produce fun, attractive, and revenue-bearing events in Camden.
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?
This discussion has been going on for decades, and I would very much like to see some decisive forward movement. In March, the Select Board gave a go-ahead for the proposed ReVision energy solar plan. While the allowed acre of solar panels would only offset municipal energy costs, there are approximately three acres that are appropriate for solar arrays. As we progress with clean energy, I would like to see a greater space allocated to solar (within the provisions of Maine law) eventually offsetting the entire municipal energy bill. I see no reason why a trail system, already studied and created, could not be incorporated, especially since parking and access has been secured for such an endeavor. I believe that the town will most benefit from creating a mixed use space at the Sagamore Farm property, and I am intrigued by the idea of a business park that will provide jobs in an area that is also utilized for solar energy production and green activities such as walking and mountain biking. With regard to a green roof, I would be very supportive of this idea, and have been a proponent of green roofs in urban areas for a number of years. That said, I would not want such a requirement to be prohibitive to businesses interested in investing in Camden (i.e. the cost of installation and maintenance to the town or business) without a full understanding of the benefits the municipality/taxpayers would reap from such a design.
7) What municipal committee would you like to be a liaison to, and why?
For starters, I would like to be the liaison to the Historic Resources Committee as one of the things I am most passionate about in Camden is our history and enduring historic character. I would like to be a part of the advisory committee that assists with ensuring that we are good stewards of our historic resources, including buildings, lands, landmarks, and byways. I would also like to be a liaison to the Community Economic Development Advisory Committee (CEDAC) as many of their goals dovetail with my skills and vision for the future of Camden's economy. As a public relations and development professional, I feel that I could lend a valuable regional and local point of view, and assist with implementing new and existing initiatives, as a liaison to CEDAC.
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?
In 2016, I attended the Maine Governor's Conference on Tourism as a requirement of my job. I noted that the Maine Tourism Association has identified outdoor recreation and "authenticity" as Maine's brand, and they have committed to invest significantly in these marketing platforms at a state level. With the likelihood that traffic to Ragged Mountain will increase, I would propose a pass/ membership system similar to the one used by the Kingdom Trails in Vermont. I would like to explore the design of a pass system that offered a day pass, a three-season pass/membership, and the existing ski pass as a separate purchase. Ideally, Camden residents would not have to pay for the three season pass, however the pass system would be in place to ensure proper maintenance and staffing could be retained outside of increased taxes to residents. I believe this would mitigate the overuse of the Ragged Mountain Recreation Area, and its potential impact on the environment, equipment, and facilities there.
9) How do you envision the future of solid waste processing for the four towns; i.e., recycling, waste stream reduction?
I would like to see a composting program enacted offsite at Mid-Coast Solid Waste, whether this was a paid, opt-in, compost pickup service for residents (akin to private services such as Portland's Garbage to Garden), where residents could leave compost for pickup and opt to have composted soil returned for a fee. This could also be achieved in a lower-impact way by exploring partnerships with farmers at the Camden Farmers' Market who might be willing to accept compost for a small fee and sell composed soil back to residents. In a more straightforward way, I believe profoundly in waste reduction through reuse and salvage, a practice currently prohibited due to liability. I would like to explore options to expand the Swap Shop and materials salvage opportunities. I believe single stream recycling is a step in the right direction, and that ease of use for recycling would reduce items that end up in our landfill significantly. Single stream has been used in communities (and major cities) with great success, and has been reported to assist participating communities in diverting more than 50 percent of their waste from their respective landfills. I would like to see the implementation of single stream with manual sorting, as my one concern is the impact on jobs at Mid-Coast Solid Waste if single stream were implemented.
10) Various municipalities in Maine have invested in solar farms. Should Camden?
I believe that the proposed solar initiative for the Sagamore Farm property, via ReVision Energy, is an excellent way for Camden to invest in solar. I believe other opportunities for member-owned solar farms should be investigated diligently in the future.
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?
In my opinion, high speed internet is worth investigating at a municipal level if it is done with the purpose of driving businesses of all kinds to Camden through creating a progressive incentive. I believe high speed internet would assist in attracting professionals of all ilks, from those who work from home, to smaller shops and offices, to larger companies.
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?
I would like to revisit the idea of sharing greater police resources. The shared chief has reportedly worked out very well, and with 11 full-time (and wonderful) officers on Camden's payroll, it would be interesting to see if a combined police force, or certain combined positions, could be achieved without compromising public safety for either town, and while creating a significant savings to the taxpayers. I believe that resource sharing should be strongly evaluated and considered when it can be done within the two neighboring municipalities without a profound negative impact/ creating a resource deficit for either community's residents.
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