GARDINER — All City Council races in next month’s election are uncontested, and all seats but one are sought by current councilors.

Voting for the municipal races and the five state referendum will be held from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Nov. 5 at the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Gardiner on Pray Street.

Terry Berry, a real estate agent with an office in Hallowell, is running for the District 1 seat now held by Chris Leake, and councilors Patricia Hart from District 2, Richard Heath from District 3 and Philip Hart from District 4 are running for re-election.

Only one candidate, Joseph Gould, is on the ballot for one of two open Regional School Unit 11 School Board seats held by Deborah Holmes and Tony Veit.

Berry, the owner of Century 21 Alliance in Hallowell, has been a Gardiner resident since 2011.
Philip Hart has been a councilor since 1990, according to the city staff. The other two, Patricia Hart, no relation to Philip, and Richard Heath, were elected within the last two years.

Heath replaced Thomas Harnett this year after Harnett become mayor, and Patricia Hart was elected to her seat in 2011.

Leake has held the District 1 seat since the start of 2010.

City Manager Scott Morelli said uncontested races aren’t unusual, but the city has seen increased interest of people wanting to serve on committees and other city groups since the two-year community planning project, Heart & Soul, began last year.

“Sometimes people springboard from those positions to running for council or school board or another position, so we’re happy to see that,” he said.

Paul Koenig — 621-5663
pkoenig@centralmaine.com