FAIRFIELD — Seven candidates are vying for two open seats on the Fairfield Town Council in Nov. 4’s election.

In the first race for a three-year term, incumbent Councilor Robert Sezak will be challenged for a three-year term by former Town Councilor Ernest Canelli III and Mark S. Cooper.

In the second race for a council seat, incumbent Harold J. Murray is challenged for a two-year term by former Town Clerk and former Councilwoman Tracey L. Stevens, Terry W. Michaud and Stephanie Thibodeau.

TOWN COUNCIL THREE-YEAR TERM

• Sezak, 62, has been on the town council since 2011 and is the current chairman. He previously served as a selectman in the town of Troy in the 1980s and more recently on the Kennebec Water District Board of Trustees, the Fairfield Budget Committee and Planning Board.

He said he is running “to continue Fairfield’s development as a premier community, to improve efficiencies occurring in our local government, and to strengthen partnerships with other government entities.”

He said important issues facing the town in the coming year include taxes, attracting new business, downtown revitalization and infrastructure improvements, and said all are being successfully addressed through the recommendation of flat or reduced budgets.

Sezak points to work with the Maine Department of Transportation and Pam Am Railways to rebuild railroad crossings and replace track at no cost to Fairfield as recent successes of town government on his watch. He said the town has implemented energy efficiency projects in town buildings and partnered with developers to bring a Family Dollar store to Fairfield and redevelop the Gerald Hotel on Main Street. He also cited the relocated Fairfield Food Pantry and removal of blighted buildings.

He said the fact an Indian restaurant recently came to Main Street shows that the redevelopment is working.

Fairfield is also completing its comprehensive plan and he hopes voters will agree to establish a charter commission.

“Yet, the work is not done,” he said. “Challenges with state revenue sharing continue to impact the town’s budget and the town’s tax rate. We need to find broader forms of income rather than rely on the property tax.”

• Canelli, 64, is a past member of the Town Council, and served as vice chairman.

He said he’s running for office for “several important reasons” and is disappointed in the current council’s relationship with, and practice of taking direction from, Town Manager Josh Reny.

Canelli said he also disapproved of the new contract for the Fire Department without public discussion.

He said the most important issue facing the town is “sustainability of services by prudent and efficient uses of funds.”

“The uncertainty of revenue hits hardest with those people on fixed incomes whether retired, disabled or out of work. So prudent use of funds is paramount,” he said.

Other issues important to Canelli include his disapproval of bringing in an outside person to oversee the police department at a cost of $50,000.00 when, he said, capable, ranking officers were available within the department at little or no cost.

• Cooper, 49, served in the U.S. Marine Corps and is the deputy warden of elections for the town. Cooper also is a former election clerk, Budget Committee member and a member of the board of School Administrative District 49.

“My wife and I have enjoyed living in Fairfield for almost 20 years and raising our four children here,” Cooper said. “Our last child is a sophomore at Lawrence High School.”

He said he’s running because he wants to give back to the town and “I want to see the town continue to grow and prosper.”

Cooper said he believes Fairfield needs to attract new business, keep property taxes stable and focus on the downtown revitalization project that is underway.

But the most important issue, he said, is to keep the town’s young people here, rather than seeing them move away after graduation.

“There are not many reasons for them to stay,” he said. “I believe that new businesses, reasonable property taxes, excellent services, and a friendly walkable downtown will increase the retention percentage of our young people and increase the number of younger families in our town.”

TOWN COUNCIL TWO-YEAR TERM

• Murray, 56, the incumbent, said he has been on the council for four years.

“I want to get back to my community and do my best for looking out for the taxpayers of Fairfield,” Murray said.

He said maintaining the current level of services and keeping the tax base stable has been able to support new businesses in Fairfield, including Family Dollar, a new restaurant downtown and the restoration of the Gerald Hotel for elderly housing.

“I was a major supporter of converting (the Gerald Hotel) over and also for affordable housing for the elderly,” Murray said. “While (I was) on the council Fairfield was voted the best place to do business in the state of Maine. I will continue to do all I can to not allow taxes to go up on the town side of the budget like I have for the last four years.”

• Michaud, 59, an alternate on the Planning Board, grew up in Fairfield, and attended Fairfield schools while participating in PAL programs and playing three varsity sports as a student at Lawrence High School.

“I feel it’s important to give back to the community that gave me so much,” he said. “I am retired after a 31-year career in public service as a probation officer and athletic administrator. This gives me time and energy needed to represent all citizens, making sure their concerns are heard and respected in their town government.”

Michaud said he believes that Fairfield faces increased demands on its infrastructure and public services with limited revenue stream.

“We will need a council that is inclusive, representative and comprised of leaders who are creative problem solvers,” he said. “I know I have the skills needed to get the job done and welcome the opportunity to serve my community.”

• Thibodeau, 58, has spent the past four years as a member of the Economic and Community Development Advisory Committee. As part of this committee she took the leadership role in the annual Fairfield Days event. She also has served on the Fairfield Comprehensive Planning Committee.

“This year I was awarded the Spirit of America Award for outstanding community service,” she said. “I say ‘Let’s come together to build Fairfield’s future.’ I will bring organizational abilities, common sense, and sincerity to the citizens of our town. I believe as a councilor, I should be a visible entity promoting our town’s past, current and future interests.”

Thibodeau said Fairfield needs to have an identity.

“Our identity as a mill town went away when the last mill along the Kennebec burned in the 1960s,” she said. “Since then we have seen our town change to the point where our downtown has been classified as a blight district. I want to be a part of creating Fairfield’s future. We are a family-oriented community, so being able to promote this aspect into new businesses, a more vibrant downtown, and town-centered activities is important to me.”

Thibodeau said there are four important issues facing the town — new businesses, downtown improvements, community involvement and voluntarism.

“The volunteering of time and talent sets a positive example to our young people in terms of citizenship, but it also shows ownership for our town’s livelihood,” she said. “We need to come together and work on establishing our town’s identity. The sign at the Main St. and Lawrence Avenue intersection says we are the ‘crossroads,’ so let’s make it known where we are going.”

• Stevens, 43, has worn many municipal hats over the years, including town clerk in Fairfield and Freeport; chairwoman of the Fairfield Town Council; leadership in the Maine Town and City Clerks Association; Somerset County Municipal Clerks Association president; New England Municipal Clerks Institute and Academy Board of Directors; Maine Town Clerk of the Year, 2014.

“I’m not running for Town Council because I have an agenda,” Stevens said. “I am running to help the community, because I genuinely care about the people who live and work here. Some of my happiest times have come from helping others and giving back to the community.”

Stevens said high taxes remain at the forefront of municipal concern.

“The town manager and Town Council have worked very hard the past several years to keep the municipal side of the tax rate flat or reduced and have been successful,” she said. “However, in order to lower the tax rate, municipal leaders must work on strengthening our relationship with school and state leaders, make our community more attractive to potential businesses to grow the tax base, and really dig in and spend the time needed on legislative advocacy.”

Stevens said the state Legislature has made it difficult on property tax payers by cutting the amount towns are legally supposed to receive in revenue sharing money. She said municipal officials need to work with the school board to press the Legislature to restore education funding back to the 55 percent level schools are supposed to receive.

“If these two funding levels were restored and spending is kept at a flat rate, the tax rate would go down and residents would be able to enjoy the same level of services we currently provide at a lower cost,” Stevens said. “I’m here for the people and will pour my heart and soul into doing what is best for the community as a whole.”

This is a corrected version.

Doug Harlow — 612-2367

dharlow@centralmaine.com

Twitter: @Doug_Harlow

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