So who is Art Bell? 

 

I have lived on Cousins Island for the past 26 years. My wife Robin and I raised 3 kids who proudly graduated from Yarmouth High!  My path after graduating from Colby College, and earning an MBA from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania included working for 20 years in corporate finance.

 

I love Yarmouth.  My vision for our community is informed by your vision for our future.  Through my service on CPIC (Comprehensive Plan Implementation Committee), I have listened to the citizens and helped reconsider the way our community interacts with the local businesses, cultivating a safe, and thoughtful village. We must balance the issues of a changing climate, affordable housing, economic development, and an aging population.

 

I presently serve on the Yarmouth History Society Board, the Bike/Ped Committee, and I have been Treasurer of YCAN for the past 10 years.  Previously I was elected to two 3-year terms on the School Board and 6 years on the Yarmouth Senior Housing Board.  In 1999, I helped found Yarmouth Arts … focused on all things...art!

 

Far and away, my most meaningful experiences have been interacting with Yarmouth’s youth. I have been a Sunday School teacher and youth leader at Church, coached Little League and Colt’s soccer teams, and currently volunteer at YHS judging public policy presentations and offering advice to young entrepreneurial teams.

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I am humbled and honored to have been awarded the 2017 Latchstring Award for my service.  It motivates me to continue serving my beloved Yarmouth community.

 

 

What do I care about?

 

I care about whatever is important to the people of Yarmouth…you!

I am listening, my door is open.

 

I care about:

 

1.   Environment

2.  Property taxes

3.  Education

4.  Aging population

 

I care about the environment…climate change is the biggest challenge we face on the planet.  How do we continue to grow, and at the same time live sustainably? I have helped First Parish Church install 128 solar panels; I am fully supportive of the solar farm initiative; and I have spent the past 5 years studying the Royal River, trying to understand how we can restore the Royal to its natural health, and improve not only the watershed but also the health of Casco Bay.

 

I care about Property taxes…we need to broaden our tax base, using tools like TIF financing to attract businesses to Yarmouth; we need to explore ways to make the Wyman Station property more valuable, and become a job creator.

 

We need to educate our students to have the skills necessary to perform the jobs of the future, so these kids can come back and afford to live in Yarmouth. While on the Yarmouth School Board, we introduced Chinese language learning and strengthened our relationship with PATHS two initiatives that consider education a changing world.

 

I care about the aging population…we need to allow our elders to mature affordably and to provide services and build opportunities for them to be a contributing part of our community. During my time serving on the Yarmouth Senior Housing Board, we rebuilt and maintained Bartlett Circle and added 32 units at Bartlett Woods. I have also served as Treasurer of YCAN for the past 10 years and we have funded the Aging in Place program in Yarmouth.

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So why am I running?

 

I want to bring my education, my experience, my time & my energy, to the Maine State Legislature, on behalf of District #103.

 

I have the time, I know that we must do better and I am called to represent you in Augusta. 

 

While at Colby, I was honored to attend a weeklong “Future Business Leaders” conference.  One of the speakers, Bill Marriott, talked about a simple philosophy that guided his career and life.  He divided his life into three segments:

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1. Learning

2. Earning

3. Returning

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I have embraced this philosophy and have been “RETURNING” my gifts to Yarmouth. I look forward to representing Yarmouth, Chebeague, and Long Island in the State Senate.