By Marc Filippino
Staff Writer

A debate was sparked last week over First Amendment rights that relates to the role social media plays in Biddeford’s government. Mayor Alan Casavant took down his Mayor Facebook page because of concerns by the city’s Technology Procedure and Policy Committee.
Last Friday, Casavant was informed that having a page for the official title of mayor might be a violation of Biddeford’s Electronic Media Policy. However, city officials said Monday that they are still investigating the matter. Casavant said he took down the page to set an example and nobody forced him to remove the page from the social networking site.
Casavant announced the move to take down his political page on his personal page, which according to city officials is “okay” to use.
“So that people know: I ‘unpublished’ my mayor’s page, as I discovered there are some city rules about elected officials and boards, committees, and commission having such pages,” Casavant said through a status update on his Facebook page.
Part of the reason that Biddeford’s social media policy does not outline stricter guidelines regarding Facebook is that no one is quite sure how to handle liability issues on a publicly owned website, said Casavant. As the city of Biddeford has no jurisdiction as to what is posted on websites beyond the city’s page, the question raised by officials is: Who is held liable for a post on a non-city run website?
“So much has changed in new politics and social media has mushroomed over the last few years, our policies haven’t been kept up to date,” Casavant said.  
According to Biddeford’s Electronic Media Policy, “it is the right and duty of the city to protect itself from authorized disclosure of information,” which means that Biddeford city employees are restricted from speaking on behalf of the city on social media websites, such as blogs, Facebook and Twitter.
However, this policy does not restrict city employees from posting on their own page, as long as it is made clear they are speaking on their own behalf.
What spurred the issue was when Downtown Development Commission Chairman Brian Keely (husband to Courier editor Molly Lovell-Keely) wrote a piece about former Ward 7 Councilor David Flood’s decision to step down from his seat. The piece was under “Comments from the Chair,” something Keely said is only a portion of the DDC Facebook page. The piece was posted on the DDC Facebook page last Tuesday.
Biddeford’s Information and Technology Director, Jerry Gerlach, is calling the post “out of place,” due to the page’s affiliation with the city. Gerlach, and  Casavant suggested Keely remove the post, but said he couldn’t tell him to take it down. Instead, at the mayor’s suggestion, Keely added a disclaimer that states “Comments from the Chair” are of his own opinion and not those of Biddeford or those of the collective DDC.
However, Keely said he believes the city is infringing on his First Amendment rights since city officials have no jurisdiction on content posted on Facebook.
“If I am following Facebook’s guidelines. There’s no reason why these things can’t go up on Facebook,” Keely said. “It’s less about what was said, and more about the platform it was said on. My piece got a lot of attention. There’s no difference if a councilor would get up on national television and give his opinion.”
Gerlach disagrees with Keely saying it is not within Keely’s right to proclaim an intent to “spur conversation and possibly be offensive” on a city represented webpage. Because the DDC uses the Biddeford city logo and gets funding from the city, Gerlach said Keely could be held responsible.
The electronic media policy states “bloggers and commentators can be personally liable for commentary that is considered defamatory, obscene, proprietary or libelous by any offended party, not just the City of Biddeford.”  
However, Keely argues he is not an employee of the city and did not agree to the terms outlined by the policy.
“We’re not trying to be Big Brother here,” Gerlach said. “Right now, Biddeford looks at Facebook as a toy, not a tool.”
The DDC discussed the option at a meeting Monday to include “Comments from the Chair” on the commission’s Facebook page. Members didn’t take issue with opinions Keely has posted and voted unanimously to table the discussion.
Associate member Doug Sanford said he didn’t see the need for Keely’s opinions to be posted online and referred to the adage, “If you can’t say anything nice, you should say anything at all.”
Keely said he welcomes DDC members who may have an issue with the page to bring it up at a future meeting or contact him personally about it.
Gerlach said he would not mind city groups using Facebook if there were a hierarchy of administrators that could control posts. However, since anyone can post content without checks and balances, Gerlach said the system is flawed.
The city’s lawyers are looking to see if any current groups or political figures are breaking policy. The Technology Policy and Procedures Committee will meet next week to update the policy and discuss the future of social media in Biddeford politics.
“Every municipality is having this problem with Facebook and social media,” Gerlach said. “Biddeford has a template city website that allows people to post content there. Using the website brings all the city’s information under one place and we can be aware of what is being said, by whom.”
Find the Biddeford Electronic Media Policy regarding social media on the Courier’s Facebook page, Biddeford-Saco-OOB Courier.

