Where I Stand on Key Issues

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I share your vision of a vibrant, prosperous Waterville. For 31 years I have worked diligently and passionately to build community in Waterville.  I’m running  for mayor of Waterville because I want to build on the assets Waterville currently offers to make our city one in which we can all be proud to live, work, and play.

Innovation is the key to Waterville’s future and as your mayor, I will encourage economic development, entrepreneurialism, and creative thinking.  I’ll champion Waterville’s strengths and be a fierce advocate and fervent ambassador for our city.

YOUTH

Waterville has a growing youth population but still many of our graduates move away.  As mayor of Waterville, I will work with local colleges, the high school and the technical center to encourage internships and job placements at local businesses and promote professional groups such as the Colby Entrepreneurial Network and KV Connect as unique assets to Waterville.  Additionally, I’ll work with area colleges to explore a forgivable loan program and business incubators for graduates who start businesses in Waterville. (http://www.onlinesentinel.com/news/talking-points-where-the-mayoral-candidates-stand_2011-10-18.html)

TAXES

The key to keeping Waterville from raising taxes is to expand our tax base.  As mayor of Waterville, I will be a champion for Waterville around the state, working hard to fill the empty commercial spaces with new business, retain our college, Mid Maine Tech and high school graduates as residents with jobs who will be taxpayers and customers of local businesses. I’ll also work hard promoting Waterville’s recreational and cultural assets to attract people from around the state and New England. (http://www.onlinesentinel.com/news/Jobs-needed-say-mayoral-candidates.html)

HEAD OF FALLS & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

One of Waterville’s treasured assets is the green-space we have available.  I believe that we should focus economic development efforts on downtown Waterville and filling other vacant commercial spaces, rather than investing in new development at Head of Falls.  The fact that there were no responses to the City’s recent RFPs to developers bears out the fact that this is not the time to be focusing our efforts there.

ROADS

Everyone knows there are roads in Waterville that are in desperate need of repair.  As your mayor, it will be my job to ensure we engage citizens in helping city councilors make decisions about which services together are most important for us to grow and prosper.

WATERVILLE AIRPORT

I believe the airport can be an economic driver for the city, if managed well.  I remember when you could get on Air New England and be in DC in 3 hours stopping in Boston.   To make Waterville a destination, we need to market the airport to private jet owners and make it a revenue generator, instead of a drain.

Vote Karen Heck for Mayor of Waterville on November 8th!

One week until election day and we need your help

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We’ve raised a ton of HECK in the last two months!

Yes, it’s only been just two months since Karen announced she was running for Mayor of Waterville, but in that time we have:

• Knocked on almost 1,200 doors and talked with hundreds of Waterville voters;
• Put up 150 signs in dorm windows, on lawns, and at major intersections in town (many were stolen because we are challenging the status quo);
• Mailed materials to more than 1,000 Waterville women voters;
• Facebooked, Tweeted, and emailed to build a robust social network of supporters;
• Called and talked with neighbors, friends, and people on the street;
• Given out more than 300 buttons at events;
• Out-fundraised our opponents by 10:1 through house parties, emails, and even from unsolicited donors; and,
• Had more than 50 people volunteer throughout the campaign.

Why? Because we believe Karen Heck is the ONLY person on the ballot with the passion, commitment AND experience Waterville needs.

All of this effort has been building toward one day–Tuesday, November 8th.

Now, we need your help to make sure voters get out and VOTE for Karen Heck.

Click here to join the efforts to get Karen Heck elected as our next mayor.

We’ve raised a whole lot of HECK in just the last 2 months – imagine what change Karen will effect in her first term as Mayor of Waterville!

Help us make that vision a reality.  Join us during Get Out the Vote Weekend.

Thank you,

Team Heck Yes!

Closing Remarks at the Mayoral Debate Hosted by Colby College

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Closing remarks from Karen Heck, candidate for mayor of Waterville, Maine:

I believe in the future prosperity of Waterville and I believe we already have the ingenuity and innovative thinkers we need here to create that future.

We have people working on the Sustain Mid Maine task forces on reducing, recycling and reusing our resources, on looking at sustainable transportation and energy production with the goal of making us our own small energy producer,

We have a thousand students graduating every year from the area colleges, Mid Maine Tech and Waterville High, we have resources from Thomas and Colby for business development and we have a core of young people in KV Connect networking with each other who can help us market opportunities to other young people.

We have those of us who are older willing to help facilitate the introduction of that energy into the civic and commercial life of this city and we have the creative economy to develop.

I have the energy, commitment, passion and experience to take on the job of moving us toward the vibrant, prosperous city we remember Waterville was and know Waterville can be again.

I look forward to being an ambassador to Augusta, the federal delegation and to the rest of the state and beyond, to make sure our assets are well-known and people understand this is the place they are going to want to call home.

If what I’ve described is the kind of future you want to see for Waterville, I urge you to get involved in figuring out how you might contribute to creating our future… and, of course, I ask you to give me your vote.

Again, I’d like to thank the Goldfarb Center for giving me the opportunity to share my vision and to thank you for coming to hear what we all have to say.

Thank you.

Find out more about Karen Heck for Mayor of Waterville at www.karenformayor.com or www.facebook.com/karen4mayor and don’t forget to vote on November 8th. Karen for Mayor? Heck yes!