Ten candidates are running for six seats on the Westbrook Charter Commission, which will have the authority to propose major changes to the city’s government.

The nine-member commission will also have three members who will be appointed by the City Council after Tuesday’s election.

On the ballot are Patricia Amico of Lyman Street, Lisa Chuluda of Spring Street, Charles Ewing of Carlson Street and Drew Gattine of Stroudwater Street. Also running are Marc Gousse of Stroudwater Street, Michael Levine of Puritan Drive, Michael Mullett of Pride Street, George Rodrigues of Carlson Street, Susan Rossignol of Conant Street and Eileen Shutts of Monroe Avenue.

Some candidates say the charter must be reviewed to clean up outdated language. The charter refers to city councilors as “aldermen,” and the mayor is referred to as “he” or “him.” Mayor Colleen Hilton is the city’s first female mayor.

Other candidates say a full overhaul isn’t necessary.

The commission will likely review Westbrook’s strong-mayor form of government. The mayor in Westbrook has more authority than the mayor of any other city in Maine. The mayor appoints the city administrator and department heads annually, and may remove any of them for any cause, the charter now says.

The proposal to create a charter commission was approved in June by a vote of 1,490 to 1,479.

The commission will have the authority to recommend changes to the city’s charter, which apparently has not had a comprehensive revision since it was created in 1907.

City Clerk Lynda Adams said the school committee section of the charter was updated in 1993. She said some other sections were updated in 1965, but many parts have never been reviewed.

Staff Writer Melanie Creamer can be contacted at 791-6361 or at:

mcreamer@pressherald.com

 

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