AUBURN — The Twin Cities might be a wonderful place to do business, but you’d never know that by watching Auburn politics, according to magazine publisher Joshua Shea.

“I really feel that there is a momentum; I really feel that there is an energy moving forward in both Lewiston and Auburn,” said Shea, of 30 Paul St. “But that energy and momentum stop the moment you enter council chambers here in Auburn. And that’s not what we want.”

Shea was one of a group of four who officially threw their hats in the ring, announcing their campaigns seeking City Council seats Wednesday afternoon.

Shea, publisher of Lewiston-Auburn Magazine, is seeking one of the two at-large seats on the City Council.

He was joined Wednesday by local traffic engineer Jeremiah Bartlett of 107 Shepley St., who is also seeking one of the at-large council positions. Edward Little High School science teacher Evan Cyr of 245 Broad St. announced his plans to seek the Ward 5 seat, currently held by Ray Berube. And Mary LaFontaine, 113 Western Ave., will seek the Ward 3 council seat held by Dan Herrick.

“There is a concern that we as a city may not be going in any specific direction right now,” Bartlett said. “I would like to see things go on a real track toward progress. I’d like to see more communication go on, within the city and with Lewiston. And I’d like to see us focus on things that are important to us: education, and the downtown.”

The group is not running as a ticket, Shea said. They are simply acquaintances who feel that they would work well together.

“We’d be just as happy if we could have five people running for each seat,” Shea said. “That would show the right level of interest, I think.”

All four said they were displeased with the current City Council and the tone of politics.

“For two years, I have had some discontent with conversations they’ve had and the displays I’ve seen on the City Council meetings,” Shea said. “I finally said that I can’t keep complaining without doing something about it. Hopefully, if I win, I can have a positive impact on how we manage our city.”

Candidate Cyr said there is still some question about his campaign, since he is an Auburn schoolteacher. City rules say employees cannot serve as elected officials. The City Clerk’s Office has asked Cyr to submit a legal argument saying why he should qualify.

“Technically, I’m not an employee of the city,” Cyr said. “I’m a teacher, and that’s a school employee. The city has no say over any part of my employment.”

Cyr’s potential opponent, Leroy Walker of 41 Broad St., who is passing petitions seeking the Ward 5 council seat, attended the announcement as well, even though he was not one of the members of the group. They included him, anyway, and Walker said that kind of openness is what the city needs right now.

“We need to work together,” Walker said. “It’s not really a matter of who’s running and who wins. If we work together and stay together, we can do a good job.”

So far, no candidate has returned a nomination petition needed to get a spot on the Nov. 8 ballot.

Former City Councilor Ron Potvin of 82 Northern Ave. is passing nomination papers for one of the two available at-large seats, currently held by Belinda Gerry and Eric Samson.

Incumbents Robert Hayes, of 172 Allen Ave. in Ward 2, and David Young, of 1167 Old Danville Road in Ward 4, also are passing petitions seeking re-election.

Incumbent At-large Councilor Belinda Gerry is passing two petitions, one seeking re-election to her at-large seat and a second seeking the mayor’s chair.

Auburn candidates have until Aug. 25 to collect signatures for their nominating petitions. 

Candidates for mayor must collect at least 100 signatures from registered voters living anywhere in Auburn. Candidates for City Council or School Committee must collect 25 signatures — from anywhere in the city for at-large candidates or from within individual wards for ward candidates.

According to the City Charter, terms for Auburn’s elected officials begin 45 days after the election, which would be Dec. 23, 2011.

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