With the debate around the rezoning of Five Star Industrial Park still unresolved and budgets expected to be as tight as ever, Westbrook city councilors could be faced with some tough decisions as soon as they take office.

Five of the seven seats on the council will be decided through contested races.

In Ward 2, two newcomers - David Tapley, a Republican, and Victor Chau, a Democrat, - will face off to fill the seat. Local business owner James Tranchemontagne, a Republican, has stepped up to challenge Democratic incumbent Dotty Aube for the Ward 4 seat. Ward 5's incumbent, Democrat Suzanne Joyce, will vie for the seat against former City Councilor Al Juniewicz.

Three candidates are vying for the council's two at-large seats. Democrat Michael Lawson has joined the race alongside incumbents Michael Foley, a Democrat, and John O'Hara, a Republican.

For the two uncontested races, Democrat Brendan Rielly, the council's current president, is running again in Ward 1, and Paul Emery, a Planning Board member, will be unopposed in Ward 3.

WARD 2

David Tapley

Looking back at the nearly four decades he's lived in Westbrook, David Tapley said he'd like to see the city regain the community feel he remembers growing up.

Tapley, a Republican, who lives on Dale Avenue, recently became active in Westbrook politics, offering his opinion on a variety of topics in front of the City Council. However, he said, as the election season approached he realized he'd "have more effect on the other side of the podium."

A husband and father of two young children, Tapley, 40, attended Westbrook schools and is working as cardiovascular technician at Maine Medical Center, while pursuing a nursing degree at the University of Southern Maine.

A member of the Recreation and Conservation Committee and the Parks, Recreation and Open Space Committee, Tapley would like to see more interconnected trails in Westbrook, including an extension of the Riverwalk to the other side of the Presumpscot.

"People are really wanting that. It's something that we need," he said.

With more family-friendly recreational features, Tapley believes the city will become more attractive to new businesses.

Though Tapley originally supported Pike in its effort to oppose the rezoning of Five Star Industrial Park, he said, after doing his research, he's decided that the change in zoning is a good thing for the city.

In terms of dealing with a tight budget this year, Tapley said he hopes the people of Westbrook will ask themselves what they can do to help, as far as volunteering or, for city employees, forgoing wage increases.

"Maybe I'm an extreme optimist," Tapley said, but he's always been impressed by the people of Westbrook. That's why he'd like to see more events like Together Days, to bring neighbors together.

Victor Chau

A real estate broker, Victor Chau said whenever he sells a condo he advises the buyer to get on the condominium association board. Finally, he said, he's decided to take his own advice.

Chau, who's lived in Westbrook for about four years, first became aware that he'd like a say in what goes on in his city when he saw lots being cleared for four new houses near his home on Dale Avenue.

"I'd been living in a bubble. Nothing really bothered me, but now I have two kids, and that's 15 extra cars on my street. I felt I owed it to my kids to wake up," said Chau, who lives with his wife Karen and their 2-year-old son and 8-month-old daughter.

A Democrat, Chau, 36, graduated from Deering High School and holds bachelor's degrees in biology and computer science from the University of Southern Maine. He works for Assist-2-Sell Home Team Advantage in Saco.

"I want to be a councilor for the people, by the people," Chau said. "I want to be the guy that listens and does something when there is a problem."

From what he's heard on the campaign trail, that means supporting the rezoning of Pike's property. But a secondary benefit of rezoning the land - the potential for Idexx to continue expanding in Westbrook - is another important issue for Chau.

"I'll be working with them, whether they like it or not," said Chau, who, over time, would like to try to get other companies similar to Idexx to relocate in Westbrook.

But before that revenue comes in, Chau said the council "needs to use an X-Acto knife" to go through the coming year's budget in order to keep taxes down.

"Something's got to be done and we've all got to work together," he said.

WARD 4

Dotty Aube

Though commuter traffic through Westbrook could be seen as a nuisance, Dotty Aube thinks the city needs to focus on taking advantage of all the people passing through the downtown on a daily basis.

Finishing her second term on the council, Aube, a Democrat, is the chairwoman of the Growth and Traffic Committee.

"Definitely downtown should be the focus," Aube said about economic development in the city's near future. She said she'd like to see Westbrook become more of a walkable city.

Another area that could attract new business to the city, Aube said, is the Five Star Industrial Park. Because of that, she's "leaning toward approving the zone change" from industrial to light manufacturing. She said she's also taken into consideration the fact that the change would lessen the impact Pike's blasting has on residents of the Birdland neighborhood.

