BRUNSWICK

On topics ranging from train sheds to zoning to the town manager, five hopefuls for Brunswick’s town council sounded off during a candidate forum on Thursday.

Incumbent Gerald Favreau and challenger Daniel Harris, candidates for District 5, which borders the Cook’s Corner area, differed sharply on how to attract new business to Brunswick.

Favreau said he supported using Tax Increment Financing as an incentive to spur business to the area.

“We need to reignite Cook’s Corner. A TIF will open the door for business to come in and provide jobs,” said Favreau.

Favreau and Councilor David Watson have been in discussions with developers in establishing a TIF in the area. Their plans also include the construction of a new connector road in the area.

“I’m absolutely opposed to using public funds to build a road in Cook’s Corner,” said Harris.

The developers, Harris said, are “big boys.”

“They can build their own road,” Harris said. “It’s a matter of fairness.”

According to Favreau, the town has lost $80,000 in taxes because of empty stores at Cook’s Corner.

Schools

Education, said at-large candidate Kathy Wilson, cannot come at the expense of senior citizens who may be taxed out of town.

“I do think the school budget is a little out of control,” said Wilson.

The school board, Harris said, needs a push in order to become more financially solid.

“From what I’ve seen, they are not very financially sophisticated,” said Harris. “I think they need some help.”

The board’s inability to make a final decision on future building programs, Harris said, “shows they really don’t know what they’re doing.”

Harris said it was “imprudent” to build a new school rather than renovate the former Jordan Acres school, which was closed due to a structural deficiency. He also warned against following the advice of architects whom he said would “prefer to build a building” instead of renovating Jordan Acres “because he gets a bigger fee.”

Train shed

The candidates agreed that the council now has little control over whether a giant maintenance shed for Downeaster trains ought to be built in the West Brunswick neighborhood, but many agreed the industrial shed is not something they would like to see in their own neighborhoods.

“I do not think ‘NIMBY’ is a bad word,” said District 7 incumbent Sarah Brayman, the current vice chairwoman who is running unopposed. Brayman was referring to the “Not In My Back Yard” acronym that’s often viewed in a negative light. “I would not want that in my backyard.”

Harris said the town would have a “strong obligation to mitigate the harm” to the West Brunswick neighborhood.

Wilson’s opponent, John Portela, reiterated his view that the shed will mean construction jobs and that, once completed, will mitigate noise and vibrations of locomotives now idling in the area.

“I believe it is a state and fed issue,” Portela said. “I believe train service in Brunswick is something most citizens in Brunswick embrace.”

Town manager

The current council just recently voted to enter into negotiations with Interim Town Manager John Eldridge in order to make Eldridge the permanent manager. Candidates showed some differences in how the relationship between the council and manager should work.

Harris said he has found that town managers almost become policy originators, “and the councils tend to go along because they don’t have all the facts at their fingertips.”

Portela said that it will take trust, respect and communication between the council and manager. “It’s not the board’s responsibility to engage in day-to-day management of the town,” Portela said. “That’s why we hire a town manager.”

“It’s not our job to run his job,” said Wilson. “I don’t believe in micromanaging.”

Zoning

Harris said he disagreed with a draft rewrite of the zoning ordinance that called for increased densities, and that “my concern is for the single-family neighborhoods in town.”

“I don’t think increases in density is a bad thing,” said Brayman, noting that many people are downsizing their living space. “We need to grow or die. We need to change with the times.” Brayman did say she was concerned that some projects that have previously come before the planning board will instead go before staff review, under the draft rewrite.

Portela noted that the rewrite was complex, and that there was a need to preserve multi-family units in the town center. “We also have to look at zoning that will attract business without giving away the farm,” Portella said.

The forum, sponsored by the Brunswick Area League of Women’s Voters, was moderated by District 60 state Rep. Andrew Mason of Topsham. A second forum, sponsored by the Brunswick Downtown Association, will be held on Oct. 30.

jswinconeck@timesrecord.com

THE CANDIDATE FORUM ON THURSDAY, sponsored by the Brunswick Area League of Women’s Voters, was moderated by District 60 state Rep. Andrew Mason of Topsham. A second candidate forum, sponsored by the Brunswick Downtown Association, will be held on Thursday, Oct. 30.