Alna Second Selectman Jonathan Villeneuve announced that he would not be seeking a third term at the selectmen’s meeting Thursday, Jan. 15. “It’s been the worst-kept secret in town,” Villeneuve said at the meeting. “Now I’m saying it officially: I’m not running.”
Villeneuve cited work obligations as his major reason for not seeking a second term. Villeneuve works as account manager for Athenahealth. “It’s been four years and I’ve enjoyed it,” Villeneuve said, “but work is really busy. Sometimes it gets to be too much.”
Villeneuve said bringing cable to Alna was one of the highlights of his term as second selectman. In 2012, Alna was awarded a ConnectME grant that provided homes in southwest Alna with broadband access.
Villeneuve said that school choice and Alna’s bid policy were his “soap box issues.” In 2010, Alna selectmen adopted a bid policy that required town projects over $3,000 to go out to bid.
The development of the bid policy was controversial. According to The Lincoln County News archives, the policy was developed in response to allegations of conflicts of interest in contract awards to private companies.
“After four years of fighting over it, I think the bid policy has worked well,” Villeneuve said. “We came up with a reasonable bid policy that has saved the town thousands. I’d hate to see it rolled back.”
While Villeneuve does not plan to run for another term, he said he and his wife will be voting. He encouraged all voters in Alna to ask where candidates stand on school choice and the town’s bid policy.
“I just hope the folks that sit here next year are pro-school choice and support the bid policy,” Villeneuve said.
Also at the Jan. 15 meeting, selectmen approved sending a letter, drafted by Reingardt, to companies that received a multiyear contract from Alna in 2014.
The letter stated that a single warrant article would be prepared for the town meeting to ratify the contracts, which include the snowplowing, mowing, and auditor contracts. If the article is not passed, the letter stated, the contracts would be null and void.
The letter follows the receipt of a legal opinion from the Maine Municipal Association that the town cannot enter into contracts of more than a year without voter approval.