Marc Filippino
Staff Writer

In a reeling economy, many people are looking for ways to ease the hardships of day-to-day financial woes. Old Orchard Beach resident Arlene Dolgon thinks despite tough times, a person’s pet shouldn’t have to suffer.
Dolgon is founder of the Old Orchard Beach Community Animal Watch program and knows that keeping a pet can be an expensive endeavor, and sometimes too costly for owners to keep their animals. But when thinking of a way to help families and their animals, she said the solution was simple: create a food bank where people could receive donated pet food and ease the cost of pet ownership.
“It is a serious problem and I thought ‘God, we have to do something,’” said Dolgon, who used to volunteer at a local food shelter.“I thought, ‘If you can get food donations for yourself, why shouldn’t the same rules apply for animals?”
In recent years, Dolgon noticed more cats roaming the streets; colonies of 10 to 100 cats would occupy the span of a few blocks, each female cat having up to 20 kittens per year. Then she started to notice food appearing on the street in an effort to feed the hungry strays.
People wanted to help the homeless animals, but couldn’t afford to keep a pet on a regular basis.
With the help of Assistant Town Manager Louise Reid, Dolgon started putting food bins around Old Orchard Beach for to accept pet food donations from neighbors. Hannaford donates up to six boxes per week filled with dog and cat food, that only Old Orchard Beach Citizens are permitted to take. When donations are low, Dolgon buys the food herself and will keep it in her home and car, delivering the food personally if one doesn’t have the means to pick it up themselves.
“I can’t thank the Community Animal Watch Committee for all they do to protect the lives of the animals of our community,” Reid said. “Not only to our animal population, but their support in time and effort to citizens who wish to keep their animals and struggle with the economic needs to do that.”
Dolgon began working with animals when she lived on Long Island, N.Y. She would rescue dogs and help them find homes. She said she made it a priority to work with homeless animals in the community.
Dolgon relies on e-mails and the website (www.oobanimalwatch.org) to inform the community of the program. Even though Community Animal Watch Committee relies entirely on word of mouth for the program to spread, Dolgon said people are noticing and using the donations.
Community Animal Watch works closely with Animal Welfare Society in West Kennebunk that picks up strays and also donates food to the Old Orchard Beach program.
Executive Director Steve Jacobsen said most financially suffering pet owners end up keeping their pets even if it means neglecting the animal.
“When the economy started to turn we prepared for people to give up their animals,” Jacobsen said. “What we found instead was that people would keep their pets and just forgo providing health needs. They would skip routine checkups, providing medication, shots and buying food. The veterinarian community has seen a drastic decline in visits.”
“The people who do drop off their pets for adoption, you can tell the animal wasn’t being properly cared for. They feel that it’s a discretionary need and something that can wait until they have the financial means,” he added.
Community Animal Watch Committee Chairman Beverly Russell has benefited from the program and sees first hand how effective is has been in the Old Orchard Beach community.
Russell originally volunteered to temporarily look after a dog for her elderly neighbor who was struggling to take care of her pets. After the woman was no longer capable of keeping the dog, Russell brought home Maci permanantly and still uses the food bank to help her keep up with soaring pet food costs.
Russell lives in low income housing with senior citizens and said the program has been vital to elderly pet owners. She said most people underestimate the importance of a pet in a senior citizen’s life, and it would be a shame to see them lose their pets due to money problems.
“Most people say if you can’t afford a pet you shouldn’t have one,” Russell said. “But the elderly need pets to keep them company. Sometimes pets are the only thing good in their life and it gives them a reason to get up in the morning.”
One of the larger issues that Dolgon notices is that domestic pets are surviving on the street and continuing to breed, which leads to over population. In conjunction with Portland based group Friends of Feral Felines, the Community Animal Watch traps cats and kittens, has them spayed and neutered, then releases them back into their colony. The trap-neuter-return method helps reduce cat populations without having to put the animals down.
Dolgon said she would like to see more people providing homes for these animals while they wait through the neutering and spaying process. She herself has three cats and keeps five cages open for strays. Dolgon said anyone willing to temporarily take in pets would receive food donations from Community Animal Watch.
More than anything, Dolgon said that she hopes to see other towns pay more attention to animals. In a tough economy, she wants to keep animals off the street and provide as much help for people and pets. Dolgon said she understands the difficulty of taking on a new responsibility during tough times, but said if people work together, owners and pets can live a happy and comfortable lifestyle.
“It would be nice if other towns did this,” Dolgon said. “Everyone is having trouble feeding their pets in this economy and people could use all the help they can get.”

