AUGUSTA – Senate President Troy Jackson of Allagash testified before the Legislature’s Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry Committee in support of the reappointment of James. R. May of Mapleton to the Maine Land Use Planning Commission (LUPC) on Tuesday. The committee approved May’s reappointment to the LUPC in a vote of 9-1, with one member being absent. It will now go to the floor of the Maine Senate for a final vote.
“James has served Aroostook County well on the Land Use Planning Commission. He’s earned the respect of people all across the region and always has the County’s best interests at heart,” said President Jackson. “I know he will continue to be an asset on the LUPC and I’m grateful that the ACF Committee agrees. I look forward to confirming his appointment in a vote on the floor of the Senate.”
May is a longtime Aroostook County resident, having moved to the County in 1966. Upon graduation from the University of Maine, with a degree in forest management, he started his career as a forester for International Paper Company. During his time with IP he worked out of the Ashland and Clayton Lake Districts. In 1973 he went to work for Prentiss & Carlisle, Co., Inc., working out of Ashland, continuing there until his retirement in 2009.
The Land Use Planning Commission is a 9-member board with both county and gubernatorial appointees. Eight of the seats are filled by the counties with the most acreage within the unorganized and deorganized areas of the state. Aroostook County has the largest area of qualifying acreage. Per 12 M.R.S. § 683-A, Governor’s appointments to the board must reside in the commission’s jurisdiction, have worked in the commission’s jurisdiction and have expertise in relevant issues in the commission’s jurisdiction.
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