AUGUSTA — Augusta mayoral candidates sparred about their financial qualifications, abilities to bring good-paying jobs to the city, potential conflicts of interest and campaign signs at a debate hosted by Cony High School students Wednesday.

The debate ended on a testy note, as current Ward 1 City Councilor Michael Byron, who will not be on the ballot as a mayoral candidate because he did not submit the required nomination signatures to be placed on the ballot, but did file as an official write-in candidate for mayor, leveled two accusations at one of the two official mayoral candidates on the ballot, William Dowling, a former mayor and city councilor in Augusta.

Byron suggested Dowling, as a top official for a local development company with properties in Augusta that have benefited from tax increment financing, or TIF, deals from the city, could have a potential appearance of conflict of interest serving as mayor, because the mayor serves on the city’s TIF committee and also appoints its members. Byron also questioned Dowling’s use of campaign signs and other advertising which state “Re-elect Bill Dowling Mayor” because Dowling is not currently mayor.

“Is that an attempt to mislead voters?” Byron asked of Dowling, seated next to him onstage in the auditorium at Cony. “You haven’t been mayor since 2006.”

Dowling said he used the term re-elect because he has been mayor before.

Dowling said he accomplished a lot while mayor, a role in which he spent much time before the Legislature successfully advocating for funding to build the new Cony High School and for state funds for the third bridge across the Kennebec River in Augusta, and worked to transfer city-owned land to the YMCA so the Y could build at its current location off Union Street.

Advertisement

“So, yeah, I think I have the right to say re-elect Bill Dowling,” Dowling said to Byron. “A lot more than you do, bud.”

Dowling said he would not vote, and did not vote when he was mayor before, on issues involving the development company he works for, so there is no conflict of interest.

The other on-the-ballot candidate, meanwhile, current At-Large City Councilor David Rollins, was asked by Dowling how many times he went to the Legislature during Rollins’ stint as interim mayor in 2011, when he served for a few months after Roger Katz was elected to the Maine Senate and vacated the mayor’s seat

Rollins replied he didn’t have an opportunity to go to the Legislature when he was interim mayor, but said he’s been multiple times as a city councilor, including when he testified in favor of a bill that allowed sex offenders to be banned from within 750 feet of the Capital Area Recreation Association ballfields on the city’s east side. He noted he did, while interim mayor, travel to a conference about “brownfields” projects, which are environmentally polluted sites cleaned up in hopes of redevelopment, with other city officials and secured two $200,000 federal grants used to help clean up the city-owned former Statler mill site on the Kennebec River.

“I did that in three months as interim mayor. Imagine what I can do as mayor,” Rollins said.

Rollins, 59, is an at-large city councilor elected in 2007 and is serving his third term. He is a real estate appraiser.

Advertisement

Dowling, 66, was mayor of Augusta from 1999 to 2006 and Ward 2 city councilor from 1995 to 1998. He is director of development for Dirigo Capital Advisors, a Hallowell-based firm that developed and owns some major commercial properties in Augusta.

Byron, 78, the current Ward 1 city councilor who will be term-limited out of his council seat in January, is the former town manager of Litchfield.

The debate was organized by the advanced placement government class at Cony under the direction of teacher Robert Lippert. Students asked all the questions of the candidates. About 60 people attended.

All of the candidates said they have the financial background to understand the city’s budget process and bring jobs to the city.

Dowling said he spent 26 years in state government, work which required him to testify “thousands” of times before state legislative committees, which, combined with his work as a developer, gives him the expertise to advocate for the city, a strong understanding of the city’s budget, and the connections and skills to bring good-paying jobs to Augusta.

Byron, a selectman in Manchester before he moved to Augusta, said he’s the only candidate with 25 years of experience with municipal budgeting, adding, “You’re going to need a strong financial manager to get us through the next budget, or taxes could go through the roof.”

Advertisement

Rollins said he has worked to help start a multimillion-dollar business, owns a small business and has gained plenty of expertise in municipal budgeting in his eight years on the council. He said he has worked, and will continue to work, hard to preserve and improve the quality of life in the city, which, he said, is key to bringing new people, companies and jobs to the city.

The candidate who wins in November’s election will serve the remaining year of former Mayor William Stokes’ term, starting in November. Stokes resigned in July when he was appointed a state superior court justice.

Keith Edwards — 621-5647

kedwards@centralmaine.com

Twitter: @kedwardskj


Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. Please subscribe or login first for digital access. Here’s why.

Use the form below to reset your password. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code.