By Marc Filippino
Staff Writer

Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) visited North Dam Mill and Pepperell Mill Campus in Biddeford last Wednesday in an effort to reach out to local businesses and hear how to improve the private sector from the state level.
Collins arrived in Biddeford and met with local business owners to learn more about redevelopment efforts in the city’s former textile mill. After a quick tour of the facility and private meeting with North Dam Mill Owner Doug Sanford, Collins addressed a crowd of more than 30 people and took questions from local business owners.
“Pepperell Mill is an incubator state for businesses that are just starting out and just beginning to grow,” Collins said. “To come in here and have heat, electricity, Internet access; it’s everything you need as people get to grow their businesses.”
Collins also complimented the variety of businesses in the Pepperell Mill Campus and said having a varied business atmosphere is a great model for the state.
“It’s great seeing evidence of Maine’s creative economy in this building,” Collins said. “I want to congratulate those of you here who have stepped forward and for creating the jobs that are the future of the state of Maine.”
Collins made a few jokes regarding the credibility and usefulness of help from the government by quoting former President Reagan, “’I’m from the government and I’m here to help has as much credibility as saying ‘the check is in the mail,’” Collins said.
Collins took questions and recommendations from local business owners and audience members on policy changes that could be made to spur the local economy.
Amy Steenstra, who runs her business, Hyperlite Mountain Gear Inc. out of the North Dam Mill, said the hardest part of running a young start up company is linking the business’s labor needs to skilled workers. Even with the unemployment rate, Streenstra is having a hard time filling positions at her store.
Collins suggested cutting some non-major related class requirements at the community college level in order for students to focus on skills that would better their career. She said if the academic world works closely enough with the private sector, jobs are more likely to stay in Maine.
“It’s better for us to be training students for specific trades, rather than consisting of two years of liberal arts in hopes that they’ll transfer into somewhere else,” Collins said.
Collins also said there are too many government programs that are not “working in concert” with employers, and people are not receiving the correct training to be prepared for jobs.
“I don’t think our federal programs does a good job of matching the need with the education,” Collins said. “There are too many of them, they’re duplicative. If we consolidated them and worked more on the business community, we’d get more out of them.”
Audience member Susan Swanton brought up a concern with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, or OSHA. Swanton said fines imposed by OSHA have limited the financial resources that would otherwise help a business grow.
“If people are spending money on fines they probably aren’t spending to hire or maintain their work force,” Swanton said. “The money should be put into bringing themselves up to compliance and keeping their workforces safe.”
Collins said that Swanton is not the only citizen who is concerned with OSHA. Collins heard similar complaints early in the week. However, the senator said she just became aware of the issue in the past week and remembers OSHA taking a more collaborative approach in the past.
“OSHA ought to be helping businesses come into compliance,” Collins said. “Every business owner wants to provide a safe and healthy work environment for their employees.”
Collins said she would try and follow up on the issue, adding that she found the issue very troubling.
Collins said that she is excited to see what future businesses Biddeford would attract in the near future, calling the city’s activity a “renaissance.”
“Biddeford has always been a city of hard working people and now it’s transitioning into a new economy,” Collins said.

Staff Writer Marc Filippino can be reached 282-4337 ext. 213.

