MILLINOCKET, Maine — To hear the seven candidates tell it, the business of the Town Council is going to be business.
Council hopefuls all had different ideas, but they spoke with one voice at a candidates forum at Stearns High School on Wednesday when they said they would work hard to improve the local economy.
They also agreed that Millinocket needs to stop clinging to its mill-dominated past.
“I really believe small business is the mechanism here for growth and having been on the town planning committee, I don’t think you have a more proactive board than that,” Louis Pelletier said. “My view is, don’t discard anything. Entertain every idea that’s legal, and see how it fits.”
Every candidate called for the consolidation of Katahdin region schools. Jesse Dumais also called for consolidation of town government and the police and fire departments with Millinocket’s neighbors.
That, he said, will take humility.
“Why it hasn’t happened, I don’t know. The problem is the generations before us need to put [the past] aside,” Dumais said. “The olive branches need to go both ways. There was a time when East Millinocket and Medway needed us and we didn’t concede, but now we need them, and, is turnabout fair play?”
“People are scared of losing something,” Dumais added. “There is a fear in starting something new. We need to get over that fear.”
Sponsored by the Katahdin Area Chamber of Commerce, the forum drew about 65 people to the Stearns High School library — a good turnout, Chamber President Gail Fanjoy said.
Paul Sannicandro called for the town to work closer with area landowners to help the economy grow. Charles Pray wanted the council to work with the state to get low-cost electricity available in town. Cody McEwen called on councilors to work closer and open better communication with the public and Eric Buckingham Jr. wanted to look harder at cutting the cost of government.
“My vision for the future is, if we don’t reduce taxes, we won’t draw business. It’s just not going to happen,” Buckingham said.
Councilor Jimmy Busque, the sole incumbent, said he favored hiring a town or regional economic development coordinator. He also warned that ideas are easier to suggest than to realize.
“Yes, we can cut more [government spending], but you are going to lose services,” Busque said. “Everything you do now is going to make people unhappy. [Councilors] are stuck in the middle. It’s very difficult.”
Pray and Pelletier are running unopposed because of two council resignations. Pelletier is vying for a two-year seat vacated by Anita Mueller and Pray to finish the one-year term of Richard Theriault. The rest of the candidates are running for the three-year seat held by Busque.