A lifelong resident of Westbrook, Aube, 46, is a graduate of the Mercy Hospital School of Nursing. She lives on Brown Street and works as a nurse in the children's psychiatric unit at Spring Harbor Hospital.

"I just want to continue to help people in my ward, and represent all of the people in my ward," said Aube, who helped start the Frenchtown Community Association.

Promoting a high level of education is important to Aube, and, thinking ahead to this year's budget, making sure the schools maintain that level of education will be important to her. But she doesn't think the school department's expenses should be exempt from a hard look by city officials.

"It's going to be tough, because I think we're pretty tight now," said Aube, but added that she'd rather look at "places we can shave in all areas" than making big cuts to any one department.

James Tranchemontagne

In recent years, the City Council has lacked the voice of a small business owner, and that's something James Tranchemontagne thinks is sorely needed.

President of Seacoast Investments, which owns the two-year-old Frog and Turtle restaurant on Bridge Street, Tranchemontagne, 35, and his wife Heidi have been residents of Westbrook for the past five years. With their 4-year-old son, they live on Cole Street.

A graduate of Sanford High School, Tranchemontagne, a Republican, has served on the Mission Possible board for the past year, during which time he's also gotten more involved in Westbrook politics.

Tranchemontagne said he favors rezoning Five Star Industrial Park because of the number and variety of jobs it could bring to Westbrook.

"I feel like Idexx is the new S.D. Warren," he said.

For the revitalization of the city's downtown, Tranchemontagne said he thinks more restaurants and shops need to be open past 5 p.m. to make Main Street viable. He believes the city would be in a better position to attract those types of businesses if there were other features bringing in shoppers in from outside Westbrook.

Tranchemontagne thinks organizing a high-quality farmers market at Riverbank Park, with local food and Maine-made items, could be the answer.

When budget season rolls around, Tranchemontagne believes "every area of the budget can be improved without hurting services or jobs." As a business owner, he said, he knows the importance of coming up with "cost-cutting ideas to help your bottom line."

He also believes the city's expenditures need to be more transparent and would like to see its checkbook registry available online, so "everyone can see every check that's passed through."

WARD 5

Suzanne Joyce

With many local and national issues in flux, Suzanne Joyce said she'd like to continue being one of the city's decision makers.

"We've had so many issues in front of us and have so many issues still ahead of us," Joyce said, listing a new superintendent, the rezoning of Five Star Industrial Park and the challenging economy among them.

A graduate of South Portland High School, Joyce, 47, lives on Hardy Road with her husband Joe and their two teenagers. Joyce, an account executive with Norton Insurance in Cumberland, has lived in the city for more than 20 years and has been on the council for more than six. She's a longtime member and former vice president of the Westbrook Chamber of Commerce and is the chief organizer for Halloween on Main Street.

Joyce, a Democrat, said she's "very torn" on the debate regarding the rezoning of Five Star Industrial Park, but said she's heard from a lot of constituents who support Pike's right to expand.

"I have empathy for Pike, who has been there for a very long time. Idexx, however, is the direction we want to take on what we want to see come into Westbrook," she said. "It's not a yes-or-no question right now."

Chairwoman of the council's Economic Committee, Joyce said she thinks the downtown has been headed in the right direction, but there are more opportunities for development.

Joyce said she thinks the greatest issue facing the city is the challenge of keeping taxes down. She said she's a strong supporter of consolidation and working with the school department and other towns to share positions and services.

Joyce said she believes she's been an approachable councilor, because people constantly come her with their issues and concerns.

"I know what's happening in the community. There's no doubt about that," she said.

Al Juniewicz

When Al Juniewicz saw there was no one running on the Republican ticket for Ward 5 councilor, he knew something had to be done.

"I truly believe if we're going to have a citizen's government and a democracy we have to have people who are willing to serve and give people a choice," said Juniewicz, who is a former city councilor, former president of the Greater Portland Council of Governments and the current co-chairman of the Wescott Junior High School Reuse Committee.

Juniewicz, 79, is a real estate broker and retired educator, who taught at Portland and Scarborough schools before becoming principal of Scarborough High School. He's a graduate of Westbrook High School and Gorham State Teacher's College. A Republican, he lives on Running Brook Road with his wife Kit, and they have two grown daughters and two grandchildren.

If he had to vote today, Juniewicz said, he would support a zone change at Five Star Industrial Park, primarily for the benefit of the people who live in the area and oppose Pike's expansion. However, he said, he is still gathering information about the issue.

If elected, Juniewicz said he'd be looking to the city's economic development director for "vibrant ideas" to bring new businesses to Westbrook and would maintain an awareness of what he is working on.