Saco woman has passion for people

By David Arenstam
Contributing Writer

Fifteen minutes is not a lot of time. But in that short span, Cynthia Chadwick-Granger tries to leave an impression with her clients that will stay with them for a lifetime. What she does is gives them customized wedding vows.
Granger has worked in the customer service field for most of he life, so it is no surprise that the 53-year-old Saco woman started a small business two years ago.
Granger has worked for banks and financing companies for years and helped customers through the process of acquiring loans for their homes or other properties.
“I knew how to treat people and loved dealing with the public,” she said. “But I wanted to be different.”
Granger said she watched her son, Ryan, 35, grow his Colorado-based specialized delivery business, and in part because of his success, she knew people wanted would pay for that type of attention.
“I had been modeling bridal gowns, but I wanted to be more than just a notary,” she said.
“I needed to give people a reason to call me. I wanted to be part of the wedding process,” Granger said.
The final push she needed to start her own business came from her 85-year-old mother, Catherine Dudley.
According to Granger, her mother simply said, “‘Why don’t you do weddings. Just do it.’”
Granger describes herself as both a risk taker and someone who loves a challenge. In August 2010, she started a part-time business, Vows For You, and now works with local wedding planners and designers to create a specialized wedding experience.
She makes it clear to her clients that she is not there to plan the whole wedding, but she will write vows specifically for them and officiate at the service.
“I am not a planner, but I work directly with many of them,” she said.
Granger said that during the last two years her business has slowly picked up and this year she expects to be busy nearly every summer weekend. The business she created is certainly unique in the sense that as a notary, she tries to do something different for the bride and groom.
“I don’t consider myself a writer, in the strictest sense,” she added, “but I do try to find words that fit my clients. I love that.”
Because of her modeling background and self-proclaimed sense of style, she will try to make sure her clothes match with the rest of the wedding party.
“I have a closet full of dresses,” she said. “I try to be complimentary. That’s unique.”
Granger’s full time employer, First Choice Title Company, knows of her part-time business and, according to Granger, it has been accommodating as she meets couples seeking to be married.
“They didn’t know what to call me, so my title is director of client relations,” she said.  “That’s what I do. Keep our clients happy.”
Granger laughed when she thought of all the people she has married. She said most of the ceremonies are beautiful and dignified, but once in a while, they are also a little bit unusual.
One such wedding occurred in November 2011.
She said a couple called from San Diego, Calif., looking for a picturesque place to hold their wedding.
“For some reason they wanted to come to Maine,” she said. “They searched on Google and found Kennebunk.”
She asked them where they wanted to be married and without hesitation, they said they wanted to be on the beach.
“Uh oh,” she said as she thought about a November wedding on the beach, but she and the couple planned for the event.
Granger said the couple arrived with a plan to be married on Nov. 11, 2011.
“Eleven-eleven-eleven,” she said with a smile. “It was a popular day for weddings.”
A taxi picked up both Granger and the couple and took them toward the shoreline. As they arrived, they quickly saw that it was too cold for the outdoor service.
With some quick thinking, they climbed back into the car and headed for the Wedding Cake House in Kennebunkport. Granger said the smiling couple from San Diego jumped from the car to the front lawn and almost immediately started shivering.
She said it was still too cold for an outdoor wedding.
“They were set on getting married here,” she said and paused. “So we all climbed back into the car.”
With the car parked, Granger said the couple sat in the front and she was in the back when the wedding took place. The taxi-driver stood outside next to the driver’s door and the owner of the cab company stood next to the passenger door. With traffic traveling past the stationary vehicle, Granger performed the wedding ceremony from the back seat.
“It was quite a sight,” she said with a chuckle.
Granger is working with two new professional networking groups in southern Maine to further develop her business connections.
“I want to become like the wedding medium,” she said. “I read between the lines and try to help people.”

By Marc Fillipino
Staff Writer

When Shelley Burbank journeyed from Limerick to Biddeford’s McArthur Library, she expected to walk in, fill out a job application and walkout.
Instead she stayed to enjoy a bowl of chili.
Burbank and her friend, Donna Duffy, also of Limerick, had unknowingly stumbled upon McArthur’s Wild West Chili Cook-off, presented by the children’s library, last Thursday. The competition hosted Biddeford’s finest chili, the winner to walk away with a $25 gift certificate to Hannaford.
“We were just coming in to check the library out and tripped upon the chili.  It was a happy coincidence,” said Duffy, who spent 20 years working as a teacher and councilor for Biddeford schools. “We were able to meet a lot of the people who planned the event and it seems like a fun place to work.”
“There are so many different chili recipes and they all taste so different. You wouldn’t think there would be so many different flavors,” Burbank added.
Nine different chilies were submitted to the contest from a combination of patrons and library staff. Each chili had to fill a crock-pot for 10 to 12 servings and the chef of each dish was required to remain anonymous. Tasters were allowed try each sample as many times as they liked and were asked to pick their top three favorite chilies.
Children’s Librarian Deanna Gouzie and the library’s Assistant Director Sally Leahey stood by the assortment of crock-pots to dish out the samples to hungry participants.
Gouzie has worked as McArthur’s children’s librarian for the past four years and said that she likes to plan themed events during school vacations that involve the whole family. For Presidents Week, she chose to emulate the Old West and filled the library with sheriff badges, cowboy hats and a stuffed cow toy for children to play with.
“When I was trying to brainstorm ideas as to how we could bring in all ages, I thought that chili went well with the Wild West theme,” Gouzie said.
“It’s been a lot of fun,” Leahey said. “Everyone who has brought in chili has had a good time and the people sampling are having a lot of fun too. It’s something that everyone can get involved in.”
Some participants conformed to custom, simply using beans and beef mixed into a thick sauce. Others strayed from the traditional norm and tried mixing up distinctive flavorings. A few brave chefs sported coffee, chocolate and V-8 juice to stand out, while others tried a turkey based recipe or vegetarian style to entice the crowd.
John Kirk, a medical student at the University of New England, unexpectedly made his way into the event while dropping off a borrowed DVD. Kirk, an Arkansas native and self-proclaimed chili aficionado, said the Biddeford contestants did a “pretty good job” putting a unique spin on a traditional southern dish.
“I grew up on chili with different family recipes. Everyone had their special blends,” Kirk said. “The ones I’ve tasted today have been really good. My grandmother would call these types of chilies goulashes since they have beans and vegetables in them, since where I’m from we’re used to a more thick, meat-like blend. But these are still really good.”
After three hours and 50 votes, a winner was chosen. Jackie McCann’s “Not-So-Wicked-Chili” took first place, followed by Mike Leahey’s “Fire Engine Chili.” Sarah Dinyari captured third for her “Texas I.E.D. Chili.”
Meanwhile, Burbank sat in the back of the cook-off sampling a small bowl of “Chuck Wagon Chili” and reviewed her job application. She said she’s been out of work for the past few months and hopes to work at a place like McArthur Library. To her, these events are not only fun, but also hold a much deeper meaning for a library’s potential in a city like Biddeford.
“With the advent of electronic media and ebooks there’s a question as to whether libraries are going to be relevant in the future,” Burbank said. “It’s going to take things like this event for people to see it as a community resource that will keep libraries going.”

