WATERVILLE — City councilors on Tuesday are scheduled to appoint a Ward 2 councilor, as well as three charter commission members.

The meeting will be at 7 p.m. and will be preceded by a 6:45 p.m. executive session to discuss real estate negotiations.

Four people are vying for the Ward 2 council seat vacated by George Myers Jr., who resigned earlier this fall.

They are Edward Lachowicz, a student studying social work who was elected Nov. 6 to the Charter Commission; Michael Owens, a teacher’s aide at Waterville Junior High School and member of the Planning Board; Patrick Roy, a night auditor for Comfort Inn who is retired from Scott Paper Co.; and Nathaniel White, director of the American Heritage Tour at Alfond Youth Center.

Councilors interviewed the candidates in open session on Nov. 7, but said they were not ready to appoint someone to the seat that night. They voted instead to table the appointment until Tuesday.

Edward Lachowicz, husband of state Sen.-elect Colleen Lachowicz, of District 25, said he likes to stay connected with people and wants to help educate them about how to become involved in city government.

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“Basically, I think the one thing that really separates me from everyone is a strong belief in access to government,” he said.

Michael Owens, a member of the board of directors for Kennebec Messalonskee Trails, said he has lived in Ward 2 more than 20 years and believes the people are the city’s biggest asset. He favors passenger rail service and keeping energy costs down through natural gas and weatherization efforts, he said.

“I consider myself a pretty good listener and I feel I could represent the ward pretty well,” he said.

Patrick Roy held several positions in the union while working 30 years at the former Scott Paper Co. He also sat on the steering committee at Scott, which later became Kimberly-Clark Co. He ran for the Ward 2 seat last year and lost to Myers.

“I’d like to see the city grow because without growth, there’s death,” Roy said. “You’ve got to prosper.”

Nathaniel White said he has lived all his life in the same house in Ward 2. He has taught in Waterville schools, is a former corrections officer and taught law enforcement at Waldo County Technical Center.

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“It’s important to me to be involved in this community, and that’s what I want to do for Ward 2,” he said.

Myers was appointed to the council in 2010 to fill the unexpired term of Mary-Anne Beal. He served a year and then was re-elected last year.

The council Tuesday will consider appointing three members to the charter commission.

On Nov. 7, voters approved establishing a charter commission to review the city’s charter, or local constitution, to determine if changes should be made to improve the document.

Three residents sent letters to the city seeking appointment to the commission: former City Councilor Roland Hallee, former charter commission member Peter Lyford, and Cathy Taylor, a member of the police station study committee.

In other matters, councilors will consider renewing public safety dispatching service contracts with the towns of Albion, Clinton, Sidney, Belgrade and Rome.

They also will consider making amendments to both the taxation and traffic ordinances, and consider referring to the Planning Board a request by John Heaton Jones to rezone city-owned property at 140 Western Ave. He wants to buy the land and building and use it as a home, artists’ studios and art gallery.

The building formerly was used by the city’s Parks & Recreation Department.

Amy Calder — 861-9247
acalder@centralmaine.com


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