Juniewicz would like the council to review every department's budget once a month.

"We need to stay right on top of it as a council," he said.

Around budget time, he said, the council will have to be "extremely diligent about any expense or programs or anything that costs money." Maintain a balanced budget tops Juniewicz's priorities for the city.

AT LARGE

John O'Hara

Designating a recreational area in Ward 5, constructing a parking garage downtown and creating student housing for University of Southern Maine students in Westbrook are some of the efforts John O'Hara would like to see move forward in the near future.

A city councilor for the past 12 years, O'Hara, a Republican, lives on Cottage Place with his wife Judy, and they have three teenage children. Chairman of the committee that led the construction of the city's new middle school, O'Hara, a Cheverus High School graduate, is the facilities director for the Portland International Jetport.

O'Hara is a strong supporter of rezoning Five Star Industrial Park and believes the city's objective has and should continue to be to bring businesses there with "the jobs that are going to pay higher than average livable wage."

In the city's downtown, O'Hara would like to see an office building and parking garage built at Saccarappa Park. He'd also like to see floors added to the single-story buildings on Main Street, in order to create residential space that would "bring critical mass to our downtown."

As budget season approaches, O'Hara said the "key right now is to just hold on to what you have." Though he doesn't think it would be appropriate for any department to expand, he said it's important make sure essential services stay intact, "so when times do change we don't have to rebuild our programs that people want."

O'Hara said he thinks the city needs to stay in continued contact with Sappi mill officials and would like to see some of its nearly 200 acres of industrial land "back on the free market tax rolls."

After more than a decade, O'Hara said, he's not ready to step away from serving his city.

"I still love the job. I love the community," he said.

Michael Foley

Streamlining the budget and keeping taxes low is "always No. 1 on our agenda," according to Democrat Michael Foley.

Foley, 22, has been on the City Council for four years and was a student representative on the School Committee before that. A 2006 graduate of Westbrook High School, Foley serves as the vice president of the board of METRO Greater Portland Transit District and is the chairman of the council's Finance Committee. He works as a public safety dispatcher for the Kennebunk Police Department and lives in the Riverfront Lofts on Lincoln Street.

Foley said he hasn't made up his mind yet about the rezoning of Five Star Industrial Park and is waiting until the proposal comes before the City Council to decide how he would vote.

Downtown, he said, he'd like to see more businesses come in so the city can move forward with its planning efforts, such as the so-called Downtown Streetscape Plan. In order to bring more businesses in, he said, more residents need to live in that area. He believes the condominium building he lives in, where residents shop downtown and are regulars at the local restaurants, is "a pure example of the economic engine you can create."

Until the results are in from the statewide referendum questions regarding excise taxes and the Taxpayer Bill of Rights, Foley said it's hard to tell how tight the city's budget will be this year. However, he said, if more money needs to be saved, he'd like to see the school department and the city work together to find services they can share.

But, overall, he said, the city has done a good job for the past several years creating a lean budget and there's little left to cut.

Foley's reason for running for a third term is a simple one - "to continue serving the city I love," he said.

Michael Lawson

A newcomer to city politics, Michael Lawson thinks it's time for some fresh faces on the City Council.

"I think that the city councilors have been seated long enough and it's time for a change," said Lawson, a Democrat.

A resident of Brook Street, Lawson, 50, serves on the Recreation and Conservation Committee and the Wescott Junior High School Reuse Committee. A graduate of Portland High School, he's lived in Westbrook for nearly three decades. Lawton and his wife Susan have a 14-year-old daughter and 11-year-old son. He owns a repair shop in Westbrook called Maine Tool Service.

Lawson supports rezoning Five Star Industrial Park but believes Pike's property should be excluded from that change.

"Pike has been there for a long time. Everybody knows what Pike does," Lawson said. "All businesses should be allowed to expand."

Lawson said he believes turning the Wescott Junior High building into a community center and day care will help attract other businesses to Westbrook.

He said he would like to see the old Maine Rubber building put to good use.

"That could be turned into a great business," he said.

When it comes time for budget cuts, Lawson believes there are some city positions that could be eliminated, including the economic development director.

"I think that job could be split up" among other employees, he said.

He said he'd like to see the money used to pay that position go, instead, toward public safety.

Lawson said he'd look to the Public Services Department as a place where the budget could be further streamlined.

"I think we could probably squeeze their budget just a little bit," he said.

Any cuts that are made, however, should be considered temporary.

"Cut back for three or four years and then we can look at it," he said.