Staff Writer Marc Fillipino can be reached at 282-4337, ext. 213.

New councilor will be decided next week

Biddeford Mayor Alan Casavant is expected to make his nomination for the empty Ward 7 city council seat Tuesday, which was vacated by David Flood during the city’s last meeting.
For those of us who are Facebook savvy and use those powers to follow city happenings, we know that Casavant plans to appoint Michael Ready, a former city councilor. Casavant has been heard saying that it’s going to be a tough budget year and he wants someone with council experience.
The problem that some residents have is if Ready wanted the seat, he would have ran for it in November. He would have spent money on political signs. He would have submitted a candidate’s survey to this paper. He would have knocked on doors. But he didn’t. Bill Sexton did and came in second behind Flood – and Sexton wants the seat now.
Sexton supporters have urged Casavant to do what they perceive as the fair thing. They have also spoken to councilors to vote down Ready if the mayor decides to appoint him Tuesday. For those people, however, there’s a problem.
I’ve heard through the grapevine that the council is split 4-4 on Ready’s appointment. Flood’s departure leaves eight councilors instead of the regular nine, and if there’s a tie, guess who breaks it? The mayor.
What ever happens, happens, but maybe it’s an issue that could be brought to the charter revision commission.

- Molly Lovell-Keely

By Molly Lovell-Keely
Editor

Biddeford Democrats caucused Sunday at J. Richard Martin Community Center and heard speeches from Rep. Alan Casavant and Sen. Nancy Sullivan, who is challenging Casavant in the primaries for the House 137 seat.
Casavant, also Biddeford’s mayor, said this will be his last term in the Legislature while he’s the city’s mayor, adding that he thinks holding both offices is a benefit to residents.
Sullivan, who retired from a 28-year teaching career last June, said she’s running for a number of reasons that include the economy, the elderly,  the environment and equal rights. She also said she’s concerned about replacing Gov. Paul LePage next November.
Sullivan said Casavant has been an effective legislator, but doesn’t think as mayor and chairman of the school committee, he has enough time to devote to his work in Augusta.
District 136 Rep. Megan Rochelo said her experience in the Legislature has been “humbling and eye opening” and asks for voter support for her second term as a state official.
Rochelo said she’s worked to move money into the pockets of the working class and supported bills for economic development and healthy communities.
Ward 5 City Councilor Bob Mills is serving his third term on the council and said his record of service proves he would be a good candidate for District 136 seat.
“I’ve worked with different factions of the council and though that’s smaller than the Legislature, I feel I can do the same with both houses, Republicans and Democrats,” he said.
Former Biddeford Mayor Joanne Twomey announced that she will run against District 135 Rep. Paulette Beaudoin in the primaries. Beaudoin gave a brief speech and said she’s worked hard for seniors and would like to serve her last term in the Legislature.
Twomey referred to herself as a “real Democrat” and said she would not compromise on programs such as MaineCare if she were chosen to represent Democrats in the November election.
Reps. Don Pilon and Linda Valentino are vying for the Senate District 5 seat that is held by Sen. Barry Hobbins. Hobbins is term limited out, but said at the caucus he will remain involved in politics and to expect an announcement from him soon.
Pilon, a Saco resident, said he owns a houses on Fortunes Rocks Beach in Biddeford Pool and at one time worked on the volunteer call force there, which led to a position as emergency management director.
Valentino said she has a rich family history in the Biddeford-Saco area and told the story of how she used to work as a cashier for Biddeford City Councilor Roch Angers when he was manager at the Five Points IGA where Angers was a manager.
Valentino said she will continue to focus on women’s and gay rights, in addition to veterans’ rights.
Firefighter David Dutremble is running against former Biddeford City Councilor Jim Emerson for the Senate District 4 seat in the primaries.
Dutremble noted the Dutremble’s history in city politics and said he grew up surrounded by it.
A firefighter for 24 years, Dutremble said he’s in the business of helping people, adding that after his wife was recently injured, his family has been living pay check to pay check, like many others in the city and district.
“I’m fed up, I’m tired and it’s time to make a change,” he said.
Emerson, a Biddeford School Committee member, said the most important thing to him is family, adding that he has served more than 35 years in the Air National Guard.
Emerson, the CFO for the Northern York County YMCA, said in his career he’s helped businesses improve, grow, and now in this economy, survive. Emerson said he’s also a volunteer for Community Bicycle Center.
See photos and videos of the candidates on the Courier’s Facebook page; search Biddeford-Saco-OOB Courier. Photos and videos can also be found of Saco’s Democratic caucus.


