Ellie Daniels and Jim Merkel announced Oct. 1 their write-in campaigns for seats on the Belfast City Council. They will hold a press conference Friday, October 5, at noon in front of Belfast City Hall, Church Street entrance. All media interests are invited to attend.

Long-time Belfast resident Daniels will be challenging incumbent Mary Mortier in Ward 1. Daniels is owner of the Green Store on Main Street, and a retired nurse midwife. She served six years on the School Administrative District 34 School Board, spanning the closing of the Crosby School, the building of Troy Howard Middle School and the introduction of multi-age classrooms and BCOPE High School. 

“As a business owner in downtown Belfast for 25 years, I know how important it is to support local industries and small businesses throughout the city,” she said, in a news release. “I will work to lower taxes, raise wages, and provide affordable housing while safeguarding our natural resources, green spaces, and the Bay.”

Merkel will be running in Ward 5 against Dean Paul.

Merkel, an engineer, educator, filmmaker and community activist, is currently serving as chairman of Belfast’s Pedestrian Biking and Hiking Committee, and was formerly chapter chairman for Sierra Club and Sustainability Coordinator at Dartmouth College. 

“I want to protect and restore Penobscot Bay,” Merkel said, in the same release. “This means saying no to massive water extraction and polluting pipes into our bay. My goal is to strengthen our working waterfront and local economy to ensure our children can live and work in Midcoast Maine by stimulating healthy, meaningful jobs, creating affordable housing and services, all with a lower tax bill.”

Both candidates said they are running: “to ensure civility and transparency in city government. They have been involved with opposition efforts to the massive salmon facility proposed for Belfast by a Norwegian company.”