Former Councilor Eager for New Challenges

After seven years on
the Cape Elizabeth Town
Council as her primary
occupation, Mary Ann
Lynch resigned from her
position as chairwoman
of the council in October
to take on a new job as
director of information
for the state judiciary.
Because of the judiciary's
code of ethics, Lynch
cannot hold elected office
in her new position.

A Cape Elizabeth resident
since 1984, Lynch,
53, is married to Gregg
Ginn and has three children.
Lynch is a native of
New Jersey and moved to
Maine in 1975. She holds
a bachelor's degree in
political science from the
University of Southern
Maine and a law degree
from the University of
Maine School of Law.
She practiced law from
1984 to 2001, when she
joined the council. In her
first week, Lynch was
constantly traveling and
meeting new people.
Now, after a couple
months on the job, she
said, she's starting to feel
settled.

Q: What duties does
your new position
entail?

A: I am the director
of information for the
courts. It entails being
the liaison to the Legislature,
the executive
branch, the public and
the press. It was advertised,
and I thought it
would be fascinating. I
could use a little of my
legal training and my
public policy experience.

Q: How's it going so
far?

A: It's been fascinating.
I'm really learning a lot
about the judicial branch
of government. I've been
traveling a lot, getting to
other parts of the state
to see the court houses
and meet the people
who work at the court
houses.

Q: What kind of expectations
do you have for your new job?

A: I expect that it will
be very challenging. It
will be a very difficult
year for budget choices
in the Legislature, and
I'll just be trying to share
with the legislators what
our branch's budgetary
needs are.

Q: When you stopped
practicing law in 2001,
did you ever think
you'd go back to work?

A: I did expect at some
point I would go back
to work, and this job is
right up my alley. I'll get
to use a lot of things I
learned as a councilor,
how legislators make
decisions.

Q: What goals do
you have for the position?

A: I don't know the
department all that well.
I'm still learning, but my
goals would be to see
that people understand
the important work of
the judicial branch and
the delivery of justice.

Q: Had you planned
to stay on the council
if it weren't for the
code of ethics?

A: I would have stayed
on the council. I would
have finished this term,
but I was two years
away from a decision
about running again.

Q: What did you like
about serving?

A: The council work
was very rewarding. I
really liked the opportunity
to meet a lot of the
citizens of Cape Elizabeth
who are involved
in volunteer and civic
activities. I enjoyed all
my interactions with
other councilors. I think
the Cape Town Council
is so civil in its approach
to issues and people of
different views. It's just
such a pleasure to work
with the council, even
when we disagree.

Q: What was the
hardest part about being
on the council?

A: What happens every
year with the budget.
There are always more
demands on the tax dollars
than we can meet.

Q: Do you think
you'll ever run again?

A: I am really interested
in this job, and
I'm not looking beyond
learning how to do this
job the best I can.

Q: What do you think
are the biggest issues
facing the town of
Cape Elizabeth right
now?

A: I don't want to comment
on local government.
There are other
councilors there to do
that.

Q: What advice
would you give someone
thinking about
running for your seat?

A: I don't have any advice
to give. Everybody
has to find their own
way. I hope I was able to
do that. I hope I served
the people of Cape Elizabeth
as well as I possibly
could have.