 

Courier nudged from Main Street

The Courier newspaper and its five sister publications were notified on February 16 they must vacate their current office. The notice came in the form of a hand-delivered note from building owner David Flood. It gave the company just 30 days move.
Within hours of that notice being delivered it was announced on a local website that Flood would assume a prominent role in a media venture that competes with the Courier newspaper and Mainely Media, LLC. He plans to move this new media group into the 180 Main Street location that is currently home to the Courier newspapers and Mainely Media, LLC.
The Courier newspaper and Mainely Media employees are in the process of finalizing arrangements for temporary and permanent office space in downtown Biddeford to publish their six weekly papers in York and Cumberland County.
“The 30-day notice and the fact that Mr. Flood is now working for a competing media group makes it fairly obvious that his was done simply to disrupt our business as much as possible while efforts continue to get his new company up and running,” said Mainely Media General Manager David Clark. “It’s a near-term inconvenience, for sure. But working on tight deadlines is just something you get accustomed to in the newspaper business.”
Flood sold the assets of Mainely Newspapers, Inc. in February 2007 to Mainely Media, LLC for an undisclosed sum and signed a five-year non-compete contract as part of that sale. Almost to the day that his non-compete agreement ended these announcements were made and the eviction notice was delivered to the local staff at the Courier newspaper office in Biddeford.
Flood also resigned his seat on the Biddeford City Council last Tuesday after less than 80 days on the job saying it would be a conflict of interest to continue to serve the city of Biddeford given his new position.

Main Street light poles proposed

Biddeford’s Downtown Development Commission voted unanimously to endorse a proposal from City Planner Greg Tansley to replace 14 light poles on lower Main Street.
Tansely said the poles are located at the corner of Alfred and Main streets, down to Hill street, including a double light pole at the corner of Alfred Street.
The $57,000 project would be funded through Community Development Block Grants and Tax Increment Financing district funds pending city council approval.
The current light poles were installed in the 1980s at a time when Tansely said the city had limited funding.
“They are really meant more for parks, not streets or sidewalks,” he said of the current poles.
Tansley said he has been working with an engineering consultant to propose 100-watt LED lamps that mirror the current’ poles’ lamp style and 12-foot height. The posts resemble light poles that were installed at Phase One of the RiverWalk Project on the Pepperell Mill Campus located at 2 Main St.
Tansley said the new poles would be designed to handle banners, street signs and other installations that current poles cannot hold. There are also electrical outlets on the poles to better support Christmas lights during holidays.
“Fuses are blowing on a regular basis with Christmas lights,” Tansley said.
Installing LED lights on the 14 poles would save the city $4,200 a year, he said.
He also said the city would have to buyout a one year contract with Central Maine Power Co. for $3,700 to replace the poles, money Tansley said would be “well spent” to save money in the long run. If the council approves the plan and votes to buyout CMP, the city would then be in charge of maintenance for the 14 poles. Tansley said it may be possible to partner with the city of Saco on the project because it has purchased a bucket truck and employs two electrical engineers who handle such maintenance.
Biddeford’s CMP contract with the remaining Main Street poles expires July 1, 2013.
“I think once we do these, people will say ‘do the rest,’” Tansely said.

