ROCKLAND, Maine — A frequent critic of the City Council has entered the race to join that board.
Stephen Carroll of Old County Road took out nomination papers Friday afternoon. He said he plans on returning them by the Monday, Sept. 26, deadline in order to get on the Nov. 8 ballot.
Carroll served three years representing Rockland on the Knox County Budget Committee. He frequently attends City Council meetings to urge councilors to drastically reduce the municipal budget. He also has advocated for cuts to the regional school budget as well as the county budget.
He works as a service technician for his own company, Carroll’s Appliance.
Carroll is the fifth candidate to take out papers for two seats to be on the ballot for the five-member council.
Incumbent Councilor Larry Pritchett, former Harbor Master Ed Glaser, former Mayor Brian Harden and independent journalist and environmental activist Judith Lawson have taken out nomination papers. Glaser and Harden have turned in their papers and formally qualified for the ballot.
The other incumbent councilor, Mayor Louise MacLellan-Ruf, announced earlier this month that she would not seek a second term.
On the school board side of the race, three candidates have taken out papers for three seats. Incumbent Regional School Unit 13 Board Chair Steve Roberts and architect Gerald Weinand have taken out papers for a pair of three-year seats, and Penobscot Bay Regional Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Tom Peaco has taken out papers for a two-year term.
Absentee ballots are expected to be available for people to cast ballots as early as Oct. 12.