SACO — Saco City Council now has a seventh member, Michael Burman, who will represent Ward 4.

He was chosen in a unanimous vote of six councilors Tuesday evening, following the expected resignation of Councilor Lynn Copeland, who was recently elected to the Maine House of Representatives.

According to the Saco City Charter, Burman will serve through the end of the term, which expires on Dec. 5, 2022.

Burman, who previously ran for City Council twice, said he chose to live in Saco “because I think it is special,” and spoke of the city’s environment, downtown, and sense of community, among other attributes.

He is a founding member of SacoSTEAM, which stands for the Saco Alliance for Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math, a nonprofit designed to support K-8 education in the city. He is a board member of the Michael T. Goulet Foundation, which provides funding for brain injury and seizure disorder research, scholarships and assistance for families.

“My thoughtful and compassionate nature helps me understand the concerns of my community and leaves me well-poised to strongly represent them,” he said in his letter of interest. “I am sympathetic to folks who are financially suffering during the pandemic and dedicated to finding solutions for them — we’re in this together. I am passionate about our kids and schools.”

Burman said he is committed to the environment, including working with the Army Corps of Engineers on the jetty and erosion issues at Camp Ellis and said he is determined to strengthen the city’s commercial and industrial base.

A professor at the University of New England, Burman said he is interested in continuing to strengthen the connection between Saco and Biddeford.

Ten candidates submitted letters of interest for the position over three weeks, and six appeared before the City Council on Tuesday evening. Three had withdrawn. Each of the six made a presentation, and councilors asked questions of each of them.

City councilors spoke to the quality of the slate of potential councilors who had expressed interest in filling the term.

Several councilors expressed discomfort with the selection process, and also with appointing an individual for two years, but when the city’s charter was amended in 2018 to stagger council terms, one portion was not addressed, according to City Administrator Bryan Kaenrath. Councilors had originally understood an appointment would run until the next election, followed by a vote. However, until the charter is amended, the length of the term of the person who resigned is not a factor, according to an opinion from the city’s legal counsel, Kaenrath wrote in a memo to the City Council.

Mayor William Doyle reminded he council they were “there to make uncomfortable decisions” and said it was time to narrow the field.

Johnston said several Ward 4 residents had spoken to him before the meeting, and based on what they said, he moved in favor of Burman; which was seconded by Councilor Jim Purdy.

“We are fortunate to be a part of a community with so many people willing to respond to the call for service as a local government representative,” said a message on the Saco government Facebook page posted late Monday. “We genuinely appreciate all candidates who participated in the process.”

Burman will be sworn in this week and join the council at their Dec. 14 meeting.

Others who had submitted letters of interest included Robert Dziadzio, Andrea Bopp Stark, Donald Pilon, Bette Brunswick, Perian Carpenter, and Sandra Bastille. Submitting letters later withdrawn were Jeff Christenbury, Kelsey Libby and Chad Snow.

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