A-1 Cab Services adds new service

A-1 Cab Service announced the addition of handicapped accessible taxis to serve disabled patrons in the York County Community Area.
A-1 will work in conjunction with regional transportation providers, York County Community Action Program and public riders and will offer minivans with side-ramp entry as part of  Maine Department of Transportation Accessible Taxi Grant Program. The program is using New Freedom funds from the Federal Transportation Administration.
Established in 2009, A-1 General Manager John Surran boasts the company as “the cab you put your mother in,” and acknowledges his fleet of vehicles and drivers. When Maine DOT contacted Surran about taking part in the New Freedom program, he said A-1 would be the perfect fit.
“After studying the program for awhile, we knew we wanted to do this,” Surran said. “It would bring our company to another level above the competition and give handicapped people the freedom to be mobile without a lot of work.”
The program   provides public transportation services and alternatives beyond the scope of requirements outlined in the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. A-1 will be the first company in southern Maine to participate in the New Freedom program.
“Maine DOT applauds the willingness of A-1 Cab Service to enter into a public-private partnership with the state to assist it in removing barriers to transportation services,” said MaineDOT Commissioner David Bernhardt in a press release. “(A-1 Cab Service General Managers) John and Debra Surran and their entire staff have set a standard in how small business can partner with a state agency to do the right thing for their communities they serve,”
A-1 plans to have a formal ribbon cutting ceremony to introduce the Accessible Taxi minivan to the fleet 10 a.m. Monday in the Southern Maine Motors showroom in Saco.

Commission will look at stipends

In its first meeting since 2007, The Biddeford Charter Revision Commission heard several proposals from citizens regarding the rate of pay for the mayor and stipends for city councilors. Members also proposed questions for the November ballot.
The charter revision commission, which has been out of action for nearly half a decade, will be responsible for examining Biddeford’s City Charter and proposing changes to it, when they see fit.  In addition, the commission also holds a public hearings for suggestions about the charter.
School Committee member Bil Moriarty stood asked that stipends for city councilors and school committee members be cut.
“It’s a taboo issue and there shouldn’t be a need for it,” Moriarty said. “It should be volunteer and people shouldn’t have to pay for a stipend.”
Moriarty then suggested the mayor’s salary be raised, an idea that was popular among commission members.
Later in the meeting, Biddeford Councilor-At-Large Richard Rhames suggested the city get rid of not only the mayor’s salary but the entire position. He also said term limits should be eliminated from political positions saying “the voter’s box” should be the indicator of how long a politician stays in office.
Only five members of the public attended the meeting.
Commission members agreed to send a proposal to the council that would ask  voters in November whether a candidate for mayor should be a resident of Biddeford for one year before being becoming eligible for election. The current requirement is six months of residency.
Members also will propose whether city councilor’s should receive a $50 increase for their monthly stipend, making their pay $150.
The Commission will meet again March 22.

Occupied space is better for image

Biddeford Economic Development Director Daniel Stevenson said it’s time to stop measuring the city’s empty storefronts and start noting its vacancy rate, which is 70 percent.
“Empty storefronts downplay existing businesses,” he said Monday at a Biddeford Downtown Development Commission meeting.
Stevenson said with a new dollar store getting ready to open on Main Street March 1 and two more potential businesses expressing interest in the area, that would bring the occupancy rate over 80 percent, the highest occupancy rate the downtown has seen in six years.
He added that Mayor Alan Casavant’s goal is to have the downtown’s occupancy rate at 90 percent within a year of when he took office in November.
“How do we drive that number up?” Stevenson asked.
He said any new businesses should receive a welcome letter signed by the mayor, DDC member and Heart of Biddeford representative to show the city’s appreciation.
He also said a little known program called “Shop Biddeford,” should be expanded and promoted better on the city’s website. The program allows businesses to link to the city’s webpage. Stevenson said there are about 600 businesses in the city and he hopes to get about half of those to use the city’s free promotional program.
Stevenson also said he wants to develop a comprehensive marketing and branding strategy for the city, which could be a joint venture with Saco.
Parking is another issue he said should be addressed and invited the public to a March 15 meeting to discuss analysis, sketch plans and design for a parking garage that could be located in three proposed locations within the city.
In other business, DDC member James McGowan proposed reaching out to the University of New England community to make a video that promotes downtown businesses that could be streamed online or broadcast on the city’s public access channel.
McGown said students are required to do 20 hours or more of community service and the university’s community outreach coordinator could contact about 300 students regarding the project.

