BINNS

BURRILLVILLE — Voters will pick three leading Democrats from a field of seven Town Council candidates in next week’s primary, deciding the fate of two experienced incumbents who hope to keep their seats.

Town Council President Nancy F. Binns and Councilwoman Margaret L. Dudley are in a runoff with Kevin D. Heitke, Blake A. Fouracre, Richard T. Frenette, Barbara Lavergne and Richard Teter II.

The three winners who emerge Sept. 9 will face a new group of unaffiliated opponents in November.

BINNS SAYS she has loved serving on the council over the past four years.

The job has given her a much fuller understanding of her hometown and allowed her an exciting role in the management of a multimillion-dollar operation.

“For me it’s been an incredible experience,” she said. “It’s been eye-opening for me to see the amount of detail that goes into it.”

Now, she’s asking for a chance to finish projects such as the redevelopment of the Stillwater Mill complex and the revitalization of Pascoag Village.

Binns, 61, of 273 Church St., Pascoag, is a retired physician’s assistant. She is a graduate of Burrillville High School. She has a bachelor’s degree in history from Smith College.

Her top priority in office remains “the promotion of tax stability” within the community.

She hopes the town can recruit new businesses through coordination of the council, the administration, planning officials, zoning officials and the redevelopment agency.

She says that managing town finances prudently and keeping up infrastructure also will support business development.

“I think there’s a lot more I can do,” she said.

DUDLEY WAS TEMPTED to end her service on the Town Council this political season. She relishes going to Florida in the winter.

It seemed that, after serving in office about five years, it might be time to give someone else a chance. Then, as she thought about it last spring, she decided to stay.

“I was born here,” said the retired state human services specialist, a graduate of the University of Rhode Island. “…I’ve chosen to stay here. This is, by far, the best community in the state to live in.”

“You feel safe here,” she said. “I want the town to stay that way. I’m very, very committed to this town.”

Dudley, 61, of 10 Mill Pond Rd., Harrisville, also believes the town is at a critical juncture.

In the years to come, it has an opportunity to fix the Stillwater dam, a $1-million project, and to finally cap the old town landfill on Whipple Avenue in Oakland, a $3-million project, she said.

HEITKE SUGGESTS THE town’s woodsy character is something that can actually help its tax base.

“A lot of people don’t even realize that they’re in Burrillville but they come up here a lot,” Heitke said.

He wants to market the town as a destination for many year-round outdoor activities, including hiking and biking.

Basically, he aims to develop the tax base by “attracting green and stable businesses … in a manner that preserves the essential rural character of the town.”

He envisions a growth of businesses that would take advantage of the town’s natural resources, such as fishing outfitters, guides and travel and tourism businesses.

That will help keep taxes down for residents, he said.

An 18-year resident of Burrillville, Heitke, 44, of 165 Lapham Farm Rd., Pascoag, is a lawyer who has served as moderator for the Nasonville Fire District. He is a founding co-trustee of the Burrillville Land Trust.

He has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan and a law degree from Southwestern University School of Law.

Now that his children are teenagers, he sees an opportunity to serve at a special time in history.

“It’s a time where there’s a lot of change,” he said, adding that he has been inspired by U.S. Sen. Barack Obama. “There is some reason to give hope.”

FOURACRE IS THE rare candidate for local office who includes the pursuit of affordable health care — a goal of this year’s presidential candidates — among his top priorities.

It’s number two on his four-part agenda, which aims to “revitalize our government so it will once again function for the common man.”

He aims to accomplish this objective by: planning out ways to broaden the tax base without compromising the rural integrity of the town; making sure citizens have access to affordable and adequate health care while maintaining and strengthening the town’s existing programs; recognizing the need for affordable housing for “all of our citizens, young and old”; and building a senior center and upgrading existing programs for town’s youth.

“As voters in the town of Burrillville, we must first have the courage to choose change and then contribute to it,” he said.

Fouracre, 36, of 100 Old Hillside Drive, Glendale, is president of BMS, a company that provides anti-corrosion protection for underground utility pipelines. He holds a bachelor’s degree in political science and communications from West Virginia University at Concord.

Fouracre cites civic responsibility when he’s asked why he’s decided to run for council.

“Everybody should have a civic duty,” he said. “I think everyone should take a turn in town politics.”

A FEW YEARS AGO, Richard Frenette retired from his foreman’s position in the Public Works Department after 32 years.

But he still has an itch to serve the town.

“I’ve been involved in all different phases of the town for 30, 35 years,” he said. “I just figured I’ll get back into the council part of it.”

Frenette attended Burrillville High School. He said he switched to Associated Engineering Schools of Miami, Fla., and finished the program there before obtaining his General Educational Development (GED) certification serving in the U.S. Army.

Frenette, 64, of 55 Maple Drive, Harrisville, said that he sees service on the Town Council as a natural extension of his work on the town’s recreation board, in local youth hockey and baseball leagues.

When asked to identify the issue he finds most important and explain how he would deal with it if elected, Frenette gives a short, one-sentence answer: “Finding ways to save money in the budget.”

Later, he offers a little more context.

“To me I think that’s the most important thing,” he said. “I know it’s very hard. It’s pretty hard not to have an increase.”

Frenette believes he’ll see some savings if he looks at the budget.

“There’s different places you can look to save in each department,” he said.

He suggested that high oil prices would pose a big budget challenge in the years ahead.

OFTEN, CANDIDATES SEEK office because they’re dissatisfied with the status quo.

Barbara Lavergne is a little different. She loves her town.

A resident of 30 years, she can recall an era of dirt streets. She’s happy with a lot more paved streets.

She doesn’t want much to change. The businesswoman just wants to participate.

“I am very happy with the growth and success the town has seen and would personally like to be a part of its continuing success,” said Lavergne.

Lavergne thinks long and hard when asked what she would change, if she could.

“That’s a good question …” she said.

The union contract issues in the school district come to mind.

“That’s the only thing,” she said.

“Everything’s going forward except for that.”

Lavergne, 51, of 264 Buxton St., Harrisville, has been chairwoman of the Nasonville Fire District for six years.

She has run her own business — Travelin Time, a North Smithfield travel agency — for 20 years.

That sort of business experience can be useful on the Town Council, she said. She understands what businesses need and want.

“I think I could help,” she said.

SEVENTH CANDIDATE, IF you list them alphabetically, is Richard N. Teter II.

Teter did not respond to repeated requests for comment.

mreynold@projo.com