I have just submitted my paperwork and signatures to run as a candidate for the Camden Select Board, which will be voted on June 13, 2023.

As many may know I served on the Camden Select Board for six years from 2016 to 2022 when I lost a re-election bid to Tom Hedstrom by about 30 votes out of close to 2000 cast.

I find that it’s been very beneficial to take a year off from the board because it’s given me a chance to see the forest beyond the trees.

I’ve watched every meeting since I left the board and I’ve noticed some things that I think are important and have moved me to run again.

Let me mention today, a major concern of mine is communication. When I was on the board I was of course aware of what was discussed during the meetings and what the board and town were working on behind the scenes. Now as I observe the meetings I find I have questions about a number of subjects that I don’t hear about during the meetings.

I believe there needs to be more communication coming from the board, even if the public isn’t asking questions about certain subjects. It’s awfully hard to ask a question about something you’re not even aware of. I’m also concerned about the ability of the public to ask questions and get answers within a reasonable amount of time.

What I championed when I was on the board – and will again if elected – was looking long term at the problems facing the town and dealing with them instead of kicking the can down the road, which is so easy to do.

For instance, I was the first select board member to support a town owned solar farm, which we now have, and the first to advocate for LED street lights, which we now have. Energy conservation, high speed fiber internet, which we learned during COVID, is so important to education, jobs and health) and particularly important to Camden – the need to deal with sea level rise in Camden Harbor - are infrastructure concerns that need to be addressed sooner than later.

I look forward to the upcoming election season, answering the questions from the press for the candidates and learning about the other citizens running for the two select board positions.

I’ll write again before the election and my last comment today – please vote. Your vote matters and it counts – whether for me or anyone else – it’s important.

Marc Ratner lives in Camden