The counselor leaving the old town regrets that no one has intervened to replace her

Shirley Brissette has served on the Old Town City Council for the past four years and decided not to stand for re-election because she had served her time in city government. But come later this year, there might be no one to take his place.

There are no candidates to fill the two vacant council positions that will be on the Old Town ballot in November. In addition to Brissette, Board Chairman Kyle Smart is not running for re-election. This is the first time the city will have a city council election without any candidate on the ballot, according to city clerk Laura Engstrom.

In addition, only one person stands for two vacant positions in the old town on the council of regional school unit 34.

“I was so discouraged, I really was,” said Brissette. “We need to involve more people. We need young people involved. We need this injection.

Brissette was first elected in 2018 for a three-year term. She was re-elected last year and served one year.

The four years on the councilor completed about 30 years of involvement in municipal government in one capacity or another, while Brissette worked for the Old Town Police and Fire Department.

Her ultimate reason for running for the board when she threw her hat in the ring in 2018 was to do what she saw as her duty.

“I grew up at a time when civic duty was an important part of your community,” said Brissette. “It was part of our education. ”

The goal going forward for the city should be to engage more young people and continue the economic progress that Brissette said she has seen since joining the council in 2018.

“I think we’ll get there. It has been a tough race for the past 30 years. We were once a viable community, and our downtown is sad right now, but it’s building, ”she said. “You have to be positive. I have no doubt – board members and those who will come will continue this progress. ”

The lack of registered candidates for city council and school board seats means the city will have to rely on written candidates, who do not need to register until election day, Engstrom said.

If no one accepts a board nomination, the body can proceed with just five members instead of seven, as that still constitutes a quorum, Engstrom said. The board could also choose to hold a special election in the future to fill the positions, she said.

Those who want to run for council or school board will have time to campaign and promote themselves as candidates in writing until the Nov. 2 election, Engstrom said.

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