BIDDEFORD — Only one week is left before the Nov. 8 election, when Biddeford voters will get to decide whether to re-elect Mayor Joanne Twomey for a third consecutive term or elect State Rep. Alan Casavant for his first term as mayor.

Ӣ Casavant, who is engaged to be married, retired in June after teaching for more than 30 years at Biddeford High School.

He is currently serving his third term as a state representative and plans to continue serving in the legislature if elected mayor. Previously, he served on the Biddeford City Council for nine terms, beginning in 1976.

If elected, said Casavant, one of the primary areas he will focus on is economic development. The proposed racino, a combination harness racetrack and slot machine facility that some developers want to build in Biddeford, “is only a small piece of the puzzle,” he said.

He said he’d like to work more closely with Saco, which is connected to Biddeford by the cities’ Main streets, fostering a collective economy rather than competition, and focusing on redevelopment of the mills on both sides of the Saco River as a catalyst to revitalize both communities.

Resolving the situation with the Maine Energy Recovery Company waste incinerator in Biddeford’s downtown, which many view as a primary reason for stalling the city’s revitalization, is another of Casavant’s top priorities. Maine Energy could be an asset if it were “used as it was originally designed as a power plant,” he said. It could “provide cheap energy to the mills” using an alternate source of fuel other than trash.

“Changing Biddeford’s story line” from a mill town and focusing on the city’s many attributes is another area on which Casavant said he’d like to focus.

If elected mayor, said Casavant, he’d like to bring “civility” to city hall by treating people with respect and dignity and welcoming all voices and all who want to serve on committees, even those who disagree with him.

Ӣ Twomey is serving her second consecutive term as mayor in Biddeford. She has served four terms as a state representative, representing parts of Biddeford, and three terms on Biddeford City Council.

She is a widow, mother and grandmother and is currently retired.

Among her accomplishments as mayor is championing a $34 million bond to renovate Biddeford High School. Voters approved that bond in 2009 and the work is underway.

Twomey declined to be interviewed for this article, stating Monday residents “know what I’ve done” for the city.

Other accomplishments listed on her re-election website include: Initiating an Open Space Committee to conserve parks and natural recreation areas for the future; securing 100 gallons of heating oil each for 100 families from Citizen Energy when a local heating oil company reneged on client contracts; and successfully advocating for the de-privatization of the city’s wastewater treatment plant, saving more than $250,000 for Biddeford taxpayers.

Twomey’s website also states she encourages local business and jobs for Biddeford workers and is a crusader for clean air and healthy environment for the city and the surrounding communities.

She states on her website, “I am seeking re-election because my number one priority is to bring jobs to Biddeford, staff and I are meeting with new companies every month.”

Twomey has said she supports the development of a racino in Biddeford ”“ if state voters give the go-ahead to this endeavor at the Nov. 8 election. She has championed the idea of a Biddeford racino from the beginning because, she has said, it will bring needed jobs to the community, as well as needed revenue to city coffers.

— Staff Writer Dina Mendros can be contacted at 282-1535, Ext. 324 or dmendros@journaltribune.com.