The town of Pittsfield will hold a special election to fill the vacant at-large council seat after Amanda Collamore resigned and participated in her last meeting in December.
Collamore announced her resignation in September due to personal reasons and her work at the legislative level. She represents District 106 (Clinton, Detroit and Pittsfield) in the Maine House of Representatives. Collamore remained on the council until the end of 2021 to help complete the town budget, so her seat wasn’t vacant until then.
The special election will be held from noon to 6 p.m. Thursday, April 21, at the Pittsfield Town Council Chambers. Paperwork to run for the position will be available Tuesday, Jan. 25, at the town office. Interested residents will need to file paperwork by 5 p.m. March 7.
“For the special election, candidates are required to collect a minimum of 25 signatures with a maximum of 100,” Town Clerk Nicole Nickolan said Wednesday, adding the term expires Dec. 31.
The seat will be on the November election ballot for a full term, she said.
Michael Cianchette, Peter Logiodice IV, Brent Frost, Jason Hall, Eric Saucier and Ron Jester serve on the council.
At a meeting earlier this month, Cianchette, an at-large member who ran unopposed in November, was sworn in as the mayor. He was elected last summer during a special election to finish serving a term. Cianchette has also served on the council previously.
Logiodice, who represents District 3, is now the deputy mayor.
Saucier and Jester are new members. Saucier represents District 4 after defeating former Mayor Heather Donahue in November. Jester ran as a write-in candidate and represents District 1. The seat was previously filled by Deputy Mayor Timothy Nichols, who did not seek reelection after more than 24 years on the council.
At a Tuesday meeting, councilors confirmed Marty Cochran as acting police chief. Pittsfield Police Chief Harold “Pete” Bickmore is dealing with some health issues, Cianchette said.
Councilors also appointed Adrienne Baker as interim director for the School Administrative District 53 Board of Directors. She will serve until the next general election and until a successor is elected, according to the resolution.