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An incumbent councilor faces a challenge for his Ward 7 seat.

By TESS NACELEWICZ, Staff Writer October 27, 2007

Michael J. Ready, who currently holds the Ward 7 seat on the Biddeford City Council and is a former School Committee member, is seeking re-election on Nov. 6. He is being challenged by Raymond Gagnon, who claims that Ready "did not respond to the people's demands."

Ready was one of the city councilors who approved a five-year contract with the Maine Energy Recovery Co. in May in a controversial 5-4 vote.

"This contract was just not fair to the people of Biddeford," said Gagnon, who would be new to elected office.

However, Ready said that Gagnon "mistakes a difference of opinion with being unresponsive. I believe that I represented the majority of citizens in my ward and the entire city on this issue." He said he voted for the contract for several reasons, including believing that the city had built in stronger controls over odor issues and that "the cost of continued litigation with MERC was prohibitive and very uncertain."

Ready said he supports the establishment of a plan to eliminate MERC in downtown Biddeford within five years.

Staff Writer Tess Nacelewicz can be contacted at 791-6367 or at: tnacelewicz@pressherald.com

MICHAEL J. READY

AGE: 54

ADDRESS: 6 Kennedy Drive

PERSONAL: Married, three adult sons

EDUCATION: Graduate of Biddeford High School

OCCUPATION: Worked as a store manager at Bradlees department stores for more than 30 years.

POLITICAL/CIVIC EXPERIENCE: Completing his first term as Ward 7 city councilor; former three-term Biddeford School Committee member; member of the council's finance and personnel committees; City Council representative to the Recreation Commission, and city's representative to the Region I Homeless Council; member of the committee evaluating whether to renovate or to build a new high school, and the Biddeford School Department's Reorganization Committee; volunteer at the Maine Way House.

ON THE ISSUES: Ready said: "I have worked successfully to get many small neighborhood issues addressed," such as working with police to address a dangerous intersection. When it comes to the Maine Energy Recovery Co., Ready said, "even without a contract with Biddeford, MERC would continue to operate and would be able to bring in even more out-of-state trash to fill the gap left by Biddeford going elsewhere." He said he supports combining city and school services whenever possible.

RAYMOND GAGNON

AGE: 51

ADDRESS: 102 May Street

PERSONAL: Married, five children

EDUCATION: Associate's degree in electronic technology from Southern Maine Technical College

OCCUPATION: Network administrator for the Sanford Institution for Savings and owner of the Sleepy Hollow Motel

POLITICAL/CIVIC EXPERIENCE: Former member of the Sewer Committee

ON THE ISSUES: Gagnon said he is running because "I feel it's time for me to give back to my community." Gagnon said the city "farms out a lot of its services." He said that Biddeford should bring services "back to the city and do it more cost- effectively." He said the high school needs renovating but it should be done a portion at a time, not all at once, to help taxpayers. "The city wants everything done now," he said. "At home we budget ... and do things only when we can afford it."