LISBON – There will be contests to fill an at-large Town Council seat and a School Committee seat in Tuesday’s election.

In the contested races, incumbent Councilor E. Charles Smith is being challenged by Roger Cote; and incumbent School Committee member Prudence Grant is being challenged by former School Committee member Herbert “Pete” Reed. Both seats are for three years.

Incumbent Water Commissioner James Gurney Jr. is unopposed for re-election.

Three Budget Advisory Board openings – one three-year, at-large seat and two two-year seats, one each in District I and District II – will be filled by write-in votes.

Voters will also be asked to approve 11 amendments to the town charter. They include: making the process of filling council vacancies consistent; changing the date to submit budgets to the council from March 1 to the third Tuesday in March, and to require completion, review and passage of the town budget by the last Tuesday in June; requiring all supplemental appropriations be approved as town ordinances; and clarifying the Planning Board’s role in reviewing the town’s capital plan.

Also, requiring that town officials and employees may only engage in commercial transactions with the town under a competitive bidding process; clarify the separation of legislative and administrative powers under the town council/town manager form of government; and setting appropriate procedures for tax-anticipation borrowing.

All amendments have been aired at public hearings and copies of them are available at the town office.

For Town Council
E. Charles Smith

Lisbon native

Age: 53

Address: 18 Free St.

Occupation: BNAS, powered equipment support mechanic in maintenance, since 1987.

Education: Lisbon High School graduate, two-year associate degree in business, U of M and two-year associate degree in automotive technology, CMTC.

Political experience: completing his first three-year term on Town Council; selectman for three years, two as chairman; Advisory Board seven years, two as chairman.

Organizations: Longtime member of the Litchfield Farmer’s Club, which runs Litchfield Fair; Lisbon Lobster Club.

Family status: married, two grown children.

Reasons for seeking office: “We are in troubled times and I would like to continue in office . . . it’s going to be a real challenge to go forward and maintain what we have. I’ve always tried to be fair, and get the best dollar value possible for the town and will continue to do so.” He disagrees with his opponent on the size of the fire and police departments, noting that Lisbon is the 25th largest community in Maine.

Goals: Strong supporter of more economic development, “growing business adds to the town’s tax base . . . it’s going to be very challenging, very tough . . . we’ve got to sell ourselves in these trying times, but I know we can do it.”

Roger Cote

Lisbon native

Age: 52

Address: 189 Ridge Road

Occupation: Bath Iron Works, 23 years

Education: Lisbon High School graduate

Political experience: Advisory Board, four years; Board of Appeals, seven years.

Organizations: IAM, Local 6; one of the founders of the Lisbon Concerned Citizens.

Family status: married, four grown children.

Reasons for seeking office: “I’m not pleased with the way the council is voting on issues . . . it’s always the same, 4-3 and I’d like to change that,” but does not advocate going back to a town meeting form of government.

Goals: “To return the government to the people . . . it’s time to look at the town office and the large sums of money being spent on the police and fire departments, we have virtually no crime and a very expensive police department . . . and the fire department is much bigger than needed . . . while we neglect the needs and wants of our people . . . costs need to be brought down.”

School Committee
Prudence Grant

Age: 66

Address: 23 Free St.

Occupation: Retired English teacher, 37 years, all in Lisbon.

Education: BA in English from Bates College, master’ degree in English, UMO.

Political experience: Three terms on the School Committee.

Organizations: President of the Lisbon Education Association several years.

Family status: Single

Reason for seeking office: “To finish the work on Lisbon’s doughnut hole stand-alone” status approved by the state, which she says will not be easy. When Durham leaves Union 30, school unions will no longer be allowed under the school consolidation law . . . “So we’re going to have to figure out how to reduce our school budget by 30 percent” the portion now paid by Durham, which is in the process of consolidating with Freeport and Pownal. Lisbon now pays 70 percent of the superintendent’s salary, so the committee will be looking at changing that job description, Grant says.

Goals: Work on plans to renovate the high school. “We know we’re not going to get funding for a new school, there’s not a lot of revolving loan funds, so local bond funds may be sought to rehabilitate the school . . . we need a new gym, classrooms, windows and probably a new boiler . . . these are not just pipe dreams,” they are improvements needed for NEAS accreditation, the candidate says.

Herbert “Pete” Reed

Age: 71

Address: 385 Ridge Road

Occupation: Retired

Education: Sabattus High School graduate, six years USMC, six years 133rd Maine National Guard.

Political/municipal experience: Advisory Board 13 years, Androscoggin County Budget Committee seven years, School Committee three and one-half years; Lisbon police officer six years.

Organizations: Active charter/life member and trustee of Lisbon VFW Post. Active in scouting programs and was scoutmaster when sons were young.

Family status: Widowed, two grown sons.

Reasons for seeking office: He wants to resume work after not seeking re-election last year due to a back operation. He will keep “a tight watch on the budget,” pointing to his strong background in municipal finance and the budget committee.

Goals: He says the school department will have to tighten its budget because there will “be less money coming from the state, and personally, I can’t see pushing it onto local taxpayers. There’s hard times ahead.”