WATERVILLE — City councilors on Tuesday will consider appointing one of four candidates to the vacant Ward 5 council seat, with those candidates including a former city councilor and current member of the Waterville Board of Education.

The meeting will be at 7 p.m. in the council chambers at The Center at 93 Main St. downtown and the council appointment is the last item on the agenda before City Manager Michael Roy gives his regular manager’s report.

Former Ward 5 Councilor John O’Donnell, a Democrat, is vying for the council seat, as is Julian Payne, also a Democrat who was elected to the school board last year. The other two candidates are George Thiboutot and Jay Coelho.

In his letter of interest to City Clerk Patti Dubois, dated March 27, O’Donnell, an attorney, says simply that he understands there is a vacancy in the Ward 5 seat and as a resident of that ward, he’d like to be considered.

Payne’s lengthy letter, dated March 26, says he believes his economic views are similar to those of Nick Champagne, a Republican, who held the Ward 5 council seat until he resigned recently to become city engineer. Payne, who is retired and a stay-at-home father, said he attends all council and budget meetings and understands how the process works.

“I am applying for the position so the residents of ward five get their voices (heard) until November 2018 when they will be given an opportunity to reconsider,” Payne’s letter says.

Coelho, a Libertarian, submitted a resume to the clerk’s office that says he is a former vice president of sales and marketing for YBI Technology Group, co-owner and managing partner of You Broke It? and director of IT for Taconnet Federal Credit Union. Coelho is a “self-starter with a positive, can-do attitude who is driven to learn, improve and succeed,” according to the resume.

Under a “skills” heading on the resume, Coelho lists “established track record of exceptional sales results, energetic, compelling leadership skills, cross-cultural sales background, excellent communication skills, multilingual in English, Portugese and Spanish and resolution-oriented.”

Thiboutot’s letter, dated March 27, says he has been in the city 67 years and thinks he will be great for the position. Thiboutot is a Republican.

“I see where the city is going and some times it is not always a good thing,” the letter says. “You need new blood in these meetings instead of the people you have now which have there own little clicks (sic). One says yes everyone say yes. You people don’t see the waste of money that your (sic) doing.”

The deadline for submitting letters of interest was Thursday, March 29. The City Council on Tuesday will interview the candidates in open session and then vote by private paper ballot to appoint one.

The city charter says the content of ballots shall not be shared with other councilors until voting has concluded, and the clerk shall read each ballot aloud and retain the ballots as a matter of public record.

If there is no majority winner in the first round of voting and there are three or more candidates, all who received fewer votes than the top two candidates shall be eliminated and a second round of balloting will be held unless all but one candidate voluntarily withdraws, according to the charter. If no candidates get a majority following the second round, the matter will be postponed until the next regularly scheduled council meeting.

The appointment is not subject to a mayoral veto, nor can the mayor break a tie, according to the charter. The person appointed will serve until a successor is elected in the November election and is sworn in the following January.

In other matters Tuesday, the council will consider an appropriation for the riverwalk project and awarding a contract for that project. Councilors also are scheduled to consider appointing election clerks, as well as voting on a sex offender registry restriction.

Amy Calder — 861-9247

acalder@centralmaine.com

Twitter: @AmyCalder17

Copy the Story Link