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BY BETTY ADAMS
Staff Writer 10/15/2008

Staff Writer

The two people vying to become a Kennebec County commissioner each bring years of experience -- one in finance as well as local and county government, and the other in state government leadership as well as corrections and community issues.

Republican F. Gerard "Jerry" Nault, of Windsor, and Democrat Beverly Daggett, of Augusta, seek to fill the four-year District 1 county commissioner seat, which represents Augusta, Chelsea, China, Pittston, Randolph, Sidney, Vassalboro, and Windsor.

The three county commissioners set policy for the county and oversee a budget of about $11 million, more than half of that used to support county jail operations.

The commissioners each receive an annual salary of $9,420; the chairman receives an additional $668.

Wesley Kieltyka, a Democrat who held the seat for the past five terms, opted against running for re-election.

Nault resigned as a selectman in Windsor several weeks ago after serving almost two decades. In the last nine years, he was a municipal representative on the nine-seat county budget committee, which has the final say on the county budget.

Nault, 66, said the demands of the commissioner's post will be less than the 30 hours a week he was spending as a selectman in Windsor, which has been without a permanent town manager since May.

Nault retired from the state in January 2007 and works now as a consultant for various state departments on contracts and requests for proposals.

His opponent, Daggett, 63, spent five terms in the Maine House and four terms in the Maine Senate -- the last as president of the Senate -- and currently serves on the boards of several community groups. She left the Legislature in 2004.

Both Nault and Daggett were out campaigning Monday, meeting voters and putting out signs.

"It's nice being out and reconnecting," Daggett said.

Daggett is a longtime survivor of kidney disease. She has been on home dialysis for the past 2 1/2 years.

"I'm doing fine," she said. "My energy level is very good, and I'm busy and involved in a number of things."

She said she expects the commissioner's job to require 10 to 20 hours a month, "which is very doable for me."

Daggett is also managing Anna Blodgett's campaign to represent a part of Augusta in the Maine House, a territory Daggett once represented.

Daggett said she is particularly interested in corrections, and serves on the board of Crisis & Counseling, which provides medical and mental health services to inmates at the Kennebec County jail.

Gov. John Baldacci last year proposed the state take over operation of county jails and consolidate them. Legislators since then have worked on various compromises.

"My concern with the state takeover is some of that program may be in jeopardy," she said. "One of the great challenges is to educate and help people in jail not to return."

Daggett also is active in a group seeking to curb high-risk drinking among teens, and represents the east side of Augusta on the Capital Riverfront Improvement District,

She is married to Tom Daggett; they have three children and one grandchild.

Nault cited his service on the county budget committee as giving him a good view of the county operations. He too has experience with corrections, county contracts and probate.

"I was part of a committee which helped to promote a modernization of the Kennebec County jail for access and security systems," he said.

As a state employee, Nault wrote the contract specifications to give all the probate courts in Maine a common software program for docketing cases.

Nault worked for several state departments over 20 years, including the Bureau of General Services, the Maine Public Employees Retirement System and the Department of Audit, retiring in January 2007 from the Division of Purchases.

He said he is particularly proud of his service on the county budget committee.

"I have never voted for a county budget which exceeded the LD 1 expenditure cap," he said. "I'm a moderate when it comes to things. I will support progressive ideas and methods but I'm also trying to find conservative ways of funding. For example, when we financed those renovations to the jail, that was done on a five-year basis instead of hitting everybody up in one year."

Nault is treasurer of the Windsor Republicans and a member of the Kennebec County Committee.

He is married to Vikki Nault, and they have three children and five grandchildren.

Betty Adams -- 621-5631

badams@centralmaine.com

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