Alna has two candidates on the ballot for one seat representing the town on Sheepscot Valley Regional School Unit 12’s board: Ralph Hilton and Abbe Manahan.

Manahan declined an interview request.

Hilton, 69, a retired Bath Iron Works pipefitter and union representative, has previously served eight years on the SVRSU board and said he put all his energy into sticking his nose into every educational matter he could. He would do that again if elected, he said. “Absolutely. My goal is to be involved in all the educational issues we have to deal with every single day. And they are many.”

The 1966 Wiscasset High School graduate, who attended Northern Maine Vocational College in Presque Isle, said when he was on SVRSU’s negotiating team, he negotiated fairly with employees and helped control costs; and on the facilities and transportation committee, he worked on the district’s $1.8 million energy project he said eased operating costs and improved safety.

Hilton said he took part in arranging busing to nearby public schools, including to Edgecomb’s new pre-kindergarten program.

He said if voters return him to the board, he will work to keep improving students’ safety, address the nationwide problem of bullying and control education costs for Alna taxpayers. “Because of lack of funding from the state and federal government, we’re on our own trying to deal with these issues. We need to be really creative in taking care of the problems that we have within the RSU and make a better learning environment.”

Hilton cited his experience on Alna’s comprehensive plan, Head Tide Dam and building committees; and he has tried to be of any use he could to the fire department and several boards of selectmen, he said.

As for the March 23 school choice referendum he petitioned for, Hilton said he has no further plans on the issue beyond the town vote. If the proposal fails, there is no way, shape or manner he would try to override the decision, he said; and if it passes, that decision and the district’s decisions that follow will all take place before the three-year term on the board starts in July, he added. He will not seek to further alter publicly funded school choice in Alna, he said.

Hilton has had property in town since the 1960s and has lived in Alna 35 years.

Polls are open at the fire station from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday, March 23. The annual open town meeting follows at 10 a.m. Saturday, March 24.