AUGUSTA — It’ll be a three-way race to represent Ward 1 on the City Council.

Two former city councilors and a current member of the Augusta Planning Board all filed papers by Tuesday’s deadline to seek the Ward 1 seat on the council now held by Michael Byron, who cannot run for the spot again in November because of the city’s term limits ordinance.

Seeking the Ward 1 spot are former councilors Mary Mayo-Wescott and Stanley Koski and Planning Board member Linda Conti. Ward 1 consists largely of the southwest part of the city.

The race will be the only contested council or school board race on the local ballot in November.

Conti, 54, is an attorney with the state attorney general’s office. She has served on the Augusta Planning Board since 2007.

“I’m running to make Augusta a better place to live, because I care about Augusta,” Conti said. “I’m smart and a fresh new candidate.”

Koski, 69, a retired electrical engineer, served two three-year terms as an at-large councilor from 2002 to 2007. For many years, Koski voluntarily maintained the city’s traffic lights and lights on city streets and ballfields.

“I’m a fiscal conservative. That’s why I did volunteer work for the city for about 31 years,” Koski said. “I kind of have an obsession with doing things I’m capable of doing well to try to save the taxpayers of Augusta some money.”

Mayo-Wescott, 73, is a television producer who served four two-year terms on the council, from 1993 to 1996 and from 1999 to 2002, and has served on the Augusta Conservation Commission and as chairwoman of the former Heart of Augusta Team.

“I’ve spent my life doing the best I could do for the people of Augusta,” she said. “I feel I have unfinished business that has to do with strategic planning. The city is not following the Comprehensive Plan right now, and I want us to get back on track.”

All other council and school board races are uncontested, according to Barbara Wardwell, city clerk.

Anna Blodgett, a former Democratic state representative, was the only candidate to file for the Ward 4 council seat held now by Mark O’Brien, who cannot run again because of term limits. O’Brien’s wife, Julie O’Brien, a former Republican state representative, took out nomination papers for Ward 4 but did not return them, leaving Blodgett as the only candidate on the ballot.

Incumbent Councilor Jeffrey Bilodeau was the only candidate to file for his at-large spot on the council.

Running uncontested for school board are Kimberly Martin, board chairwoman; Jennifer Neumeyer, at-large; and incumbent Deborah Towle, Ward 2.

Three potential candidates have taken out nomination papers to run for mayor so far, including a former mayor and a current city councilor. Mayoral candidates have until Sept. 5 to submit their nomination papers for the November election.

The winning candidate will serve out the remaining year of former Mayor William Stokes’ term. Stokes, a former deputy attorney general, resigned as mayor last month when he was appointed as a new state superior court justice.

Residents who have taken out nomination papers to run for mayor include former mayor William E. Dowling, At-Large Councilor David Rollins, and political newcomer J.J. Bloomquist.

Keith Edwards — 621-5647

kedwards@centralmaine.com

Twitter: @kedwardskj