BIDDEFORD — On Tuesday, residents spoke in support of doing whatever it takes to keep Superintendent of Schools Jeremy Ray in his job.

According to the city charter, the superintendent is required to reside in Biddeford within six months of being hired. Ray, who lives with his wife and young son in Saco, became the school district’s superintendent in July.

A charter revision to remove the residency requirement failed in the November election.

Mayor Alan Casavant, who is also a state legislator representing House District 137, is sponsoring LD 6, a bill that would remove the residency requirement statewide.

Tuesday’s comments, during the public participation portion of the school committee meeting, followed remarks made a week before by residents who spoke before the city council and said they believe the superintendent should be required to live in Biddeford.

Residents Pat Rhames, Terry Belanger and former Mayor Joanne Twomey said they oppose Casavant’s legislation.

On Tuesday, several people spoke glowingly about Ray as a person and what he’s done for the school system since he took the helm. They said the school committee should get creative to find a way to keep him.

“In the summer of 2012, Biddeford students received one of the greatest gifts ever bestowed on them with the hiring of Superintendent Jeremy Ray,” said resident Clint Marshall.

“He doesn’t pretend to have all the answers,” said Marshall, but “he’s got a vision and a lot of great ideas, and I don’t think we could ask for more.”

Resident Brian Curit, who is a teacher at Biddeford High School, said visibility in a community is what’s important in a leader and that, despite living in Saco, Ray has been so, attending numerous school functions.

Ray has the type of skills that make him CEO material for a corporation, said BHS teacher Brian Heal.

“We’ve been waiting a long time for a guy like this,” said Ralph Toussaint, who is a parent of students in the school district and president of the  Biddeford Athletic Association. “We need him.”

Ray said he understands why some people want their superintendent to live in the community.

For instance, those who spoke against Casavant’s legislation said they want people who earn hefty wages from the city to live there and pay property taxes. While he doesn’t do that, said Ray, he does spend lots of money at local businesses and spends most of his waking hours in Biddeford.

Ray said when he was hired, he was told about the charter residency provision, but he was led to believe that it would be changed.

Casavant said he’s sponsoring legislation to remove the residency requirement for school superintendents because “it was never discussed before the election, the nuances of hiring a school superintendent.

“There’s a very small pool of candidates,” Casavant said, “and an even smaller pool of good or great candidates.”

Communities elsewhere in the state are having trouble finding qualified candidates, said Casavant.

Without Ray, said Casavant, “I saw further damage to the school system.”

“I put in the bill not because I was critical of the (charter revision) vote,” he said, “but because I wanted to keep Ray.”

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