AUBURN — Wednesday night’s Candid Candidates forum might have been the fastest show in local government, especially considering that 25 candidates from both cities got a chance to share a microphone and speak.
“I think that was the best show of collaborative effort in Lewiston-Auburn in the last two years, just passing that microphone down,” Auburn mayoral candidate Jonathan LaBonte quipped.
The event, sponsored by the Young Professionals of the Lewiston-Auburn Area and the Androscoggin County Chamber of Commerce, sought to bring together all of the candidates for city office in the Twin Cities. The event was limited to those seeking seats for the City Council or mayor.
Even so, with eight open seats in each city and 29 candidates seeking election, the evening could have been unwieldy.
Organizers kept that from happening by enforcing strict time limits — 45 seconds per candidate for opening statements and one minute per candidate to answer questions.
The end result was a briskly paced night that was long on sound bites and quick impressions.
Candidates answered questions about their views on city leadership, their long-term visions and their philosophies on education, development and the arts.
Asked about his vision for Lewiston’s downtown, mayoral candidate Stanley Pelletier said he wanted to see the downtown filled with small businesses.
“I walked downtown recently and it was disgusting,” Pelletier said. “It really does not look good. It’s dirty and it does not look like Lewiston used to look. I think I would take down some of these signs and gaudy things people have put up.”
Auburn Ward 5 candidate Leroy Walker said he wanted to remind residents that the core of Auburn’s educational system is strong, despite challenges from the Edward Little High School building.
“It’s not the school that’s going to teach you, it’s the teacher that you’re going to learn from,” Walker said. “I’d love to build a new high school tomorrow, but I believe what we need is for the teachers to step up and prove that Auburn has a good school system.”
Just as telling was a series of quick yes or no questions directed at the candidates. Asked if the Twin Cities should hire a jointly funded manager for downtown events and planning, most candidates said no. Only candidates Belinda Gerry and Jeremiah Bartlett, at-large candidates for Auburn, and Lewiston Ward 2’s Don D’Auteuil said they would support such a position.
All of the candidates said they supported the arts and most favored the statewide referendum Question 3, a proposed Lewiston casino. The casino got a thumbs down from Auburn’s Ward 4 incumbent David Young, Ward 5 candidate Evan Cyr, Lewiston Ward 5 candidate Craig Saddlemire and Ward 6 candidates Roger Roy and Stephen Miller.
Most candidates signaled their optimism in another short-answer question, saying Lewiston-Auburn’s glass is half-full, not half-empty.
Only Auburn at-large candidate Joshua Shea broke with the optimists.
“I’m running because it’s half-empty,” Shea said.
Twin Cities Candidates 2011
Auburn
Mayor
Jonathan P. LaBonte, 41 Third St.
City Council
At-large
Belinda Gerry, 143 Mill St.
J. Michael Lemay, 81 Fern St.
Jeremiah Bartlett, 107 Shepley St.
Joshua Shea, 30 Paul St.
Ronald Potvin, 82 Northern Ave.
Ward 1
John T. Spruill Jr., 10 Aron Dr.
Tizz Crowley, 35 University St.
Ward 2
Robert Hayes, 172 Allen Ave.
Ward 3
Mary LaFontaine, 113 Western Ave.
Ward 4
David C. Young, 1167 Old Danville Road
Ward 5
Evan Cyr, 245 Broad St.
Leroy G. Walker Sr., 41 Broad St.
Lewiston
Mayor
Mark Paradis, 82 Prospect Ave.
Robert Macdonald, 6 Jolin St.
Ronald Jean, 27 Cram Ave.
Stanley Pelletier, 28 Surry Lane
Walter M. Hill, 10 Loubier St.
Ward 1
John T. Butler, 20 Ware St.
Ward 2
Donald D’Auteuil, 400 Montello St.
Douglas L. Foss, 678 College St.
Ward 3
Brian Woodsome, 117 Oak St.
Nathan Libby, 12 Orange St.
Ward 4
Doreen Christ, 1 Buckley St.
Ward 5
Craig Saddlemire, 75 Maple St.
Ward 6
Mark A. Cayer, 56 Webber Ave.
Roger Roy, 72 Old Lisbon Road
Stephen Miller, 12 Lucille Ave.
Ward 7
Richard R. DesJardins, 55 Baird Ave.
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