Orono voters elected Andrea Hardison to serve on the Orono Town Council for a single year.
Hardison received 2,225 votes while competitor James Gerety received 2,159 votes in Tuesday’s election, according to unofficial results. Hardison will finish councilor Sonja Birthisel’s three-year term on the Orono Town Council, which expires in 2025.
“I’m honored that so many residents would put their trust in me,” Hardison said Tuesday night. “This next year will be an exciting one. I’m excited to have an active role in Orono’s future and I’m ready to talk to people about their concerns and ideas.”
Hardison has lived in Orono since she attended UMaine and purchased a home in the town in 1997.
Prior to the election, she told the Bangor Daily News she decided to run for town council for the first time because she wanted “a chance to try, learn and do my best for everybody.”
Hardison is particularly interested in assisting with the ongoing Route 2 Corridor project, which aims to reduce congestion and improve safety along a stretch of the road that cuts through the town, and wants to see the town make more decisions on the project.
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. She’d also like to see some community projects and services return, such as blood pressure clinics firefighters previously held for Orono’s older residents.
Lastly, Hardison said she’d like to create a neighborhood awareness program that connects long-term and school-year residents to improve communication and reduce conflicts between them.
