By Rebecca Goldfine,Staff Writer

BETHEL – Two men are running for one selectman’s seat being vacated by Reggie Brown, who is stepping down after three terms on the board.

Francis Dumont and Bob Everett have both run for selectman before.

Everett was elected in 2000, but was defeated in his bid for re-election the following election.

In total, Everett has run five times in the past seven years, and Dumont has run four times since 1994, always unsuccessfully.

Dumont, a developer, has lived in Bethel since 1984 and has served on the Planning Board, the Board of Appeals and Budget Committee.

He said recently by phone, “I think I can really make a plus for our town by really taking a look at all the issues that are out there, and taking a look at the future of our town.”

He said he believes strongly in people’s rights to their land.

“I don’t believe anyone should be coming in from out of town or anywhere else and telling people what they should be doing with their land,” he said.

If elected, he said he would like to extend the sewer system to allow more people to hook up and thereby reduce the financial burden on all the customers.

He also said he would like to investigate the possibility of a tax cap for Bethel residents.

And he would like the Board of Selectmen to work more closely with other municipal boards.

Everett, who has also served on the school board as well as completed one three-year term on the Board of Selectmen, said he has no agenda in his bid for a seat on the board.

“I’m not going in with any agenda,” he said. “

You see if you can continue going on with keeping the town in an orderly manner. I do what I can do to help the town. I grew up here and always wanted to give something back.”

Everett owns an automotive business.

He said most voters already know him because he’s lived in Bethel all his life.

“I’ve always tried to keep spending down and make sure what we do is in best interest of the public,” Everett said.