Three of the four candidates running in contested races for two seats on the Town Council talked Tuesday about where they stand on communications consolidation, funding of the police department and two local referendums on the Nov. 6 ballot.
Eric Metivier, running against Gregg Garrison for the at-large City Council seat, said he moved to Lisbon 21 years ago and has been selfemployed since he started Custom Tile 21 years ago. He started 196 Auto Sales two years ago, where he fixes and sells cars.
“I work hard at what I do,” he said, “and that’s how I’ve succeeded. If I was to be on the council, I would apply those same principles.”
Garrison, his opponent, did not attend the forum.
In District 2, Dillon Pesce will face Tyler Golletti for a Town Council seat.
Pesce graduated Lisbon High School in the class of 2012, serving as senior class president and as sergeant of cadets of the law enforcement program at Lewiston Regional Technical Center.
He said his qualifications are self-motivation, leadership and town knowledge. He led a class of more than 130 students through a successful graduation and Project Graduation as class president, and said he currently leads more than 100 employees as a Target manager in Biddeford, “so leadership is one of my strengths.”
“I see where things are not so strong and I want to help change those and bring young blood onto the council,” he said.
Golletti, owner of Restorations Home Remodeling LLC, said, “I would really like to help have this community make some changes in a positive direction and start seeing some more community involvement from my age group as well.”
His qualifications stem from the last seven years running a small business, which he started when the economy started its downturn, “so I honestly have no idea what it’s like to be in business when there is good money.”
He was motivated to run because “I feel this town needs to start focusing on spending money more locally. I see that the town spends money in a few different areas but they outsource and companies come in from other towns.”
When asked whether Lisbon voters should have the right to vote on the municipal budget by department, all three council candidates responded in favor.
Metivier and Pesce said they don’t favor consolidating the town’s communications with Androscoggin County dispatch, while Golletti said he favors this option.
Asked whether the town spends too much money policing Lisbon, all three candidates said cuts could be found within the Police Department budget.
Asked if they favor the water department being taken over by the town, which is on the Nov. 6 ballot, Metivier and Golletti said they were in favor; Pesce is not, until he gets facts as to why it needs to be changed.
Dorothy Fitzgerald, running uncontested for a second term as at-large Budget Advisory Board member, also attended the forum, along with uncontested School Committee incumbents Herbert “Pete” Reed and Kathi Yergin.
dmoore@timesrecord.com
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