By Scott Taylor,Staff Writer

AUBURN – A local business owner and member of a 1996 group that studied joint Lewiston-Auburn city services hopes to succeed Normand Guay as mayor later this year.

Tammie Grieshaber is the first to announce plans to run for mayor. She hopes she’s not the last.

“I’m hoping we can draw attention to the open seats and encourage more people to run,” Grieshaber said. “It’s been a pretty contentious year, and I’ve been talking to some people who are a little nervous that people will be unwilling to run. So, I announced early in hopes that people will start thinking about it.”

Guay has said he will not seek another term. He plans to retire to Florida.

Grieshaber worked on the L-A Together Commission in 1996. That group advocated combining many municipal services. It issued a report that used as a reference for the Commission on Joint Services last year.

Grieshaber currently serves on the city’s Budget Advisory Committee, a group of 12 residents reviewing the city’s budget, looking for potential savings.

“The experience has made me realize that I have much more to offer my community,” Grieshaber said in a written statement.

She said Monday that she wants the city and the schools to come up with long-range comprehensive plans for services.

“It’s time now for the people to really step forward and decide where they want their city to go,” she said.

Candidates can’t make their run for city seats official until July 7, when City Clerk Mary Lou Magno issues nominating petitions for all open seats.

Candidates for the mayor’s job each need to collect 100 signatures. Candidates for the City Council and School Committee each need to collect 25 signatures. They will have until September to collect them.

Auburn’s municipal election is scheduled for Nov. 7. Winners in this year’s election will serve one-year terms. The city is scheduling another municipal election in November 2007, to align its election schedule with Lewiston’s.