MONTAGUE — The two candidates for Selectboard, incumbent Christopher Boutwell and former selectman Edward Voudren, introduced themselves to voters and spoke to their vision for Montague during a forum ahead of the May 20 town election.

Sunday’s forum at Town Hall was held in collaboration between the Montague Reporter and the Montague Public Libraries. Montague Reporter Managing Editor Michael Jackson moderated the discussion between the two candidates, which focused on 12 pre-written topics and related questions, such as the future of town infrastructure and the role of the Selectboard.

Boutwell and Voudren opened the forum by speaking about their prior town leadership roles, careers and goals in serving on the board.

Voudren, a resident of Turners Falls, was a Montague Selectboard member from 1997 to 2004, served with the Montague Police Department and Franklin County Sheriff’s Office, and was the special education transportation director for Greenfield’s public schools.

Boutwell, also of Turners Falls, said he’s served for 30 years on the Veterans Memorial Committee, was chair of the Franklin County Solid Waste Management District’s board of representatives, and served on the Montague Board of Health for 24 years. He’s seeking a sixth term on the Selectboard.

Voudren said one of the things that inspired him to run for Selectboard again comes from the recent elimination of grants by the federal government, noting he feels he can bring perspective on dealing with the possible scenarios of lost federal funds.

“I do know how to look at it in different perspectives. We’re probably going to have to take it (the funding responsibility) over without any backup, and that scares me,” Voudren said, adding, “That’s one of the reasons why I run, because a new perspective ... can make an improvement.”

Boutwell said his time on the Selectboard has been spent tackling the daily issues that “come down the pike.”

“I’ve kind of been through … just about anything that comes down the pike in town, truthfully,” Boutwell said. “I have no agenda, like I say. ... I’m not after anybody or anything. Just deal with the everyday problems. And trust me, we have them.”

Of the 12 topics the candidates delved into, some inspired more discussion and possible solutions than others.

Boutwell and Voudren talked about the future of the Turners Falls Canal District, both financially and in regard to potential redevelopment of the buildings along the canal. Both expressed concern about what the loss of federal funding would mean for the planned demolition of the former Strathmore Mill complex at 20 Canal St., though there has not been any notification at this time that the funding will be cut. Montague’s $10 million budget for demolition of the entire complex comes from a $4.92 million grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and a $5 million from the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation.

Candidates were asked their views on how the town’s character has changed, what remains the same and what could be improved.

Voudren said there needs to be more downtown police foot patrol on Avenue A, and he said he hopes the Gill-Montague Regional School District can “get back to where it was,” but didn’t elaborate on specific goals for the school district.

Boutwell concurred, saying, “We can put hundreds of thousands of dollars into the avenue, but if we don’t clean up the drug problem, we’re still going to have the same mess.”

A point both Boutwell and Voudren agreed on were the issues facing Montague Police, namely staff retention and hiring. Voudren said an increase in pay needs to happen so officers don’t transfer to other departments, and Boutwell said the staff are entitled to their vacation and sick time.

Both candidates discussed what they felt were the most important aspects of the Selectboard, and shared a similar perspective, having both served on the board.

“The most important part of the role is to try to be open-minded,” Boutwell said, as well as to “try to keep everything cost-reasonable.”

“I believe that one of the most important things the Board of Selectmen can do is keep an even keel on every village, and keep us in a 2.5%, no matter what,” Voudren said, referencing the tax levy limit that is allowed without an override.

Non-contested races

Aside from the two Selectboard candidates, other Montague residents running for uncontested positions were also present at the forum to offer candidate statements. The following is a list of candidates on the ballot in Montague:

■Board of Assessors, three-year term — Ann Fisk, incumbent.

■Board of Health, three-year term — Rachel Stoler, incumbent.

■Montague Public Libraries trustee, three seats with three-year terms — incumbent William Quale, newcomer Tamara Kaplan and a vacant slot that can be won be write-in votes.

■Montague Housing Authority, five-year term — Paula Girard, incumbent.

■Gill-Montague Regional School District School Committee, Gill representative, three-year term — Jane Oakes, incumbent.

■Gill-Montague School Committee, two seats as Montague representatives with three-year terms — Heather Katsoulis and Wendy Thompson, both incumbents.

Seats for the Parks & Recreation Commission, Veterans Memorial Committee and a one-year term for a Montague resident to serve on the Gill-Montague School Committee can all be won by write-in votes as there are no candidates on the ballot. Town Meeting members for the six precincts will also be on the ballot, and some seats can be won by write-in votes.

Polls will be open on Tuesday, May 20, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., with voting locations at the Montague Center Fire Station at 28 Old Sunderland Road for Precinct 1, Franklin County Technical School at 82 Industrial Blvd. for Precincts 2, 3, 4 and 6, and the Gill-Montague Senior Center at 62 Fifth St. for Precinct 5.

Erin-Leigh Hoffman can be reached at ehoffman@recorder.com or 413-930-4231.