By David Harry
Staff Writer

Saco mayoral candidates Mark Johnston and Jeffrey Christenbury found plenty of common ground as they debated Monday night but often showed a generation gap in how they would deal with city affairs.
Contrasting youth and experience, the two presented their cases to about 35 people at the Saco Transportation Center during a debate moderated by Biddeford-Saco Chamber of Commerce and Industry Executive Director Craig Pendleton.
Both candidates said Saco residents should expect an increase in property taxes next year because city services and personnel have been reduced to a breaking point, but said the city is well positioned to take advantage of an economic recovery.
“I think you will understand experience is needed,” said Johnston, who has served six two-year terms as mayor.
Johnston was first elected mayor in 1989 and served four consecutive terms through 2007.
Christenbury, 26, who served 18 months on the City Council before resigning when he moved from Ward 4, promised fresh ideas and to build bridges if elected.
The candidates seek to replace two-term mayor Roland “Ron” Michaud, who is running for a three-year term to represent Saco on the Regional School Unit 23 Board of Education.
Christenbury, a communications instructor at Thornton Academy, pledged to use social networks to keep residents informed of city government news and said city businesses need to explore promoting themselves through mobile phone applications.
“We need to think of ways to draw younger people to town,” said Christenbury, citing an outdoor rope climbing facility off  Route 1 as the kind of attraction that can boost the local economy.
Johnston, 59, owner of Vic and Whit’s Sandwich and Wine Shop, said the city offers plenty of opportunity for business growth because of tax increment finance zones, contract zones that allow exemptions for business zones and state-funded incentives in Pine Tree Zones.
“We are ready when that engine starts up,” he said.
The candidates disagreed on the city’s future in RSU 23, an arrangement Johnston said benefited students, staff and administrators.
“The only ones complaining about the RSU are politicians,” he said.
Christenbury said the RSU formed by Dayton, Saco and Old Orchard Beach schools contains inequities that cost Saco residents.
Johnston and Christenbury also sparred on the future of Central Fire Station, a building Johnston said should be placed on the National Register of Historic Places to secure grants for its renovation.
Christenbury said he does not favor “tearing it down tomorrow,” but said practical thinking should determine whether the fire station is worth keeping or if the site is better suited for downtown parking.
The strongest agreement between the candidates could affect city mil rates as both said tax increases are needed and likely to maintain city staffing and services.
Christenbury said he is a fiscal conservative, but added the council budget deliberations last spring scared him because of cuts that were considered. He said tax increases of 1 or 2 percent annually were not unreasonable, unless residents preferred seeing fewer emergency personnel, reduced public works maintenance or grass cutting or the loss of the library.
Christenbury also called for the city budget to have $800,000 to $1 million annually set aside for road projects.
Johnston said voters could see an increase of at least $1 on the city tax rate of $14.42 per $1,000 of assessed value, in part to build up surpluses spent to balance the budget in the last several years.
“Roads need to be plowed and waste needs to be picked up,” Johnston said.
In closing, Johnston called on his experience as the key to his re-election while praising his opponent.
Christenbury said he and Johnston agreed the city is essentially in good shape and had a strong staff serving it, but it is time to elect someone with a vision of what is needed 10 years from now.