WESTBROOK – With less than a week to go until the election, Westbrook voters will have a chance to see both mayoral candidates answering questions together in a political debate Thursday, Nov. 3.
The debate between incumbent Democrat Colleen Hilton and her challenger, Republican Bruce Chuluda, begins at 7 p.m. at the Westbrook Performing Arts Center on Stroudwater Street. It is sponsored by the Westbrook Chamber of Commerce. Radio talk show host Ray Richardson will moderate the debate, asking his own questions and taking questions from the public, as well. Voters may submit questions in writing at the event, or in advance via email at westbrookmayor@gmail.com, or on the chamber’s Facebook page.
Another election event – a round-table discussion featuring mayoral and City Council candidates – has been scheduled for Sunday, Nov. 6, from 2-4 p.m. at the Westbrook Middle School Cafeteria. Deb Shangraw will be the moderator, and will submit questions from the public. Shangraw asks that questions be submitted to her via email at shangrawd@emeraldmanagement.biz, before noontime on Friday, Nov. 4.
The mayoral race is the highlight of this year’s city elections. Two years ago, Hilton unseated Chuluda after he had served three straight terms as mayor. The contest was decided by less than 150 votes. Chuluda has said he hopes voters will remember the six years he served the city without having to hike taxes, while Hilton has pointed to her success over the past two years reorganizing and streamlining city government, and addressing longtime difficulties like the scandal-ridden fire department.
In addition to the mayor’s race, the city clerk’s position is a contested race, too, a rarity in Westbrook politics. Republican Susan Rossignol, the city’s former finance director, is challenging incumbent Democrat Lynda Adams for the job. Rossignol was removed as finance director in 2010, as part of Hilton’s reorganization of the finance department.
All seven seats on the City Council are up for grabs, and all the incumbents are seeking re-election. The only Republican incumbent is John O’Hara, who is running for one of the two at-large seats. Democrat Michael Foley is running for the other seat. Democrats Brendan Rielly and Paul Emery are running unopposed for the Ward 1 and Ward 3 seats, respectively.
In Ward 2, Republican Matt Maloney is challenging incumbent Democrat Victor Chau, and Republican Michael Lawson is running against incumbent Democrat Michael Sanphy in Ward 5.
In Ward 4, there is a three-way race for councilor. Incumbent Democrat Dorothy Aube, who initially said she was not seeking re-election, changed her mind when the Democrats had no nominee to run in her place. Republican Ernest Porell is challenging her, as well as Gary Rairdon, the only unenrolled candidate on the ballot.
On the Westbrook School Committee, only four seats are open, and all are uncontested. Incumbents Suzanne Salisbury, Alexander Stone and James Violette are running for at-large, Ward 1 and Ward 5, respectively. A political newcomer, Veronica L. Bates, is running unopposed for the Ward 2 seat, which is being vacated by Greg Smith, who declined to seek re-election. All School Committee candidates are Democrats; the Republicans produced no nominees.
Many of the warden and ward clerk positions are also uncontested. Joseph McDonnell, Beverly O’Gara, Myra Crimmin, and Conrad Metivier, all Democrats, are running in wards 1, 2, 3, and 4, respectively. In Ward 5, Republican Alexander J. Juniewicz is running against Democrat Marie Kimball, and for the at-large post, Republican Margo Mannett is running against Democrat Robert Fairbrother.
For ward clerk, Democrats Ann McAlpine, Juanita Valeriani, Maryann Usher and Joan Morton are running unopposed for wards 2, 3, 4, and at-large, respectively. In Ward 1, Republican Patricia F. Haskell is running against Democrat Shirley A. Jordan-Barker, and in Ward 5, Republican Pamela Mooney is running against Democrat William Loring.
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