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Office of the Mayor
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Alan Casavant
Mayor
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Physical Address
Suite 107
205 Main Street
Biddeford, ME 04005
Mailing Address
P.O. Box 586
Biddeford, ME 04005
Phone: 207-286-9385
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Shelly Macneill
Executive AssistantPhone: (207) 284-9313
It is truly a pleasure to welcome you to the City of Biddeford! Over the past several years, our community has witnessed a resurgence of community pride and investment in what has become known as the “Biddesance”. We are emerging from years of simply defining ourselves as a mill town into a modern, vibrant community that is proud of both its past and its present, while excitedly anticipating its future. Our citizens are passionate about the changes we are making here, and the community energy that has been discovered is what makes Biddeford a special place to live, work, and play.
With our diverse new local restaurants, shops, and our engaging artistic community, we have something to offer everyone in our growing downtown. Our once-abandoned mills are thriving again, thanks to business owners and entrepreneurs who have found innovative ways to make the space their own. Our growing partnership with the University of New England and its students is helping to bring a youthful vibrancy to the City (our median age is 35), and it is an honor to have Maine’s largest private university call Biddeford home. We are also fortunate to have such unique natural assets like our picturesque sandy beaches, the Saco River, and our diverse set of public parks available right at our fingertips.
Because we are so proud of the work we are doing here to make Biddeford better for our residents, we want to make sure information about all that we have to offer is easy for everyone to access. As part of this commitment to transparency, we have recently updated our website to ensure that we are providing the best service to our citizens that we possibly can. Please do not hesitate to reach out to us for assistance if you cannot find what you are looking for.
Whether you call Biddeford home or are just stopping in for a visit, we hope you thoroughly enjoy your time here.
Mayor Alan Casavant
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Experience
Mayor Alan Casavant was reelected for his fifth term in November 2019. Mayor Casavant previously served 18 years on the City Council, including 4 terms as Council President. He taught Psychology, American Studies, Global Studies, and U.S. History at Biddeford High School until his retirement in 2011. Mayor Casavant served four terms in the Maine Legislature (2007-2014), serving as the Representative of Maine House District 137, which covered Biddeford and Kennebunkport. He was termed out.Priorities as Mayor
As Mayor, Alan has worked to make downtown development and economic growth his priorities. The removal of the Maine Energy incinerator, during his first term, has proven to be a catalyst to tremendous investment and changes in the downtown area. He is pleased and overwhelmed by the level of support he received from voters in Biddeford over the years, and promises to continue to restore confidence in city government, as well as work to develop Biddeford's potential. "The Biddeford community is special, as it possesses so many natural assets, such as its beaches, parks, and the Saco River. Possessing good schools, magnificent downtown and mill architecture, a renowned university, and a remarkable hospital, Biddeford is well-suited to meet the needs of people in the 21st Century."
The changes that have occurred in Biddeford over the past 6 years have been popularly called the "Biddesance", as they reflect the dynamic emersion of the city from an old mill town into a vibrant, diverse, and emerging city of art, culture, dining, and industry.Objectives
"My objective, as Mayor, is a constant: to make the city the destination point that I knew as a child. York County is the fastest growing county in Maine, and I see Biddeford and Saco as the drivers of the regional economy. I want to attract new residents, shoppers and engage investors. I want the name of Biddeford to be synonymous with the cutting edge."
"I hope that you can capture some of this creative energy. We are witnessing magnificent, unparalleled changes in our community. We are invigorated by a new pride in who we are as a people. We are enthusiastically looking towards possibilities, in the hope of a better tomorrow. We are building a better community, every day, by investing in our people, our infrastructure, and in our businesses. Our focus is on the future and the lifestyles that it has to offer. We are no longer a mill town. We are a Renaissance city, and it remains my intention to ride that wave into greater prosperity."
Election and Tenure
A candidate for Mayor must be a resident of the City of Biddeford for at least six months prior to the date that nomination papers are to be filed.
The Mayor shall be sworn to the faithful performance of the duties of the office at 7:00 p.m. on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in December, following a biennial election, by the City Clerk or person authorized by law to administer oaths.
The Mayor shall hold the office for two years and be re-elected without limitations.
Powers & Duties
The Chief Executive of the City of Biddeford shall be the Mayor, who with the exception of the administration of the Department of Education, shall:
- Assure that the Laws and Ordinances are enforced;
- Exercise general oversight over all departments, divisions, agencies, offices, and boards created herein or that may be hereafter created;
- Sign warrants to be paid from the treasury after appropriations by the City Council;
- Preside at meetings of the City Council and School Committee, and shall vote only in case of a tie;
- Keep the City Council advised as to the business and financial condition and future needs of the City;
- Call special meetings of the City Council;
- Issue warrants for calling meetings and elections for any purpose in the several wards;
- Make nominations to Boards, Committees and Commissions;
- Perform all other duties conferred by State Law or City Ordinances.