LISBON — Voters will elect a Town Council member, a School Committee member and a water commissioner next week.
They will also vote on a $1.65 million appropriation for schools that, officials say, will not affect tax rates, and a $6.54 million bond for wastewater improvements.
Fern Larochelle and Dustin Wood are seeking the council seat.
Larochelle, manager of Fern’s Body Shop and chairman of the Lisbon Development Committee, served on the council from 2007 to 2013.
“One of my goals, if elected, is to help the town with future planning,” Larochelle wrote in an email. “Lisbon has over the last couple of years shown that we are an area that is prime location for new homes and businesses. It will be important that we build on the reasons why people want to move here.”
Larochelle or Wood will replace Dale Crafts for a three-year term.
Roger Bickford and Arthur McLean are running for water commissioner.
Bickford, the previous council chairman and liaison to the Water Department, would like to see a new standpipe in Lisbon and a waterline connected to Lewiston.
“I like working for the town,” Bickford said during a candidates forum last month. “I’d like to serve the town again. I think I can do a good job.”
McLean, superintendent of Bowdoinham Water District, promises to bring his 40 years of skills and knowledge to Lisbon.
“I’m hoping that I can bring my experience from my other district here,” McLean said during the forum.
Richard Nadeau, Kimberly Labbe-Poisson and Ross Cunningham are running for the School Committee.
Labbe-Poisson is a licensed and nationally certified school psychologist.
“I have so many years of experience in education,” Labbe-Poisson said during the forum. “I am in and out of schools all the time. I see the ins and outs of how schools operate, where there are needs, where there are strengths and I feel I could certainly support the committee with having that knowledge.”
Cunningham is a retired naval officer, founding member of Positive Change Lisbon and owner of Watson Hill Consulting. He was elected by the School Committee on Oct. 10 to fill the seat of Gina Mason, who passed away unexpectedly on Sept. 5.
Cunningham will serve until the election when voters can decide to either keep him or elect Nadeau or Labbe-Possion.
“I’d like support for the School Committee because I believe that with the right approach we can produce enthusiastic and well-rounded graduates from the Lisbon school system,” Cunningham said during the forum.
Nadeau, a retired quality control manager, served on the School Committee in 1987 and on and off for 10 years.
Nadeau wants to better prepare students for jobs after school and address the dropout problem.
“We need support groups inside the school and inside the community,” Nadeau said. “Probably retired teachers that could help out to try to keep these kids in the school.”
The two money articles on the warrant include upgrades to the schools and the wastewater treatment facility.
The first article asks voters to appropriate $1.65 million and enter into a lease-purchase agreement for energy efficiency capital improvements to the high school, middle school, elementary school and central office.
Projects include replacing classroom ventilators, installing LED lighting, fixing ceilings and exhaust fans and improving high-efficiency air conditioners.
Funding sources include energy savings, anticipated revenue from the Gartley Street School, capital reserve money, contracted and professional services and debt service interest.
During the public hearing in September, Superintendent Richard Green assured voters that this project would come at no expense to local taxpayers.
The second article asks voters to accept a $6.54 million loan to cover wastewater capital improvements. The loan is for 29 years at 2.65 percent interest.
Proposed improvements would be done on Main Street, and repairing leaking and failing sewers along Park, Ferry, Nason, Andrea, Madelyn, Webster and St. Ann streets, and Upland Road.
The project also includes improvements to the Davis Street pump station and the treatment plant’s chlorine contact tank, amounting to $2.2 million.
If approved, funding includes the USDA Rural Development loan. The town was also awarded a $2.45 million USDA Rural Development grant for the upgrades.
Construction would begin in 2018 and end in 2020.
“If (the action) fails, the Maine Department of Environmental Protection may still require the town to move forward with the projects, with or without the funding sources available, because they regulate wastewater systems,” said Mandy Olver from Olver Associates during the public hearing in September.
Town members can vote at the Lisbon High School gym from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Nov. 7.
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