I’m writing in support of John Portela, a candidate for the at-large seat on the Brunswick Town Council. I’ve known John for almost 30 years and consider him an excellent choice to represent all the citizens of Brunswick.

I first met John in the winter of 1988 when I was a reporter for The Times Record. I was covering a Local 6 food drive in Bath that he and other shipbuilders at Bath Iron Works had organized for the families of paper workers who at that point were several months into a long and difficult struck against the International Paper Co. in Jay. It was a cold, snowy Saturday and I was impressed by John’s dedication in organizing that relief effort … as well as his ability to explain why it was an important story for his hometown newspaper to report on.

It was the first of many opportunities I’ve had to witness John’s deep-seated need to serve others.

A year or two later, he persuaded me to join him in a 10-mile March of Dimes fund-raising walk for the Mid-coast region. I raised far less in donations than he did, but I’m grateful for this early lesson in giving back to the community that John afforded me by his example and persuasive prodding that I join the walk. These are not isolated examples. For more than two decades John has been a leader at the local, state and national levels of the United Way, supporting the many Brunswick organizations that receive funding from this annual community effort.

I’m confident that as a town councilor John would bring an open heart and a keen mind to the many complex issues facing our town. He’s a good listener and, as a serious student of our American democracy, I have no doubt he would be a strong advocate of an open town government, one that encourages all citizens to take part in the real work of making our community a better place.

Please consider casting your vote for John Portela as Brunswick’s next town councilor-at-large.

James McCarthy
Brunswick