AUGUSTA — Three residents seek to fill out the remainder of an at-large City Council term up for election in June, but no one took out nomination papers seeking to fill a similar vacancy on the Board of Education.

The remaining terms of the at-large spots, one each on the school board and the council, will be filled in a special election June 13, when voters also are expected to vote in a referendum on the school budget.

The vacant at-large council seat was held by Jeffrey Bilodeau, who resigned in February because he plans to pursue a fellowship for his work, and his family’s home in Augusta is for sale.

Turning in nomination papers for the City Council seat by this week’s deadline were Robert Trask, Jennifer Day and Stanley Koski.

Koski, a Townsend Street resident, is a retired electrical engineer who served two terms on the council, from 2002 to 2007, and who ran unsuccessfully for mayor in 2006.

Day, a Brentwood Road resident, is a real estate broker who was on the school board from 2014 until this year.

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Trask, of West River Road, is retired after working for United Parcel Service and serving with the Maine Army National Guard.

No candidates submitted nomination papers seeking to fill the remaining term of a vacant at-large school board seat. That seat was vacated by Laura Hamilton, who resigned from the board in October after saying it had become a hostile environment. Kim Martin, the board chairwoman, denied that claim.

Martin said Friday it is discouraging that no one chose to run for the school board. She said, however, that it isn’t that unusual, as other than the most recent election, in which there were contested races for the school board, many school board races go uncontested.

“Traditionally, with the exception of last fall, there doesn’t seem to be a lot of interest in running for the board,” she said. “So we find ourselves, on the board, brainstorming for who we can ask to run. I’m not sure why. People do live busy lives.”

Martin said a full board is desirable so the board has a good representation of the entire city and the additional perspective of another member, and because it would provide another member to take up some of the responsibility of serving on committees and other board responsibilities.

Mayor David Rollins said it is unfortunate nobody submitted papers to run for school board but said someone still may run for the board as a write-in candidate.

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In Augusta, in order to be elected as a write-in candidate, the candidate must register with the city beforehand.

City Clerk Roberta Fogg said write-in candidates need to declare their candidacy no later than 45 days prior to the election, which would be by April 29. However, with April 29 being a Saturday, when city offices are closed, potential write-in candidates would have until that Monday, May 1, to declare their candidacy.

Write-in candidates must fill out a form available from the clerk’s office but, unlike official candidates who are on the ballot, don’t have to collect nomination papers signed by at least 100 qualified Augusta voters.

The city charter states that when council or school board positions become vacant for longer than six months, city councilors should schedule an election to fill the spot as soon as is practical.

The winning candidates will fill the remainder of the council and school board terms. The council term expires Dec. 31, 2017, while the school board term runs until Dec. 31, 2018, according to Fogg.

Keith Edwards — 621-5647

kedwards@centralmaine.com

Twitter: @kedwardskj


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