2 candidates compete for open seat on Orono Town Council

Orono residents will need to choose one candidate to hold a seat on the Town Council for a single year.
Newcomers James Gerety and Andrea Hardison are vying to finish councilor Sonja Birthisel’s three-year term on the Orono Town Council, which expires in 2025.
Residents can vote on Election Day, Nov. 5, at the Collins Center for the Arts on the University of Maine Orono campus. The polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Voters can request absentee ballots online or by calling or visiting the town office, until Thursday, Oct. 31. The town will also host an in-person absentee voting and voter registration day at the Collins Center for the Arts on Oct. 30 from 9 a.m to 4 p.m., according to the town’s website.  
Further details on how residents can vote, register to vote, request an absentee ballot and what will be on the ballot are available on the town’s website.
The candidates are listed in the order they appear on the ballot.
James Gerety moved to Orono with his family in 1965, attended Orono schools, and later graduated from the University of Maine Orono.
Gerety left Orono after graduating in 1979, but moved back in 2003 after his parents died. He served in the U.S. Navy for 23 years until he retired as a Commander, and also worked in retail and property management in Bangor before retiring in 2018.
Though he has previously been involved in local organizations including the Bangor Region YMCA, Bangor Region Chamber of Commerce and the Orono Historical Society, this is his first time running for public office.
After considering running for Town Council for many years, Gerety decided to do it now because “this happened to be a good time and I’m interested in some of the issues currently facing the council.”
Namely, Gerety is interested in the future of the Route 2 Corridor project, which aims to reduce congestion and improve safety along a stretch of the road that cuts through the town.
“That is going to be an important issue and I’ll hopefully get the opportunity to continue to comment on it and work with the council to ensure we get what the residents want and need,” he said.
Additionally, Gerety said he’s interested in enhancing the development of local business opportunities, expanding housing to welcome more residents, and working on the annual town budget and holding expenses steady so residents don’t see constant tax increases.
Above all, Gerety said it’s important for a town councilor to be accessible to and communicative with residents.
“The council is an advisory group that listens to residents,” Gerety said. “Bringing forth concerns from residents, getting them on agendas and discussing them is important to me.”
If elected, Gerety said he would consider running to keep the position for a full three-year term next year.
Hardison attended the University of Maine Orono and purchased a home in the town in 1997. She now works as a mortgage loan processor.
Though she has considered it for several years, Hardison has never run for public office. She decided to run for Town Council now because she wants “a chance to try, learn and do my best for everybody.”
If elected, Hardison said she’d first learn what the council is working on now, then ensure the town is pursuing grants. She would also run for reelection next year to hold the position for another term.
“I think taking the seat for one year gives you a starting point, but if you don’t carry it forward, how much impact can you have?” Hardison said.
If elected, Hardison said she’s interested in assisting with the ongoing Route 2 Corridor project and would like to see the town make more decisions on the project.
“There have been lots of reports and community meetings and I feel it’s time to start making decisions so the project can move forward,” she said.
Additionally, Hardison said she’d focus on ensuring residents continue to receive the same services they expect, and the town has the necessary staff to provide them, while keeping taxes affordable.
Hardison would also like to create a neighborhood awareness program that connects long-term and school-year residents to improve communication and reduce conflicts between them.
Lastly, Hardison said she’d like Orono to maintain its sense of community where all residents have the opportunity to be included in town decisions, projects and activities. She’d also like to see community projects and services to return, such as blood pressure clinics firefighters previously held for Orono’s older residents.
“Orono has been my home for so long and I think I have a responsibility to step up and be a voice for the town and help make decisions for the future,” Hardison said. “I want to listen to both sides, weigh all the options and make a decision based on common sense, not personal interest.”