LEWISTON — A longtime city councilor has decided to throw his hat into the potentially crowded ring in the run to be the next mayor.

Ward 4 Councilor Ron Jean said Tuesday he thinks he can do the job well. He’s currently passing nominating petitions to get his name on the ballot for mayor in November’s municipal election.

“I hate to use the word changes, but something has to happen to this city — something positive,” Jean said. “I think the image has to be changed. I know we’ve done a pretty good job of changing the face but more has to be done.”

Four other people had taken out petitions to run for the job. Those potential candidates are Stanley Pelletier, of 28 Surry Lane, Robert Macdonald, of 6 Jolin St., Walter M. Hill, of 10 Loubier Ave., and former City Councilor Mark Paradis, who announced his plans to run for mayor in May.

So far, only Hill has returned his papers and guaranteed himself a spot on the ballot.

Sitting Mayor Larry Gilbert has served two full terms, the limit according to the City Charter. He can’t seek another term this year.

Only incumbent Ward 1 City Councilor John Butler has returned his nomination papers guaranteeing himself a spot on the ballot. Butler said he collected his signatures over three days.

“The people I talked to were very positive,” he said. “They were concerned about taxes, but most said they liked the direction the city was headed in.”

Most of the rest of the sitting councilors have either decided to bow out this year or haven’t made up their minds yet.

Ward 2 Councilor Renee Bernier said she’ll step down when her term ends in January, and so has Ward 5 Councilor Tina O’Connell.

Ward 3 Councilor Larry Poulin and Ward 7 Councilor Steve Morgan both said they haven’t decided. Ward 6 Councilor Mark Cayer said he’s taken out nomination petitions but hasn’t decided if he’ll turn them in.

The field for councilors is wide open. As of 2 p.m. Tuesday, the only other potential candidate passing nominating petitions was Craig Saddlemire, of 75 Maple St. Saddlemire could run for the Ward 5 seat, replacing O’Connell.

Lewiston candidates hoping to guarantee a spot on the Nov. 8 municipal ballot must file their nominating petitions and signatures by Sept. 9. The terms for the newly elected begin in January 2012. 

All 16 elected Lewiston seats will be on the November ballot. That includes the mayor, councilors for all seven wards, School Committee members for all seven wards and the at-large School Committee member.

Candidates for Lewiston mayor need to gather between 100 and 200 signatures from registered Lewiston voters. 

Candidates for Lewiston City Council or School Committee members must gather at least 50 signatures. For all city councilors or School Committee members from a particular ward, signatures must come from registered voters from their ward. At-large School Committee candidates can gather signatures from any Lewiston registered voters.

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