An incumbent, two former town councilors and a political newcomer are seeking two seats on the Standish Town Council as voters take to the polls next month.

Gregory LeClerc, seeking reelection to the Area 1 seat, is challenged by Philip Pomerleau, a business owner and no stranger to local politics. Pomerleau served as town councilor in the past for a total of 16 years, is a member of the town Planning Board and says through other appointments and committees he has attended more than 900 meetings in Standish.

Gregory LeClerc

LeClerc

Age: 38
Family: Single
Education: Bachelor’s degree in biology, University of Maine; master’s degree in real estate, Georgetown University; Juris Doctorate, University of Maine School of Law
Occupation: Attorney, small business owner
Political/civic experience: Town councilor for three years; board member, vice president and volunteer, Standish Food Pantry
Website/social media: facebook.com/G4Standish

Benjamin Macri

Macri

Age: 47
Family: Married, three children
Education: Bachelor’s degree in mathematics with a minor in computer science, California State University, Sacramento
Occupation: Software engineer
Political/civic experience: Volunteer soccer, baseball, Gaelic football coach; volunteer, 4H; seven-year volunteer and member of board of directors, Schoolhouse Arts Center
Website/social media: macriforstandish@gmail.com, facebook.com/ben.macri

Philip Pomerleau

Pomerleau

Age: 69
Family: Married, five children, nine grandchildren, three great-grandchildren
Education: Sacopee Valley High School; six years, Air National Guard
Occupation: Owner, Maine-ly Heating Oil, Standish Auto & Trailer and Roadway Trailer MFG
Political/civic experience: 2011 Standish Eco Excellence Award for outstanding preservation by ecomaine; Standish town councilor, 16 years; Standish Budget Committee 2015-2018; Standish Planning Board, 2018-present; Route 113 Corridor Commission council representative, 10 years; Standish Capital Improvements, 16 years with 14 years as chairman
Website/social media: None

Greg Sirpis

Sirpis

Age: 61
Family: Divorced, two nieces who are like his daughters
Education: Marketing and brand management
Occupation: Banker
Political/civic experience: Chairman, Standish Republican Committee; former town councilor
Website/social media: gregsirpis.com

Benjamin Macri and Greg Sirpis are running for an at-large seat. Macri, a software engineer with no previous political experience, has volunteered locally as an athletic coach, with 4H and as a member of the board of directors of the Schoolhouse Arts Center. Sirpis is a banker who also serves as chairman of the Standish Republican Committee.

LeClerc pledges to hear and listen to public concerns, citing dialogue as something Standish sorely needs right now.

“After the year we’ve all been through, it’s more important than ever that we come together as a community and listen to each other,” he said. “The Town Council, in large part, has been missing the most important thing when it comes to making decisions: input from the Standish community. If we do this, we will move Standish forward.”

Pomerleau said he would not support a townwide revaluation given the recent spikes in property values over the past year. He also said he was a strong supporter of business, particularly small businesses in town.

“As an advocate for small businesses, Standish needs to focus on supporting small businesses working from the ground up,” he said. “We need to mentor local inventors, dreamers and innovators. Standish needs to let start up businesses know we are open for business.”

Macri said he has lived in Standish for 20 years and sees a need to get the public more involved in the Town Council’s work.

“What I would like to do is help increase getting information out to people by writing up what is happening in a neutral way and in simple terms,” he said. “For example, posting in the Standish Maine Community Page on Facebook can be a great way to let people know what is going on. If something is of interest to them, they can come to the meetings and let their voice be heard.”

Sirpis, who said he has been involved with community service since he was a teenager, listed public safety, taxes and the school budget as the biggest challenges facing the town.

“We need to take a long look at future expansion and growth, how are we going to plan for the future, i.e. traffic congestion,” he said. “I stand for what I believe in, I care about the future of our town and I want to leave it better than we found it.”

In-person voting will take place from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. June 8 at the Public Safety Department vehicle bays at the Standish Municipal Center, 175 Northeast Road. Absentee ballots and absentee voting information can obtained at the town clerk’s office.