Water District Trustee Candidates: Melissa Alipalo

On November 2, Sanford/Springvale voters will elect one Water District Trustee to a three-year term. The candidates are Melissa Alipalo, John Cochin, Jr. (incumbent), and Shawn Parker.

A native of Indianapolis, Melissa Alipalo spent 17 years in the Philippines before moving to Maine in 2016. This summer, she and her family purchased the home they had been renting on Main St. in Springvale. She has degrees in journalism from Evangel University, and in sociology from Ateneo de Manila University.

She has been involved in Curtis Lake Church since moving to the area, and this year became a member of the Sanford Performing Arts Center advisory board.

Ms. Alipalo has spent her career working in international development in the water sector, and has also worked in areas of water policy and reform, and public communications. She has helped to design and develop urban water supply projects as well. She believes serving on the board of Water District Trustees would be a good opportunity to put some of that experience to work right here in Sanford.

She has already fielded many questions about Sanford’s water supply from people who know her background. “People want clean, reliable, sustainable water, they want to know it is safe and secure.” She feels her communications background will be a valuable asset to the board, in responding to concerns and helping ratepayers get the answers they need, whether they are about chlorine levels or threats to our water resources from climate change.