“I was born in northern Maine and I always planned to move back there,” he said. “We’re planning our lives and I only plan to work a few more years. I decided it was time (to step down at the end of the year). I hope I had some impact on the city.”
Picard and his wife both work at the Picard Law Firm in Monroe and the couple have been past co-chairs of the Middletown United Way campaign. As a member of council, he served as vice mayor.
His seat and the seat currently held by Vice Mayor Dora Bronston are up for election this fall on the five-member council.
Bronston told this news outlet that she will be seeking re-election.
In the last election, Picard was the top vote-getter in 29 and placed second in the remainder of the city’s 36 precincts in Butler County.
RELATED: Bronston chosen as Middletown’s vice mayor
Bronston told this news outlet that it’s great that Picard is stepping down and going to do something together with his wife and pursue their dreams.
Picard said his proudest achievement as a council member was keeping as many police officers and firefighters on the job during difficult economic times.
“I voted against the (2012) budget due to more cuts that were made in public safety,” he said. “That’s the only budget I voted against. We could always cut other things instead of policemen and firemen.”
RELATED: Middletown firefighter layoffs postponed
Picard said his biggest disappointment as a council member was not being able to do more about fixing the roads in the city.
He said he wanted to develop a program with property owners in the city to split the costs of fixing streets in which property owners would pay their share of the costs through assessments over 20 years.
“Unfortunately, it never took off,” he said.
Picard said he believes Middletown should purchase a milling machine of its own to use city crews for street repairs.
Although he’s leaving council on Dec. 31, Picard said he’s very concerned about the city’s future as some big ticket items are coming for various infrastructure improvements to the city’s sewer systems and road.
He said anyone who has a strong commitment to the city and a positive attitude as well as wanting to move the city forward and look for resolutions to problems should run for the council seat he’s vacating.
However, he said people who are upset about something in the city or trying to lay blame should not run.
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