FARMINGTON — Three candidates seek two seats on the Board of Selectmen in Friday’s election.

Selectman Nancy Porter seeks re-election while former Selectman Dennis Pike and resident Jess Berry are also running. The two receiving the most votes take the seats.

Two Regional School Unit 9 board members, Robert Flick and Claire Andrews, are running unopposed for re-election to the school board.

Farmington polls are open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday, April 1, at the Community Center on Middle Street.

During Saturday’s town meeting, voters will consider accepting a Franklin Avenue medical building from Franklin Memorial Hospital for use as a new police station. Pending approval, they will vote on a renovation project at a cost of $490,000. The estimated maximum interest for a 20-year bond for the project brings the total amount to $753,386.

All three candidates agree the town should accept the gift and prepare it for the department.

“It is ever-so important to create a safe environment for our officers and staff; and to make the right decisions about the building right from the start. The town will likely never get an opportunity to have much-needed space for our Police Department at such a reasonable cost,” Porter said.

Taxpayers turned down a proposal to build a new station with a $3.2 million price tag in 2009. This is less than one-sixth of the original cost, she said.

Selectmen trimmed an estimated $800,000 for renovations, she said.

“The town should most definitely accept the FMH gift with great appreciation,” Pike said.

He would like to see a dialogue with the university about exchanging the building for the university’s public works building located next to the town office.

“It’s a win-win situation for all involved,” said Berry, who sees the gift as “an opportunity for the town to move forward with a much needed new facility.”

The renovation will also provide income for local contractors, she said.

Porter sees repair of town roads and a potential change in the fiscal year as two issues the board will continue to address; two costly issues, she said.

Another issue she feels the town faces is a lack of reserve accounts. Town departments have kept budgets down and the town “has nothing in savings for updated equipment or repairs to buildings,” she said.

Pike hopes the Front Street parking issue can be resolved and supports retaining the parking.

Berry believes the town needs “to look for ways to continue to provide the strong public services that Farmington now has, including supporting the work and efforts of our police, fire and rescue departments.”

She believes the town needs to continue working with small businesses to keep the downtown thriving and dynamic, and to strengthen the tax base to ensure the town’s public services.

A selectman for three years, Porter feels her knowledge of real estate laws, practices, complex contract language and her budget experience has helped her make decisions for the town. As a 40-year resident, she knows the taxpayers, has worked with the Public Works crew and her research includes wisdom about town roads, she said.

Pike lost his seat on the board last year after serving since 1998 when only 119 people out of a population greater than 7,000 voted, he said. 

“People are fighting to have that privilege in locations around the world. If you have it, exercise it,” he said.

A lifelong resident, he’s been with the town “no less than 45 years, 33 of those years as a police officer.” He said he would bring wisdom to the position and he enjoys serving.

Berry brings her education and experience as a Maine Education Opportunity Association board member since 2008 to the board. She has a bachelor of arts degree in political science from UMF and a master’s degree in education from the University of Southern Maine.

abryant@sunjournal.com

Address: 188 Marvel St., West Farmington

Age: 63

Occupation: Former restaurant owner, presently unemployed, but not by choice

Address: 350 Fairbanks Road, Farmington

Age: 72

Occupation: Franklin County sheriff

Address: Court Street, Farmington

Age: 32

Occupation: Coordinator of student services for TRIO Upward Bound at the University of Maine at Farmington and coordinator of Supplemental Instruction at UMF.