MECHANIC FALLS – Two people are vying for one position on the Town Council and two incumbents on the School Committee are facing challenges in the municipal election on Monday.
Town Council Chairman Marchian Crane has served three terms and is prohibited from running for a fourth term by the town’s term limit ordinance.
Roxanne A. Doyer is running for the council seat. She is also running for the School Committee. Town Manager Dana Lee said that if Doyer is elected to both positions, she could only accept one.
Aaron S. White, 42, a former Budget Committee member and currently serving on the School Committee with one year remaining on his term, is seeking the council seat. If White gets elected to the council, he would have to resign from the School Committee.
He is a 22-year resident of Mechanic Falls and has owned and operated Little Guy Press Inc. in Auburn for 14 years. White is active in several business organizations.
“I’m running to do my public service to the community. I got involved with the Budget and School committees. The council is a natural progression. The world is run by those who show up and make a difference,” White said.
Two incumbents on the School Committee are facing challenges from three opponents.
School Committee Chairman Terri L. Arsenault, 31, has served one three-year term. She wants to continue the work she has been doing on the committee.
“I basically want to continue a lot of the stuff I started. Building the curriculum and getting it in line with the (state) Learning Results are priorities. To continue trying to help the school through tough budget times,” Arsenault said.
“Obviously I’m very concerned about a new superintendent,” she said, referring to the departure of longtime Superintendent Robert Wall after the current school year.
The other incumbent, Joyce E. Crane, 64, is also at the end of a first term on the committee.
She said Mechanic Falls should remain fiscally responsible. “I think we ought to continue with the same path we are on,” Crane said.
She praised the faculty at Elm Street School. “We have great teachers in the school. We should keep them,” she said.
“I think we’ve come a long way in the past three years. There are challenges ahead,” Crane said, with the superintendent leaving and with state revenue declining.
Veronica Lowe, 50, a life-long resident of Mechanic Falls, is seeking public office for the first time.
“I’d like to keep the cost of education down without compromising the quality of education and I’d like to cut waste in some areas. I’d also like to maintain a zero increase in the education budget in an effort to keep property taxes down,” Lowe said. She did not specify where she would make cuts.
Lowe expressed concern about two elementary teaching positions cut from the budget. “Those are very important years for the kids and I think there are other areas they can cut and still keep those people.”
Doyer and School Committee candidate Dustin G. Worth could not be reached for comment.
Two candidates are running unopposed for the Sanitary District Board of Trustees. They are Wayne M. Marquis and Randall Plummer.
All elected municipal offices are three-year terms.
Polls will be open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday at the fire station.
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