Heavy voting expected in three Valley towns

Residents of three St. John Valley towns – Madawaska, Van Buren and Eagle Lake – will elect municipal officials Tuesday, June 13, during primary election day.

In those communities, voting is expected to be heavier than in towns where only state and federal elections are on the ballot. Most state and federal elections ballots carry few battles to bring voters to the polls.

In both Van Buren and Madawaska, a large number of candidates has come forward for seats on the local school boards. Madawaska has six people seeking two seats on the Madawaska Superintending School Committee, and Van Buren has five candidates seeking two Van Buren seats on the SAD 24 board of directors.

Van Buren also has four people seeking two three-year seats on the Town Council.

Madawaska

In Madawaska, a more than yearlong controversy in the Madawaska School Department has concerned residents wanting to get involved. In the past 24 months, the school department has hired a superintendent, who has resigned, and an interim superintendent, who also resigned but has since decided to stay through the election.

In the Madawaska Superintending School Committee race, incumbent chairman James Lavertu is seeking re-election. Pierette Soucy, the other incumbent, is not seeking re-election.

Opposing Lavertu are Paul Cyr, a retired federal employee who has been confronting school administration actions for the past 18 months; Roseanne Gendreau, a former teacher in the system; Yves Dube and Dale Danie, employees of Fraser Papers Inc.; and Roger Thibodeau, a retired Fraser employee.

On the municipal side of government, the Madawaska Board of Selectmen, which started working with a new town manager last week, has two three-year positions to be filled.

Paul Fongemie is finishing a one-year term on the board. He is the only person who has submitted nomination papers for one of the two open positions. Michael Violette, the other incumbent who was chairman of the board the past year and who was also a candidate for the town manager’s position, is not seeking re-election to his seat.

Elections in Madawaska will be held 9 a.m.-8 p.m. at the Knights of Columbus Hall. The annual town meeting, during which residents vote on the town and school budgets, will be held at 7 p.m. Tuesday, June 20, at Madawaska High School cafeteria.

Van Buren

Elections will be held 9 a.m.-8 p.m. at the Community Center. The annual town meeting will be held at 7 p.m., Wednesday, June 14, at the high school auditorium.

The Town Council seats held by Jimmy Don Madore and Robert Learnard have been termed out. Four men are seeking the two three-year seats. They are Charles Clarke, Alyre Levesque Jr., Theodore M. Smith and Fernand L. Thibodeau.

There also are three seats open on the SAD 24 school board. The three-year seats are sought by Donald J. Cyr, Larry Vaillancourt, Peter G. Violette, Steve Doucette and William J. Smith.

Rachel Saucier-Ouellette is unopposed for a one-year term as town clerk, presently held by Kathleen Cyr. After 40 years on the job, Cyr will retire during the coming year.

Residents also will get to vote for unopposed nominees: Sheila Madore-Canon for a five-year seat on the Van Buren Hospital board of trustees; Ronald J. Madore for a three-year seat on the Van Buren Light and Power board of trustees; and John R. Cyr for a three-year seat on the Van Buren Water District board.

Eagle Lake

Residents need to elect two selectmen for three-year terms. Seeking the seats are incumbents Tom Roy and Paul Soucy, opposed by Brette Labbe.

John L. Martin is unopposed for another three-year term on the SAD 27 board of directors.

Elections will be held 9 a.m.-8 p.m. Tuesday at the town office. The annual town meeting will be held at 7 p.m. Monday, June 19, at the Eagle Lake Elementary School.