HOULTON, Maine — The town is looking for individuals interested in serving on the Town Council, RSU 29 school board, Board of Budget Review, Cary Library trustees or Houlton Water Company board of directors.
According to Houlton Town Clerk Cathy O’Leary, nomination papers are now available for a number of open seats. Up for grabs are three seats (three-year terms) on the town council; three seats (three-year terms) for RSU 29 school board; three seats (three-year terms) and two seats (two-year terms) for the board of budget review; two three-year terms on the Houlton Water Company board; and one five-year term on the Cary Library Board of Trustees.
Chairman Paul Cleary, Sue Tortello and Robert Hannigan currently hold the three seats on the town council. Hannigan has stated he plans to seek re-election. Cleary did not respond to a request for comment. Tortello is unable to seek re-election due to the council’s term limits policy. A councilor may only serve two consecutive three-year terms before they must take a mandatory two-year break from the board. Tortello is completing her second three-year term and would be eligible to run again in November, 2016.
For RSU 29, the three available seats currently belong to Rosa McNally (filling a vacancy when Cynthia Hillman-Forbush resigned from the board), John Tribou (who resigned in July after moving out of the district) and Liz Anderson.
McNally stated Tuesday morning that she plans to run for the RSU 29 school board and also the Board of Budget Review. Attempts to reach Anderson for comments were not successful by presstime.
On the Board of Budget Review, Jerry Berthelette, Bernadette Farrar and Matt Carr currently hold the three-year terms that are available, while Dale Flewelling and Katheryn Harnish hold the two-year terms that are available. Farrar, Carr, Flewelling and Harnish were all appointed to the board to fill vacancies created by resignations.
For the Houlton Water Company, the two available seats are presently held by Galen Hogan and Rick Goodwin, while Forrest Barnes holds the available seat on the Cary Library Board of Trustees.
To be completed, nomination papers must have 77 signatures from registered voters in Houlton. Forms are available at the town office, 21 Water St., during normal business hours (Mondays through Fridays, 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.) and must be returned before 4 p.m. Sept. 12. For more information, call 532-7111.
