Writers weigh in on candidates

To the editor,

I am writing this letter in support of Eleni Richardson, at-large candidate for the South Portland School Board. I have known Eleni for seven years. I am continuously impressed by her ability to be passionate about a cause while simultaneously approaching challenges with a level head. Perhaps it is her 10-plus years as a corporate attorney advising on complex issues.

And she is committed. Ever since her oldest child started school in this district, she has been regularly communicating with teachers and staff, attending board/ PTA/ special committee meetings and volunteering her time.

If elected, some of the things she will work toward include: finding ways to support our diverse and growing community, supporting teachers so that we retain and gain the best the area has to offer, and making sure school safety policies are effective. Please join me in voting for this remarkable person.

Catherine Curry

South Portland

To the editor,

I am enthusiastically voting to re-elect Claire Holman for South Portland School Board. Devoted to young people’s education for over 20 years. She is a thoughtful, creative thinker and problem solver who will continue to bring great amounts of energy and serve our community in this role.

Claire has been a longtime neighbor in Ferry Village with her husband and son. Her son has attended South Portland public schools with my son since kindergarten. She has been a strong advocate for many shared values.

She has helped to write grants to secure funding so South Portland Adult Education could better serve our community as a full-fledged program for adult learners. She has helped the South Portland school system negotiate four different labor contracts. She continues to promote student involvement including increasing engagement of student representatives on the school board.

Claire teaches French and Spanish the at University of Southern Maine. She has the skills to listen, evaluate, problem solve and address issues pragmatically.

I encourage South Portland voters to mark your ballots for Claire Holman for the board of education

Lesley Fine

South Portland

To the editor,

We are at a social, economic and ecological tipping point. Last week the sky was hazy with forest fire smoke. People live in tents, cars, on the streets and in shelters. Some with jobs lack income to achieve a place, others have mental health and substance abuse problems with lack of access to treatment.

The demand for homes is much greater than the supply. When there is a demand for a necessary item such as a home, people will pay as much as they possibly can. Prices will go up beyond the ability for many other people to afford. The supply of housing cannot quickly be increased; therefore, the market requires regulation in the short-term so that people are protected while the supply and demand attempts equilibrium.

Around the world, heat, drought, fire, floods and wind have wrought devastation. Protecting the environment involves challenging our concept of rights versus obligations. Because we “own” the trees, it may be our right to cut them all down but a critical loss may occur. Trees take carbon dioxide, give oxygen, cooling shade and habitat for birds. Protecting the environment requires balancing individual rights versus the common good.

Our task is to protect the environment while achieving social and economic justice. To think that we must choose one or the other is a false choice, because if we do not achieve both, none of us will make it. I will vote for Brendan Williams because I believe he supports these ideas.

Susan Henderson

South Portland

To the editor,

I am writing this letter in support of Brendan Williams for South Portland City Council. Brendan is the only candidate I’ve seen in this race so far that truly understands the needs for more workforce housing in our community. This community has many talented people that work in various industries such as restaurants, retail, and our schools, however, many of them can’t afford to live in the same city where they work.

Brendan has lived in various apartments around the city and has spent time in different parts of the city understanding the needs of different people. I can assure you that Brendan will put people over profits and make sure all the decisions that he makes on the council will benefit the community and not the real estate business or corporations.

I hope you’ll join me on Nov. 7 in voting for Brendan Williams for South Portland City Council.

Olivia Bean

South Portland

To the editor,

I encourage all South Portland voters to reelect Claire Holman to the school board. Claire has been devoted to young people’s education for more than 20 years. She is a thoughtful, creative thinker, ready to continue to serve our community. We who know Claire can tell you that she has been an invaluable mentor and inspiration to many young people in southern Maine, a hugely formative figure.

Claire grew up in Lewiston, a fan of Franco-American culture and language. She studied French, and broadened my perspective of the world through her curiosity. Work and study took Claire to different parts of the US, France and Mexico before becoming a longtime resident of Ferry Village. Claire lives with her husband and 12th-grade son who has attended South Portland schools since kindergarten. Claire is a champion of the public school system and a long-time advocate of equal access to education for all students.

Claire teaches French and Spanish at USM, working with students from Maine and many parts of the world as well as world language teachers in local high schools. She is well-respected by her peers for her experience, knowledge, skills, and upbeat spirit; she loves to bring people together to make things better.

Claire has had a successful first term on the school board, helping write a grant for an expansion of SoPo Adult Education services, and serving on the board’s policy committee, collaboratively negotiating a successful labor contract with our teacher’s union. Claire knows the loss of pandemic funding is a fact the board has to face, and is ready to advance school budgets mindful of seniors and taxpayers on fixed incomes

Claire will listen, ask good questions, evaluate options, and make realistic choices.

Please vote for Claire Holman for the SoPo Board of Education.

Debbe Davis

South Portland

To the editor,

This letter is to support Rosemarie DeAngelis for South Portland District 3 School Board in the upcoming Nov. 7 election. Rosemarie’s extensive experience as an educator and strong dedication to improving conditions for all South Portland students and residents makes her uniquely qualified for the leadership needed from our school board members.

With 28 years as an educator in the South Portland school system and 17 years teaching at Southern Maine Community College, she is very familiar with what it takes to maintain an effective school department. Her experience as a city councilor and mayor in South Portland provide valuable knowledge of how to guide and govern the operation of our school department.

As a graduate of South Portland Schools and now a retired resident, I value continuing our strong school system. Please vote for Rosemarie DeAngelis for South Portland District 3 School Board.

Jack Milliken

South Portland

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