Ready To Serve

GOP presidential hopeful Mitt Romney and Biddeford Mayor Alan Casavant had at least on thing in common on Tuesday.

Both men showed their detractors that they are as tough as nails and more than ready for a political fight.

Although Casavant’s nomination of Michael Ready for the vacated Ward Seven council seat was approved by an unexpected 7-1 vote, it included more than 30 minutes of sometimes emotional and heated commentary.

The final outcome also caused a member of the city’s planning board to announce her resignation as a protest against what she described as nothing more than “political theater.”

But any lingering doubts about Casavant’s ability to move the council when needed quickly evaporated Tuesday.

Councilor Melissa Bednarowksi also proved she is more than willing to stand as the council’s lone voice of dissension.

At issue were two competing philosophies about who should be appointed to fill the council vacancy that was created last month when David Flood gave up his seat to again pursue a career as a newspaper publisher.

Bill Sexton was one of three candidates who actively campaigned for the seat in November, but finished in second place behind Flood.

Ready previously served on the council, and Casavant said Ready’s prior experience — especially since the council is facing the prospects of  a daunting budget debate — is what mattered.

Casavant remained steely eyed during the floor debate, signaling confidence in his ability to shore up the votes he needed.

But many of the councilors seemed torn, and at times appeared emotional and wavering with their decision.

“This is a tough situation,” said Councilor David Bourque, looking toward the audience, where both Ready and Sexton were seated with their family members. “It’s a tough spot for us to be in.”

Council President Rick Laverierre, however, said the council had a sworn obligation to uphold Casavant’s appointment unless they could offer a compelling reason why Ready should be disqualified from service.

“I, too, find myself in a quandary,” Laverierre explained. “But we need to remember we’re talking about the charter, and the charter is clear about how we should approach this.”

Councilor Roch Angers said he felt physically ill about the dilemma.

“I feel sick to my stomach for both of these men,” Angers said. “It should be the people saying how things go. We should be listening to the input of people from Ward Seven.”

Angers, who helped the mayor during last year’s campaign, then questioned Casavant directly, asking him if he would consider Sexton for nomination.

The mayor did not flinch. “I have a nomination on the table,” he replied curtly.

The tension in the room was palpable.

Councilor Richard Rhames voiced concerns about Ready’s appointment, reminding his fellow councilors that Ready was one of the “MERC 5,” a group of five city councilors who approved a controversial, five-year extension of the city’s contract with the Maine Energy Recovery Company in 2007.

Members of the public were equally divided on the issue. Sexton’s parents and his son all addressed the council, urging them to support Bill Sexton, but also praised Ready.

“Mike [Ready] is a nice man, but Mike didn’t run for the seat,” Sue Sexton told the council.

Sexton said she understood why Ready wants to help the city now, but reminded councilors that her son ran a hard campaign and went door-to-door, looking for votes and listening to residents’ concerns.

Bill Sexton also praised Ready, but had strong words for the mayor.

“The mayor knows nothing about me,” Sexton said. “He never called me. I have been referred to as a puppet, or maybe it’s because [I’m a Republican] or because I supported the casino. I don’t know, but I just want a shot at what I worked so hard for.”

Sexton closed his remarks by reminding Casavant of his mayoral campaign pledge to be a “positive, professional” mayor.

“I ran my own campaign in a positive, professional way,” Sexton said. “This should be about what’s best for the city. The charter gives you the power to appoint but that does not mean you should just pick your friends.”

Judy Neveaux, a resident who also worked on Casavant’s campaign, reminded the council that Casavant was supported by an overwhelming margin of voters in November.

“The people clearly trust this mayor to do what is right for our city,” she said. “I think it’s important to let the mayor do his job.”

Although the comments were often tense and sometimes pointed, resident Ron Peaker brought the evening to an all-time low by accusing Flood of being “dishonest” about his intentions during the campaign.

Bill Sexton later denounced Peaker’s remarks, calling them “inappropriate and pure speculation.”

Just moments after Ready was sworn in by City Clerk Carmen Morris, Sue Sexton asked the mayor if she could approach the podium. She thanked Ready for his willingness to serve and wished him well.

Sue Sexton told All Along the Watchtower that she would be resigning her seat from the Planning Board as a protest to Casavant’s appointment.

“Despite all the things he said during his campaign, it has become painfully honest that our new mayor is just playing political favorites,” she said.