Selectmen officially notify governor of legislative seat opening

FARMINGTON – Selectmen unanimously approved informing the governor’s office that the District 89 representative seat is now vacant, setting the special election process in motion.

The seat in question was most recently filled by Rep. Janet Mills (D – Farmington) who was then recently elected by the state Legislature to serve as attorney general. District 89 consists of Farmington and Industry. According to law, either community’s municipal officers could notify Governor John Baldacci of the vacancy and request a special election.

Selectmen included in their motion a recommendation for an election date of Jan. 22. Voters in Farmington will already be heading to the polls that day, to vote on whether or not to build a new facility on the current W.G. Mallett Elementary School campus.

Those present were uncertain as to exactly how long setting up the process at the state level would take, and that Jan. 22 date remains merely a local suggestion. A special election, Town Manager Richard Davis noted, costs $350 to conduct.

Typically in a special election, political parties caucus and put forward candidates to appear on the ballot. At least two individuals have already expressed interest in filling Mills’ seat; Dennis Haszko, a democrat and patent agent of Farmington; and Lance Harvell of Farmington, a republican and employee of Verso Paper. Harvell previously ran against Mills three times, in sometimes hotly-contested races.

The board of selectmen also heard a report from Foothills Management owner Bill Marceau, outlining his plans of the warehouse and parking lot behind the former Howard’s Rexall building on Main Street.

Those plans were also presented to the planning board Monday evening. An account of that meeting can be found here.

Marceau, who owns the property in question, intends to reserve a number of spaces behind the former Howard’s Rexall and around that warehouse for use by his tenants. Davis noted that many members of the public may have the impression that those spaces belonged to the town, and that was not the case.

“The town leased those spaces from the Witt brothers [owners of Howard’s Rexall] for a number of years,” Davis said, noting that lease had eventually expired and that the parking was now entirely owned and controlled by Foothills Management. “The public should be aware that there could be some changes.”

These changes could include an elimination of the “drive-thru” passage in the warehouse itself, which Marceau intends to convert for commercial and residential use, and the installation of a fence and some signage reserving spaces to the east and west of that building.

“I hear a roar, and I think its an uproar,” Selectman Nancy Porter said, saying she had heard complaints over the proposal from residents. “But it’s his land and he can do what he wants.”

Selectman Chair Stephan Bunker agreed, thanking Marceau for making people aware of his proposals.

“This is your space,” Bunker said.

Marceau noted that a parking problem was not the worst sort plaguing downtown areas across the state, as the Farmington area continues to grow and expand despite harsh economic predictions nationally. Marceau said he hoped that the issue would spark a debate over a parking garage-like project, in which he supports its development.

“There are many other communities that would love to have a parking problem,” he said.

Editor’s Note: Revised to correct Haszko’s profession as “patent agent” rather than “patent attorney.”