AUBURN – Mayor Norm Guay said he is disappointed that no one will challenge him for the mayor’s chair again this year. Guay was the only person to take out and submit petition signatures for the mayor’s job by Monday’s deadline. Guay is one of the 21 people seeking 33 open municipal seats in this November’s municipal election.

“In a way, I’m relieved that I don’t have to go through the process again,” Guay said Monday night. “But I am disappointed in a way that nobody else was interested.”

Guay said he hopes the controversy that came with this current term didn’t discourage potential candidates. The last two years have seen contentious negotiations with Auburn police, Guay himself arrested for operating under the unfluence and later cleared of all charges, and the subsequent investigation of the department.

“I hope the events of the last two years didn’t do that, but you never know,” he said.

Ward 5 Councilor Belinda Gerry echoed Guay’s sentiment. Two people were circulating petitions, but neither turned them in before Monday’s deadline.

“It’s bittersweet,” Gerry said. “I support the people’s right to choose, and the two guys who had petitions were good guys. But I am relieved, at the same time.”

All returning Auburn School Committee members will be unchallenged for their seats. There are no candidates for Ward 4, the seat being vacated by Karen Bilodeau. City Clerk Mary Lou Magno said the city will look for write-in candidates for that job.

Karen Bilodeau husband, Ward 4 Councilor Marcel Bilodeau, said he decided to seek another term after all. Bilodeau said last month he was disappointed with the city and was considering not running. Phone calls changed his mind, he said.

“I had a lot of people tell me that if you’re fed up, the best way to change things is to stay involved,” Bilodeau said.

He’ll face challenger Donna Lyons Rowell.

All the other council seats are being challenged as well. In Ward 1, incumbent Bethel Shields faces Gary Baillargeon. Ward 3 incumbent Joe DeFilipp faces Eric Samson and incumbents Bob Mennealy and Kelly Matzen will face challenger David C. Pierson for two at-large seats.

Two newcomers – Jodd Bowles, who ran for a seat two years ago, and Robert P. Hayes – will face off in Ward 2. Councilor Richard Livingston said Monday he planned to issue a statement shortly explaining why he did not seek another term.

Competition will be fierce for the six elected seats on the city’s Charter Commission. Magno said 18 people took out applications for those seats and 14 turned them in.

The municipal election is scheduled for Nov. 2.