Most of the six Gardiner City Council candidates say the most important issues facing the city are related to the budget and future growth, but they have different ideas about how to move the city forward.

Two current councilors, Scott Williams and Robert Logan Johnston, are running against Jonathan Ault, Maureen Blanchard, Steve Hunnewell and Richard Rambo for three open at-large seats.

The election will be held Nov. 4.

ROBERT LOGAN JOHNSTON

Johnston, 62, a farmer on Oaklands Farm Road, has the most city and community experience and has served on the council for the last eight years.

Johnston said his biggest goal is to expand the city’s tax base. To do this, Johnson said he would continue to lend his support and ideas to existing economic development programs. That means having a strong presence in the downtown, while trying to sell properties at the city’s Libby Hill Business Park, he said.

“I’ve been involved in efforts in this city to broaden its tax base and help bring about a transition from a former mill town to a more culturally diverse, attractive place to live and work for almost 30 years now,” Johnston said. “I’ve served the residents of Gardiner and the surrounding communities in a vast, a whole variety of volunteer efforts, and I bring all that experience and wisdom.”

Johnston said councilors have worked diligently with City Manager Scott Morelli and department heads over the last four to five years to put forward responsible budgets that provide the most services at the best prices. He doesn’t think it’s fair to compare the city’s tax rate to others in the region because Gardiner provides much more for services.

He supports continuing to fund the three major nonprofit organizations the city gives more than $100,000 to per year — Johnson Hall Performing Arts Center, Gardiner Main Street and the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Gardiner. Johnston said both Johnson Hall and Gardiner Main Street are funded by the city tax-increment financing district for downtown development, and he can’t think of a better economic tool than bringing people downtown with community and cultural events. If they weren’t funded by the downtown fund, he said he would likely still support them but not at the current levels.

SCOTT WILLIAMS

Williams, 22, of High Holborn Street, has been a councilor since being elected in 2010 as a senior at Gardiner Area High School. He now is a substitute teacher at the middle and high schools in Gardiner and volunteers at the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Gardiner.

Williams said he thinks the councilors have been doing a pretty good job crafting responsible budgets, but he thinks they could do better. He didn’t have any specific ideas for cuts, but he said the councilors should take a look at all city departments. Williams said the goal is to keep taxes as low as possible.

A priority for the city is to stop losing residents and increase its population, he said.

“That needs to change very soon because I think if we draw more business and people to Gardiner, then all other problems will be fixed in the long run. That will reduce our taxes, and it will draw more people into town,” Williams said.

He said the city should look at ways to make it more friendly to businesses by looking to see if any ordinances are outdated, but Williams didn’t have any specific ordinances that he thinks should be changed.

Williams said he supports all the nonprofit organizations the city gives money to because he thinks they’re all worthy causes.

JONATHAN AULT

Ault, 29, is the field manager for an organic farm in Winthrop and previously worked as a mortgage banker and for a suicide hotline. Ault, of Brunswick Avenue, said the most important issue facing the city is increasing revenue, and he thinks that will only happen through economic development.

He said the city government should be a facilitator for economic development by creating sound strategies and assisting entrepreneurs and residents located in Gardiner. Ault thinks the city should help connect businesses and residents to historical preservation and energy efficiency tax credits.

He said he would support easing some ordinances to allow more home businesses to operate in residential districts and to allow different living configurations.

Ault, who helps coordinate the Gardiner Farmers’ Market and is on the board of directors for the Gardiner Food Co-op & Cafe, said he’s in favor of continuing to support the nonprofit organizations because they benefit the community.

The city has higher taxes for a number of reasons, Ault said, including a shrinking population, changing demographics, losses in revenue sharing from the state, and recent economic struggles of the state and country. The key to improving the community is to encourage economic development and bring more businesses to Gardiner, he said.

“Just saying taxes are high isn’t a statement on policy. It’s not a constructive way to go about developing community,” Ault said.

MAUREEN BLANCHARD

Blanchard, 52, of Dresden Avenue, works part time at the Orvis Outlet in Freeport and used to work in the Office of the Maine Attorney General fielding consumer complaints.

She said the No. 1 issue facing the city is its declining population, which she said is a result of property taxes and a lack of jobs.

Blanchard thinks the city should continue promoting the Brunswick Avenue area for development because it’s near the interstate interchanges. She said councilors should be more hands-on when potential businesses are interested in locating in Gardiner.

“I would be the first person to call that business to offer to help them through the process,” Blanchard said.

If elected, Blanchard said she would do her best to prevent taxes or any fee increases for residents. She said she would question every single budget item because “everything’s on the table.” Blanchard said councilors should consider seniors with fixed incomes who can’t sell their homes.

“Every time you increase, you’re affecting someone. And that’s how I look at it,” she said.

Blanchard was a vocal critic of funding to Johnson Hall, Gardiner Main Street and the Boys & Girls Club during the budget process earlier this year. She has said she’s against the city giving to nonprofit organizations.

“Why does a senior that’s trying to pay for their meds also pay for the Boys & Girls Club?” Blanchard said. “My question is why should that senior subsidize child care?”

Blanchard said people should vote for her because she’s frugal, she doesn’t like spending money and she’ll ask difficult questions.

STEVE HUNNEWELL

Hunnewell, 53, of Marston Road, wasn’t available for a phone interview. Hunnewell, the only candidate to not attend the candidates forum earlier this month, served as a representative to the school board between 2005 and 2010, including stints as chairman and vice chairman of the board.

He said in an email that he thinks the city’s taxes are driving people away from the city. Hunnewell, a civil engineer for the Maine Department of Transportation, said the councilors should examine every line item to determine how to save money.

He said he would continue funding the Boys & Girls Club because he said things like that help, along with a high quality school system for a low cost, attract residents.

RICHARD RAMBO

Rambo, 63, served on City Council between 2003 and 2010 and owns an early child care center in Pennsylvania.

The High Holborn Street resident said it’s important for the city to always be managing its services to make sure taxpayers are getting the most bang for their buck. As a councilor, Rambo said he started an organizational task force of community members to look at ways the city can improve. He said he would be in favor of doing that again and bringing in people in the community with a variety of experiences.

Nothing jumps out immediately as structurally wrong, but Rambo said the group could look at things that may benefit the city in the future, such as building a fiber optic network for high-speed Internet.

The two issues Rambo said he’s heard the most about from residents he’s visited are concerns about future growth and what some people see as out-of-line taxes.

If the city starts axing services, it could put the city in a downward spiral with more residents leaving and even less tax revenue, he said. Rambo said the city needs to keep a close eye on expenses and manage them carefully.

“The answer is not so simple as cut taxes, cut taxes, cut expenses. It has to be done carefully and managed carefully,” Rambo said.

He supports continuing to give to Johnson Hall and Gardiner Main Street because they’re funded by the downtown tax fund, he said. Funding to the Boys & Girls Club should be examined though, Rambo said, because the original plan was to wind down the city contributions over time. If the city is directly funding specific services, Rambo said he would be more supportive of it than if it was just giving a general donation to the organization.

Paul Koenig — 621-5663

pkoenig@centralmaine.com

Twitter: @paul_koenig