Tricia Huot has been selected as the new City Councilor for Saco's Ward 6.

Huot will fill the remainder of the term left vacant when former Ward 6 City Councilor Jodi MacPhail was elected Mayor. Huot will begin serving as city councilor on Jan. 22, with the term ending Dec. 2, 2024.

The city publicized the opening, asking for potential candidates to submit a letter of interest. The city received two applications – Huot and Steven Boucouvalas.

Both Huot and Boucouvalas gave a presentation at Monday night’s City Council meeting and fielded questions from the Council.

Both candidates discussed the need for collaboration and the importance of active listening.

Boucouvalas spoke of his many years of service to the city of Saco, in roles including police cadet, firefighter, emergency dispatcher, and emergency management director. He said he wanted to support the aging community in Saco and keep young people in community, address the situation of the growing homeless population, keep businesses in the city and increase public engagement at Council meetings.

Huot spoke of Saco’s support of residents of all ages, noting that the city had a strong Age Friendly group and was voted a Playful City USA Community, and that she wanted to help Saco continue to be a great community.

She talked about her varied career and how it would impact her role as a councilor. She said as a former research scientist, she believed in making decisions based on accurate and reliable data. Her many years as an educational technician in Saco gave her insight to local schools, she said. Her current job as a real estate agent gave her insight on the housing market, the need to create affordable housing in the city and the thoughtful consideration the council must take when implementing any changes to the tax rate.

“My upbringing instilled in me the belief that democracy is an active endeavor, requiring involvement and service to our communities,” she said.

Age Friendly Director Jean Saunders spoke out on Huot’s behalf, stating that she not only was a hard worker, but was very analytical, and would take the necessary steps to learn about a subject before making a decision.

The City Council voted four to two to appoint Huot to the position, with Councilors Joshua Parks and Nathan Johnston opposed.

Johnston stated that both candidates were very qualified, and the process through which the City Council approved a Councilor for a particular ward was unfair. He said he spoke with Ward 6 constituents to get a feel of who they wanted, and the majority said they were in favor of Boucouvalas.

Saco Bay News Publisher Liz Gotthelf can be reached at newsdesk@sacobaynews.com.