Name: Richard J. Sullivan Jr. 

In a special election to fill the vacancy of Shawn Babine, James Benedict, Iver Carlsen and Richard Sullivan Jr. compete for a one-year term on the Town Council.

Name: Jim Benedict

Age: 62

Position seeking: Town Council

Address: 121 Burnham Road, Scarborough

Phone: 284-7500 (day) 409-2500 (night)

Occupation: No response

Marital status: Married

Spouse’s name: Claire

Children: Michelle, Keri-Ann, Jennifer

Highest level of education completed: college

Name and location of school or university last attended: Boston College-Chestnut Hill, Mass

Organizations and activities: Scarborough VIPS, Cert Team, Lions

Top three issues in order of priority:

1. Working harder on solutions to issues as oppose to placing on the back burner.

2. Business regulations for operation within Scarborough.

3. Tax issues.

Why are you seeking elected office? 

I have a lot to offer the town in knowledge and experience. I have been here for almost 10 years and operated a business for those 10 plus another 20 in Massachusetts. I still hold a commercial driver’s license, a no-restrictions contractor’s supervisor license and a Massachusetts septic inspector and Installers license. I have been an elected town meeting member as well as a town meeting attendee for 20-plus years. I would bring experience and solutions to the table to make the town run smoother and in conjunction with the changes we’ve seen in the last year or more, although not created here – however affecting here.

Name: Iver Carlsen    

Age: 58

Position seeking:  Town Council

Address: 64 Ocean Ave.

Phone: 321-8971

Occupation: no response

Marital status: Widower 

Children: Olaf, Autumn and Sebastian.

Highest level of education completed: B.S. in forestry, UNH; B.S. in education, USM, master’s degree, educational administration, USM.

Organizations and activities: Serve on Scarborough Community Services and Recreation Advisory Board, Conservation Commission and Maine healthy beaches water quality volunteer.

Prior political experience: Scarborough Conservation Commission, Scarborough Community Services and Recreation Advisory Board, Ad-Hoc Higgins Beach Parking Advisory Committee.

Top three issues in order of priority:

1. Economy: We are all feeling the pinch of this economic downturn. I will work to honor the 1,400 businesses in Scarborough and support growth that respects and protects our environment.                  

2. Education: Have excellent schools in Scarborough. I support educational funding that will keep our schools some of the best in the state in a way that respects the current economic challenges.                    

3. Environment: Scarborough values our natural resources that make it an attractive place to live. I will continue to work to preserve our green spaces and beaches.  

Why are you seeking elected office? 

Scarborough is a town to be proud of and I believe in participating in local government. I will listen to all sides and find solutions that are workable for Scarborough. With 20 years in the forest industry and 25 years in public education, I have a background that will bring a unique perspective to discussions/decisions that will impact the town in the future.          

Age: 45

Position seeking: Town Council

Address: 1 Sullivan Farm Road

Phone: 415-9210

Occupation: Portland firefighter, self-employed at RJ Sullivan Landscaping.

Marital status: Married  

Spouse’s name: Amanda E. Sullivan

Children: Newborn baby boy Sept. 14, Richard James III.

Highest level of education completed: Grade 14

Name and location of school or university last attended: The former SMVTI.

Organizations and activities: Member of Scarborough planning Board.

Top three issues in order of priority:

1. Controlling increases in property taxes

2. Wentworth Intermediate School 

3. Higgins Beach parking

Why are you seeking elected office? 

 I believe that there are creative ways to keep property tax increases to a minimum. With the financial mess that our state is in, it’s going to take real leadership to control property tax increases. I have a record of keeping tax increases to a minimum. 

 I am also deeply concerned over the health and well-being of the children attending Wentworth Intermediate School. I also attended Wentworth as a child, so I realize that the school is aging. I have the leadership needed to resolve the school’s air quality conditions and look toward the future needs of Wentworth, including possible replacement.

As an example, when serving my previous three-year term on the Town Council, an overcrowding problem arose at Wentworth Intermediate and Eight Corners schools. The voters of Scarborough had rejected a new school project, temporary classrooms were needed and support on the council was weak. After meeting with a school board member to actually discuss what would be needed to address the problem, I presented a favorable argument to the council, gaining the support needed to purchase the classrooms.

Scarborough is a growing and diverse town; many new businesses have arrived in town, neighborhoods have replaced fields of vegetables, historic houses have been replaced by banks, schools we once attended are now office buildings. As a councilor it helps to know the history of Scarborough, who we are as a town, what we have become and the proper direction to head in the future. 

Kerry Corthell and incumbents Judith Roy and Michael Wood vie for two, three-year terms on the town council. 

Name: Michael J. Wood

Age: 52 

Position seeking: Re-election to three-year Scarborough Town Council term.

Address: 6 Longmeadow Road

Phone: 883-8985 (home) 318-1609 (cell) 

Work: Employed 28 years with the Federal Aviation Administration. Currently an operational supervisor  – air traffic control.

Marital status: Married 27 years, Colleen, three daughters, 22, 19, 15 years old, who have all attended(ing) Scarborough Schools.

Highest level of education completed: Completed four years undergraduate study.

Name and location of school or university last attended: Graduated from S.U.N.Y at Brockport, N.Y. B.S in marketing/business administration.

Organizations and activities:  Active in various Scarborough committees.  Comprehensive Plan Committee - CPIC, Ordinance Committee, Plans and Policy Committee (chairman),  Town Council liaison to Scarborough Planning Board and Public Library. Member of St. Maximillian Church.

