Council Chairman Joe Kline is not seeking re-election after 10 years on the council. The other seat has been held by Councilor Shawn O'Neill, who is running for re-election.
The other three candidates are former Planning Board Chairman Michael Tousignant, School Board member Sharri MacDonald and former Town Councilor Sonia Simpson Gardiner.
One of the major issues that most candidates said they want to address is how to maintain Old Orchard's independent school district in the face of state consolidation plans. Several candidates said the council needs to help local residents understand the financial consequences of maintaining an independent district.
The extensive needs of the town's aging infrastructure are another concern among the candidates. Several candidates said the town should do a better job of planning and prioritizing these repairs.
Among the challengers, two of the candidates said that the Town Council has not been responsive to residents' concerns in recent years and that they want to do a better job of representing the public.
SONIA SIMPSON GARDNER
AGE: 56
ADDRESS: 22 Imperial St.
PERSONAL: Married, two children
EDUCATION: Old Orchard Beach High School
OCCUPATION: Employed in food and liquor industry; notary public
POLITICAL/CIVIC EXPERIENCE: Old Orchard Beach Town Council, 1999-2001; former member, Old Orchard Beach Planning Board
ON THE ISSUES: Gardiner said she is running for council because she believes the town's government has been unresponsive to the concerns of citizens in recent years and she wants to change that. She said she believes councilors have been pursuing their own agendas while ignoring the needs of residents. She said she she would try to make town government more open and accesible.
"Citizens should be aware of everything that goes on in Old Orchard Beach -- especially if it concerns their money," she said.
Like other candidates, Gardiner said the town's infrastructure needs are a major issue. She said she wants to continue making the upgrades begun by the current administration, as well as work toward building a new police station and renovating the existing public-safety building to serve as a fire station.
Gardiner said she does not favor school consolidation unless the numbers are financially favorable to the town. She said she would work toward having the OOB Ballpark generate revenue for the town. She said the facility could serve as excess parking during the summer months, with a shuttle to downtown.
SHARRI MacDONALD
AGE: 35
ADDRESS: 171 Portland Ave.
PERSONAL: Single
EDUCATION: Old Orchard Beach High School; bachelor's degree, University of Southern Maine
OCCUPATION: Works at family business, MacDonald Garage
POLITICAL/CIVIC EXPERIENCE: Old Orchard Beach School Board; member, Old Orchard Beach High School Alumni Association
ON THE ISSUES: MacDonald said she does not favor the school district consolidation plan under consideration with Saco and Dayton. As an Old Orchard School Board member, she said she is very familiar with school finances and she believes the consolidation plan would not save Old Orchard any money. Residents will ultimately choose whether to consolidate the schools, but MacDonald said she wants to examine the numbers as the plan develops to help people make their decision.
MacDonald said she believes it is time to come up with a plan over the next five to 10 years to repair the town's aging infrastructure. With aging roads and sidewalks, a persistent flooding problem on the east side of town, and needed upgrades at the wastewater treatment plant, she said the town must determine the cost of these projects and devise a strategy for fixing them. She said the town should begin putting its money toward these essential infrastructure repairs and stop spending...
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