Greenland Select Board candidate Zack Pike
Name: Zack Pike
Education: Bachelor's degree from the University of Maine
Occupation: Senior director of user experience, Immuta
Political or civic experience highlights: Currently serving in my second term on Greenland's Budget Committee.
What are your top three priorities if elected?: Strengthening Greenland's departments and infrastructure to keep pace with our growing community. Looking for more ways to partner with our school to deliver excellent outcomes for students at the best possible value. Continued conservation of the natural spaces that help make Greenland such a wonderful place to live
What is the biggest challenge the town is facing and how would you address it?: Greenland hasn't done enough historically to build and maintain its infrastructure. We have underpaid staff, a fire station that has been inadequate for as long as I've lived in the town, failed fiscal audits, and more. These problems have led to unpleasant surprises for our taxpayers, who get justifiably upset as issue after issue hits them in the pocketbook. But the problem isn't that our town employees deserve fair wages or that our firefighters need a safe working environment; the problem is that we haven't adequately planned for and invested in foreseeable growth. Getting our town in working order again is going to require planning, prioritization, and community outreach. I believe resolving these imbalances and planning for long-term change is best for both the town and our taxpayers' finances, and it will be my top priority as a selectman.
What else should voters know about you?: I have two daughters currently at Greenland Central School. I've been managing software design teams for over a decade. I'm a former animator and an award-winning fantasy novelist.
This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Greenland Select Board candidate Zack Pike
