WESTBROOK – Ten Westbrook residents are vying for six seats on the city’s new Charter Commission that are up for election Nov. 2.

According to City Clerk Lynda Adams, the candidates are Patricia Amico, 105 Lyman St; Lisa Chuluda, 618 Spring St.; Charles Ewing, 176 Carlson St.; Andrew Gattine, 529 Stroudwater St.; Marc Gousse, 317 Stroudwater St.; Michael Levine, 17 Puritan Drive; Michael Mullett, 135 Pride St.; George Rodrigues, 184 Carlson St.; Susan Rossignol, 54 Conant St.; and Eileen Shutts, 42 Monroe Ave.

The candidates all returned nomination papers with the signatures of 25 to 100 registered city voters by the deadline of Friday, Sept. 17. City Clerk Lynda Adams said Friday that the signatures that the candidates submitted have been verified by her office.

A proposal to create the nine-member Charter Commission won narrow approval from city voters in June by a vote of 1,490 to 1,479.

Six of the commission’s members will be elected by city voters on Election Day. The City Council will appoint the remaining three members.

The Charter Commission positions are at-large and do not have a party designation, Adams said. She said the six top vote-getters will win the seats.

The Charter Commission will review the city charter to decide if any revisions to it are needed. Any recommended changes will need voter approval.

City staff have said they have not found any record that Westbrook has ever had a full review of the charter since its adoption in 1907.

Still, the city’s Municipal Officers disagreed last year on whether there is a need for a review of the charter. Their vote to put the question regarding the creation of a Charter Commission on the ballot this June was a split one.

Some officials argued a commission was necessary to review the way the city’s strong mayor form of government works, and others contended the system isn’t broken and doesn’t need fixing.

Supporters said there are two reasons the charter needs changing. One is to clean up outdated language. For example, the charter still refers to city “aldermen,” a title for city officials that no longer exists.

But supporters also want the commission to review the section of the charter that deals with the authority granted the city’s mayor.

Westbrook is among a handful of Maine communities to have an elected mayor with strong powers. The Westbrook mayor by charter has the authority to hire and fire all city employees.

But the city also has a strong City Council that makes policy. Supporters of the Charter Commission said the division of power can create “confusion.”

For example, city employees answer to the mayor, so they could be put in a difficult position if the council passes a policy that the mayor disagrees with. The employees are then in a situation of having to implement a policy that their boss doesn’t like, supporters of the commission said.

However, those opposing the creation of a Charter Commission contended that there is no need for a full-fledged charter review, and that the City Council itself can make small adjustments to the charter.

WESTBROOK – Ten Westbrook residents are vying for six seats on the city’s new Charter Commission that are up for election Nov. 2.

According to City Clerk Lynda Adams, the candidates are Patricia Amico, 105 Lyman St; Lisa Chuluda, 618 Spring St.; Charles Ewing, 176 Carlson St.; Andrew Gattine, 529 Stroudwater St.; Marc Gousse, 317 Stroudwater St.; Michael Levine, 17 Puritan Drive; Michael Mullett, 135 Pride St.; George Rodrigues, 184 Carlson St.; Susan Rossignol, 54 Conant St.; and Eileen Shutts, 42 Monroe Ave.

The candidates all returned nomination papers with the signatures of 25 to 100 registered city voters by the deadline of Friday, Sept. 17. City Clerk Lynda Adams said Friday that the signatures that the candidates submitted have been verified by her office.

A proposal to create the nine-member Charter Commission won narrow approval from city voters in June by a vote of 1,490 to 1,479.

Six of the commission’s members will be elected by city voters on Election Day. The City Council will appoint the remaining three members.

The Charter Commission positions are at-large and do not have a party designation, Adams said. She said the six top vote-getters will win the seats.

The Charter Commission will review the city charter to decide if any revisions to it are needed. Any recommended changes will need voter approval.

City staff have said they have not found any record that Westbrook has ever had a full review of the charter since its adoption in 1907.

Still, the city’s Municipal Officers disagreed last year on whether there is a need for a review of the charter. Their vote to put the question regarding the creation of a Charter Commission on the ballot this June was a split one.

Some officials argued a commission was necessary to review the way the city’s strong mayor form of government works, and others contended the system isn’t broken and doesn’t need fixing.

Supporters said there are two reasons the charter needs changing. One is to clean up outdated language. For example, the charter still refers to city “aldermen,” a title for city officials that no longer exists.

But supporters also want the commission to review the section of the charter that deals with the authority granted the city’s mayor.

Westbrook is among a handful of Maine communities to have an elected mayor with strong powers. The Westbrook mayor by charter has the authority to hire and fire all city employees.

But the city also has a strong City Council that makes policy. Supporters of the Charter Commission said the division of power can create “confusion.”

For example, city employees answer to the mayor, so they could be put in a difficult position if the council passes a policy that the mayor disagrees with. The employees are then in a situation of having to implement a policy that their boss doesn’t like, supporters of the commission said.

However, those opposing the creation of a Charter Commission contended that there is no need for a full-fledged charter review, and that the City Council itself can make small adjustments to the charter.