Bio:

Name: William “Bill” Demaray

Address: 36 Sewall St., Livermore Falls

Age: 62

Occupation: Service manager at Bailey Brothers Ford

Bio:

Name: Ronald “Ron” Chadwick

Address: 19 Royal Drive, Livermore Falls

Age: 65

Occupation: Retired after 30 years at Forster Manufacturing.

LIVERMORE FALLS — Two longtime residents of Livermore Falls are vying for one three-year seat on the Board of Selectmen in next week’s elections.

Polls will be open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday, June 10, at the Town Office.

William “Bill” Demaray is being challenged by Ronald “Ron” Chadwick.

Demaray has served as a selectman for more than 20 years and is currently chairman.

Chadwick has served for many years on several town boards and is currently a member of the Livermore Falls Gazebo Committee.

The candidates responded to a Sun Journal questionnaire that asked the same questions of each person.

Both candidates believe a recently approved tax-increment financing district could help draw businesses to the town. The town will be able to shelter 90 percent of the new value of Central Maine Power’s $14 million substation upgrade and capture an estimated $8.59 million in new taxes over 30 years.

“I think we should offer loans and grants to businesses that want to locate in our town and also use the money to upgrade the sewer and roads to accept the new businesses,” Demaray said.

The town is in the first year of the TIF, and there is no plan in place to use it to develop businesses and diversify the town’s tax base, Chadwick said.

A proposed TIF budget has not gone before voters, but some of the money is proposed to offset the town manager’s and treasurer’s time that they will spend on the TIF program and help pay the town’s share of building a new sidewalk.

“In my opinion, we need to first determine what it will take to bring businesses here and determine what is required to bring development to our town,” Chadwick said. “The TIF will aid us financially with this, but we will have to look outside for additional human resources, which we currently don’t have. Business development should be a high priority with TIF dollars. Development done correctly will give Livermore Falls additional revenues and allow us to bring our tax rate down. If we don’t, we will be faced with tougher decisions in the future on taxes and spending.”

The two candidates also agree that a natural gas pipeline would be good for the town. There is a possibility that one could be installed in the future, and it is a category included in the TIF district application approved by the state.

Regarding the pipeline being a benefit to the town, Demaray said, “With the TIF plan, it will make the town more attractive to businesses and should generate revenue.” 

“It would give citizens more energy options and be an enticement for potential businesses coming to town,” Chadwick said. “This could be another tool in our toolbox. The only caution I have is that we have thought we had solutions in the past, but we are still faced with empty storefronts, empty housing, declining revenues and high taxes.”

They will have to look at a number of issues and solutions and be careful not to believe that a pipeline extension is the answer to all of the town’s problems, Chadwick said.

If elected, both candidates believe their experience in town government would benefit the board.

“I know my years of experience and knowledge I’d gained for being a selectman and the way I look at the issues and listen to the concerns of the town’s citizens, it is a benefit to the town and position of selectman,” Demaray said.

Chadwick said his experience on various committees, including the Planning Board, the Budget Committee and the Comprehensive Plan Committee, will help the board.

“I regularly attend Board of Selectmen meetings and have been fully engaged in town affairs,” he said.

dperry@sunjournal.com

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