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Clement Fleurent and Roland Pelletier Jr. are competing to fill a seat being vacated by Matthew Hight.

By ANN S. KIM Staff Writer November 1, 2007

A former city councilor and an Army veteran involved in the city's schools will be competing for the Biddeford Ward 3 City Council seat Tuesday. Clement Fleurent and Roland Pelletier Jr. are facing off to fill the seat being vacated by Matthew Hight.

CLEMENT FLEURENT

AGE: 72

ADDRESS: 295 Granite St.

PERSONAL: Married, three children

EDUCATION: Attended St. Louis High School

OCCUPATION: Fuel oil delivery driver, Fleurent Fuel Co.; truck driver, Dee Quality Foundations

POLITICAL/CIVIC EXPERIENCE: Two terms on the City Council; Planning Board; Airport Commission

ON THE ISSUES: Fleurent said he wants to return to the City Council to make "good common-sense decisions" for Biddeford. He said he wants to control spending in the city and promote responsible city budgets, especially when residents are paying heftier tax bills.

Fleurent said Biddeford's streets are in very poor condition. If he is elected, he said, a priority would be a paving program to improve them. Fleurent is also concerned about the airport because of how it affects the neighborhood and the rest of the city. He doesn't think money spent on the airport is a good investment and he doesn't want it to expand, although he isn't looking to close it.

ROLAND W. PELLETIER JR.

AGE: 58

ADDRESS: 4 Dechene Ave.

PERSONAL: Married, three children

EDUCATION: Associate degree in business management, Columbia (Mo.) College

OCCUPATION: Retired from Army as first sergeant

POLITICAL/CIVIC EXPERIENCE: Veterans of Foreign Wars; Vietnam Veterans of America; full-time volunteer in the Biddeford schools; two Biddeford Charter Commissions; school transportation and policy committees

ON THE ISSUES: If Pelletier is elected, a top priority would be the city's high school. He said it is falling apart and is almost at the point where it will be beyond repair and will require taxpayers to pay for a new school. Pelletier says the current administration is taking too much money from the schools while putting money into an airport that is little used by city residents.

Pelletier said the city must have a better handle on who is paying sewer use fees and personal property taxes on businesses, both at the airport and elsewhere in the city. Until everyone in the system is paying what they should, he said, the collection of these taxes and fees needs to be halted.

Pelletier believes the city is heading in the wrong direction with growth, and he does not want Biddeford to become another Portland. He said strip mall development is not helping the residential taxpayer.