Top three issues in order of priority:

1. Continued balance of citizen needs with ability to pay, equating to reasonable tax rate.

2. Replacement/renovation of aging town/school infrastructure – Wentworth, Oak Hill fire/police, etc.

3. Zoning and related decision equating to attracting and maintaining high-quality employment.

In your own words, why are you seeking elected office?

I seek re-election for many reasons. I very much enjoy contributing to my town through active participation. Over the past 12 years I have served on numerous committees. I served on the Scarborough Planning Board for nine years, many as vice-chairman and chairman, during the town’s most rapid growth in memory. I believe that I offer a balanced, unemotional and considerate view on those issues that tend to be divisive such as business development/retention, zoning and budgeting. I am of the opinion that Scarborough will continue to be challenged over the next two to three years with reduced revenues. I would like to continue to be a part of the discussion to properly balance this reality with the essential needs of all citizens without lessening our quality of services delivered. My voting record on matters such as budgets, business development, and zoning have been consistent and speak to my passion and interest on these matters in ensuring Scarborough remains both an attractive place to live and do business.

Name: Judy Roy    

Age: 67

Position seeking: Town Council

Address: 6 Second Ave.

Phone: 883-6552 

Occupation: No response

Marital status: Single  

Children: none

Highest Level of education completed: Bachelor of Science in nursing, USM, 1982; Board Certified in Gerontological Nursing ANCC.

Organizations and activities: Mercy Hospital School of Nursing Alumni Association; Volunteer at Bessy Commons and Scarborough WOW luncheons doing blood pressure monitoring twice a month at each location.

Top three issues in order of priority:

1.Maintaining low tax rate while still providing needed services

2. Improving energy efficiency of all municipal buildings

3. Quality education at reasonable costs

Why are you seeking elected office? 

1. Want to give back to my community

2. Enjoy being part of planning for the future

3. Want to be sure that all ages are represented 

4. Want to be sure the past is not forgotten but incorporated into the future

Name: Kerry Corthell   Age: 58

Position seeking: Regular three-year term as Scarborough town councilor

Address:  1 Wedgewood St., Scarborough 

Phone: Home:  883-1502,  cell:  730-2161

Occupation: Unemployed technologist, entrepreneur in-the-making, volunteer 

Name and location of school or university last attended: Formal education history: graduated with two Bachelor of Science degrees in psychology and womens’ studies, Phi Beta Kappa and summa cum laude from Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio; some graduate school – courses in financial and managerial accounting, macro and micro economics at University of Southern Maine; American Bankers Association Trust Certificate; and Mortgage Bankers Regulatory Compliance I Certificate

Organizations and activities: Town of Scarborough Charter Review Committee – vice chairman, 2009-2010; Scarborough Economic Development Corp. Vision Implementation Committee, 2010; Maine Narrow Gauge Rail Road volunteer, 2010; Encore Leadership Corp Inaugural Class, 2010; Greater Portland United Way CA$H volunteer tax preparer, 2010; Portland History Docent Training Program, 2010; Equality Maine volunteer; Maine Women’s Fund volunteer; resource board member for WYSO Public Radio in Yellow Springs, Ohio; general volunteer for Public Radio – 1985-2009, Maine, Cleveland, and Dayton; Dayton Theatre Guild – board member and marketing manager, treasurer, database manager; play reading committee, newsletter editor, awards and recognition manager; Cleveland Public Theatre board member; Dobama Theatre board member, treasurer and newsletter editor; Freeport Housing Trust, board member and president; United Way volunteer; fundraising for Portland Symphony and Maine College of Art.

Prior political experience: This is my first run for elected office.  I have served on numerous boards and committees for decades, but came to believe that I could do more to sustain the good work of Scarborough and help improve how the town is governed by becoming a town councilor.

Top three issues in order of priority:

1.  Making fully informed, balanced and reasoned decisions, taking into consideration the interests of all parties involved in an issue/question/project. This includes adopting more proactive and inclusive processes of researching options and considerations (especially in construction/development) and more numerous and effective communications with Scarborough citizens

2. Prioritizing town budget items in an increasingly difficult economic environment

3. Protecting Scarborough’s unique natural resources, such as the marsh and Eastern Trail

Why are you seeking elected office? 

I want to bring my experience and skills honed in more than 20 years of financial services experience to the Town Council decision-making process.  As a trust administrator, senior business consultant and mortgage regulatory compliance officer, I was responsible for researching options, analyzing pros and cons or costs/benefits, identifying the solution that would take into consideration the needs of all parties involved in an issue, and then fully communicating results to diverse audiences. Making fully informed, balanced and reasoned decisions was always my goal.  

Scarborough must:

1. Balance the town’s need to promote business development with protecting our natural resources.

2. Prioritize town expenditures in an increasingly tough economic environment.

3. Interact more openly with citizens before making proposals or decisions and encourage citizen participation in identifying and prioritizing options.

4. Communicate more publicly and more often about all aspects of town operations and activities.

My ability to talk to all parties involved in an issue, hone in on the critical aspects for decision making and translating results to diverse constituencies, while balancing the needs and interests of all parties, makes me well-qualified to represent the citizens of Scarborough in town government.

As a member of the Town Council, I believe I can contribute to our community, in part, by helping to encourage greater citizen participation in and understanding of town decision making and by ensuring those decisions take into account the needs of all Scarborough citizens.