WEST PARIS – Jim Johnston, owner of Johnston’s Hardware Etc. on Main Street, has decided to run for one of two vacated selectmen’s seats.

Local businessman Terry Campbell had announced last week that he would run for a seat when a special election is held this Thursday, but later said that he is withdrawing from the race

Johnston is a retired educator who has served in town government in West Paris over the past few years. He has been a member of the town Budget Committee for the past three years. He also chaired a study committee that ran a successful campaign in March to change to a town manager form of government in West Paris. The change will become effective in March 2004 after a search committee interviews and recommends a candidate.

Johnston has already been appointed to that committee and said he hopes to represent selectmen if elected at Thursday’s special election.

Johnston will be running for a term vacated by former Selectman Mary Waterhouse-Spear, whose term expires in March 2004.

Also running is former selectman Wade Rainey, who will be seeking election to a seat vacated by Toby Whitman, which runs until March 2005.

Rainey served as selectman for nine years, from 1991 to 2000. He said he feels he can once again help the town during the current crisis regarding problems with the 2002 audit.

He also said he feels the board needs an experienced selectman who can help stabilize the town’s government following three years of turmoil caused by an inexperienced board and can address complaints concerning the board’s actions registered by a small group of citizens who visit the selectmen’s meetings each week.

“I feel I can help the town by being willing to take over correspondence with our auditors and attorneys,” said Rainey, “and make it possible for the office staff to return to handling the duties they are supposed to be handling. That is the responsibility of the selectmen. The office staff has a hard enough job during their daily tasks without having to do things that the selectmen are supposed to be doing.”

Following the special election, voters will be asked if they are willing to appropriate $7,000 from miscellaneous overlay to cover an anticipated increase in administrative costs for the coming year.

They also will be asked what sum of money they will allow to be spent from the overlay for increases in the 2003 audit, and if they are willing to accept a $1,000 grant from Wal-Mart to be used by the Fire Department for training.

The special election and town meeting will convene at 6:30 p.m. Thursday in the gymnasium at the Agnes Gray School on Main Street.