NEWS | Biddeford’s charter review commission begins its work

Members hope to tackle a wide variety of topics and ideas, including the possibility of staggered terms for the city council, discussing the responsibilities of the city manager and how the city handles its annual budget process.

By RANDY SEAVER | Editor

After being elected in June – and with very little fanfare — the newly-elected members of Biddeford’s Charter Review Commission held their first meeting on Thursday and began discussing how they want to proceed in reviewing the city’s charter and presenting recommended changes to the public early next year.

As is typically the case, there were only a handful of citizens who attended the public meeting, which was not a surprise to former city councilors Michael Swanton, Richard Rhames and Bob Mills who all chose to serve on the latest charter commission.

“In reality, there are probably only nine people who actually care about the process of the charter review commission; and those are the nine members of the Charter Review Commission,” quipped Swanton.

**THE NEW CHARTER REVIEW COMMISSION** began its work on Thursday, July 16.

. . .

Swanton, known to be a fiscal conservative during his terms on the city council, said he ran for the commission because he wanted to offer stability to the process.

“I ran for charter commission because I think it is a sound document that needs minor tweaking,” Swanton said. “I also wanted to keep a close eye on the proceedings to make sure no radical changes are made to the existing charter.”

Ward Seven resident Sam Pecor offered a much different perspective when asked why he chose to serve on the charter commission.

Pecor said he considers the commission’s work to be more important than simply updating language.

Pecor has been one of the most outspoken voices about the importance of reviewing the charter and considering substantive changes, most notably in how the city’s government is currently structured.

“Biddeford’s charter never fully resolved the transition from a strong-mayor system to one built around professional city management,” Pecor said. “It still gives the mayor substantial executive authority while also making the city manager responsible for the day-to-day administration of the city and answerable to both the mayor and council.”

Pecor said that system creates confusion and muddies the lines of responsibility and accountability, an issue that became a centerpiece of public conversation when former City Manager Truc Dever abruptly resigned after only nine months on the job in April.

Rhames — who has been closely involved in the city’s political landscape for nearly 40 years – said he is troubled by the entire concept of having a professional city manager who is not elected by voters, essentially running the city and developing its annual budget.

Rhames said former mayor James Grattelo pushed the idea of a city manager more than 30 years ago in order to push a specific agenda by skirting a democratic process without accountability to the city’s voters.

“Having a city manager was a mistake, and we’ve seen where that leads us,” Rhames said, pointing to the controversy and ensuing legal problems that were left in the wake of Jim Bennett’s 10-year reign as city manager from 2015 to 2025.

Following increasing public pressure and revelations of internal problems at City Hall, Bennett was fired in February 2025 – two months before his planned retirement that he offered reluctantly just weeks before.

Rhames agreed with Swanton and said there is typically little public interest in the charter review process.

“This commission is writing
the rules for how our
city may be governed
for the next generation.”
— Sam Pecor, vice chair

Each of the seven elected members of the nine-member commission were unopposed on the ballot. The mayor appoints two members who join the other members who each represent one of the city’s seven voting wards.

On Thursday, members selected former city council president Norman Belanger to serve as the group’s chairman. Pecor was chosen as vice chair; and Steve Ellis – one of Mayor Liam LaFountain’s two appointees – was named as secretary.

Both Belanger and Ellis were unavailable for comment at press time.

For Mills, this is his second time serving on the charter review commission.

Mills served on a charter review commission in 2005.

“It’s important work that goes largely unnoticed,” Mills said of the charter review commission.

Mills said he would like to see the commission tackle several items, including the possibility of instituting staggered terms for the city council; and examining whether compensation for the mayor, city council and school committee should be outlined by the charter or controlled through ordinance changes at the council level.

But one of Mills biggest pet peeves is how the city handles its annual budget process.

Mills was also elected in June to serve another term as York County’s treasurer, and he described the city’s budget process as a “circus-type” event that bogs down the process.

Mills envisions a return to having a budget committee of selected councilors work through all the details and then make a recommendation for passage to the full city council.

“Doing it that way could really streamline the process, and reduce a lot of the headaches and all the drama that typically accompanies the budget process,” Mills said.

Pecor said he is hoping to increase public engagement as the charter review commission begins digging into and debating specific issues.

“I think each commissioner should act as an ambassador and reach the people and groups they are best positioned to engage,” Pecor said. “ [We] should directly engage organizations such as Heart of Biddeford, faith groups, the business community, nonprofits, neighborhood groups, and, of course, local journalists.

“We should not simply schedule public hearings and expect people to find their own way into the process,” he added. “This commission is writing the rules for how our city may be governed for the next generation. We have a bright group on this commission, and I’m looking forward to digging into the work with them.”

It has been more than 10 years since the city’s charter was updated.

The city’s charter is somewhat similar to the United States Constitution. The charter outlines how the city’s government is structured and operates.

State law requires that if any changes are to be made to the city’s charter, a charter review commission must be created to review the charter and propose revisions for voters to decide.

The commission is required to hold a public hearing to gather input from citizens within 30 days of their first official meeting.

The Charter Revision Commission has nine months to work on their recommendations and must then submit a preliminary report to the city council. The city council will then hold a public hearing to gather input on the recommendations and vote to approve ballot questions.

The Charter Review Commission includes seven elected members; Michael Swanton, Ward One; Scott Whiting Ward Two; Richard Rhames, Ward Three; Bob Mills, Ward Four; Cat Bates, Ward Five; Norman Belanger, Ward Six, and Samuel Pecor, Ward Seven. LaFountain appointed Elyse Oliver and Steven Ellis to the Commission.

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