HOULTON, Maine — For the second time in a month, a 20-something has been appointed to a leadership role in Houlton.
Alexis Brown, a 28-year-old who manages the Houlton branch of Katahdin Trust, was appointed to a vacant seat on the Town Council on Monday night. That came less than a month after 26-year-old entrepreneur Cameron Clark was appointed town manager, on April 4.
For the past several years, Houlton Town Council seats often went unchallenged. But in recent months there’s been a marked increase in community participation at council meetings. Brown was one of five candidates expressing interest in the role, following Councilor Mark Horvath’s recent departure.
After Brown moved to the rural town five years ago, what began as a career opportunity has grown into something so much more, she said.
“Houlton has become a place where I planted roots, built a family and felt a true sense of belonging,” she said during Monday night’s meeting.
Both Horvath and Councilor Eileen McLaughlin commented on the wide variety of qualified candidates.
“I want to thank everybody who put in their letters of interest and for those who came in to support [them].There really were fantastic candidates,” McLaughlin said. “I hope everybody will reapply in the fall for the elections.”
Horvath, who resigned from the council earlier this month after a move to Canada, endorsed Brown during Monday’s meeting after commenting on the strength of the candidates.
“I would like to endorse Lexy Brown,” he said via Zoom. “I think she stands in the community as a strong leader and she represents both the ability to understand what the town needs from a financial services point of view and she demonstrates the youth that we have had trouble getting on the Town Council up until this point.”
According to Horvath, keeping young people interested in what the town has to offer is one of the leading things the council needs to address over the next few years.
“I think Lexy would be a good voice for the young people in town while at the same time balancing that against a strong financial portfolio,” he said.
Four of the candidates for Horvath’s seat — Brown, Timothy Ivey, Fred Grant, and Jantzen Craine — gave presentations to the board. Grant and Brown were nominated for a vote.
During her presentation, Brown said that she has been asked, “How did I reach my professional position at such a young age?”
Initially, she thought it was simply something she worked hard for, she said, adding that upon reflection she realized that the foundation of her success was built on dedication and passion.
“It’s that same dedication and passion that drives me to seek a place on the Houlton Town Council,” she said. “I care deeply about the community and its future. As a member of the town council I will bring unwavering commitment and a forward-thinking approach to every decision that we make.”
In 2024, Brown received an Aroostook Achiever honor for business and leadership development, and she has been active in several community organizations such as Vital Pathways, Greater Houlton Chamber of Commerce and the Shire Mentor program, she said.
Brown’s term will run through the municipal elections this fall. She said she intends to run for the council seat.
