LISBON — Three finalists, including one former member of the Town Council, will be interviewed during Tuesday’s special session before the board selects one to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of Jeremy Barnard.

Christopher Hodgkins, Jeffrey Ganong and William Kuhl were chosen by councilors from a field of eight applicants, which included four previous council members.

The person selected by the board will only serve until the November election later this year.

Hodgkins is the director of eight outpatient care centers for Central Maine Healthcare. He is also the chairman of the board of directors for Maine Family Federal Credit Union. He holds a master’s degree in business administration.

He says he would offer a “calm and collaborative approach to the council, in support of pushing forward the business, goals and objectives the Town Council is faced with. I want to be actively involved in my community and help progress the exceptional developments and work already occurring in Lisbon.”

Ganong served on the Town Council in 2020-21, but had to resign when he took a second shift position at Bath Iron Works. A senior program analyst, Ganong has worked at BIW for 22 years. He has a degree in political science.

He says he “likes solving problems and planning for the long term. I have facilitated and led many process improvement projects and enjoy working in a collaborative environment.”

Kuhl works at Maine State Housing as a multi-family asset manager. He says he has 25 years of experience working in government at the local, state and federal level, including seven years on the Lisbon Planning Board.

He feels his experience gives him “a unique perspective on Lisbon’s strengths and weaknesses. Currently, I see the town divided and passions are running high, and I think I can help in moving forward with what needs to be done.”

Whichever candidate is chosen would then have to run for election in November to fill the final two years of Barnard’s term.

The other five candidates who applied for the opening were Clyde Cavender, Garret Getch, Eric Metivier, Dale Crafts and Roger Bickford. Metivier, Crafts and Bickford formerly served on the council.

Barnard resigned less than a year into his three-year term when residents filed a recall affidavit on June 18. Instead of filing an appeal, Barnard resigned five days later.

While residents wanted deep cuts to the municipal budget, townspeople were unhappy with Barnard, who had urged the town to lessen the cuts made to the town budget. Barnard feared they would severely affect town services.