Saco plans birthday events

The city of Saco will celebrate its 250th birthday this summer, with a five-weekend event that starts in June 9 and ends   July 8.
The Saco Sesquibicentennial Celebration will begin its festivities with a parade in the morning and a reading of the proclamation at the original meeting house in Biddeford in the afternoon. The rest of the day will be followed with a citywide scavenger hunt, horse drawn tours and events at Dyer Library and Saco Museum.
During that time Saco will be know as Pepperellborough, in honor of William Pepperrell, the original administrator of the town
First Parish Church in Saco will also join the celebration, though it has already started commemorating the birthday with various events. The church will host a concert March 7 with the University of Maine Singers performing various selections. The concert is free but seating is based on first, come first serve basis.

RiverWalk, Phase One, is done

The Biddeford RiverWalk Coalition announced an update in the project’s progress last week, as Phase One of the RiverWalk has been complete.
RiverWalk project Director Alix Hopkins said the entrance now boasts an “attractive gateway” to the plaza of granite steps, plantings, and new lighting that will offer a “sweeping view of the Saco River.”  In addition the city of Biddeford acquired ownership of land between North Dam Mill and the Mill at Saco falls from Florida-based energy resource company, NextEra.
During the next phase of construction, the coalition will focus on building a pedestrian bridge that links North Dam Mill with Saco Island and Matson Mill. Hopkins sai she hopes to have the bridge finished over the summer, so visitors can travel on foot between Saco and Biddeford, for the first time in the towns’ history.“Wayfinding” signs will be installed so people can navigate RiverWalk.
The area is not open, according to Hopkins, but she encourages visitors to investigate the progress from North Dam Mill. There will be an official opening ceremony scheduled for a later date.
The RiverWalk Coalition was created in 2008 in order to build support for the $5.8 million project. During its inception the coalition received a $500,000 grant, from the state allocated by Maine’s previous Gov. John Baldacci.

– Compiled by Staff Writer Marc Fillipino and Editor Molly Lovell-Keely

By Marc Filippino
Staff Writer

Screeching filled Biddeford’s Main Street last Thursday, as protesters from Occupy Maine and the University of New England are crying foul over the federal government’s financial relationship with energy companies.
The protesters sported referee jerseys and whistles to show their disapproval of Maine Sens. Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe. The campaigners stood outside the senators’ Biddeford district offices claiming that big oil has “bought Congress” and stood behind the slogan that it is time to “blow the whistle on congressional leaders who support dirty energy. ”
The protest was a combined production of 350.org and dirtyenergymoney.org, groups that have toured the state to spread their message. Before Biddeford, protests were held in Augusta, Portland and Bangor during the past two weeks.
Their claim is that the fossil fuel industry has spent $347 million on Congress in the past two years and, as result, has received $20 million in handouts. 350.org Founder Bill McKibben said protesting needs to be conducted in order to the challenge the status quo.
They accused Collins and Snowe of accepting nearly $400,000 from oil and coal companies over a decade and, as a result, have sided with these companies, which 350 refers to as “dirty energy,” in 50 percent of selected votes.
They compared the statistic to Reps. Michael Michaud and Chellie Pingree who, they allege, received a combined $24,000 from energy companies over a decade. Neither representative had voted in “dirty energy” interests.
The 350 protesters also decried the Keystone XL oil pipeline project, which was rejected by President Obama in January.
Katie Caron, an environmental science major at the University of New England, organized the Biddeford protest. Along with several other UNE students and members from Occupy Maine, she spoke to representatives from Snowe’s and Collin’s offices to make sure their opinion was heard.
“I feel like a lot of the people don’t know the details of this situation and I think it’s good that we’re explaining those details more,” Caron said.
Representatives from both offices acknowledged the visits by 350. However, neither issued a formal statement in response to the protest.  
The protest attracted attention from a number of Biddeford citizens that were passing by. Some honked in appreciation while driving past, others stopped to sign up for 350’s e-mail list. Not everyone was impressed by the demonstration, and some Biddeford citizens angrily confronted the protesters to get them to stop making the loud whistle noises.
Bob Klotz, a producer at Occupy Maine’s television station, occupymetv.org, said that a formal statement from the senators would not have been good enough to produce real change.
“This issue has been on the table for a long time, so there isn’t anything new,” Klotz said. “But one of the guys from Sen. Collins wasn’t even aware of some of the issues out there. That’s why we’re here. To bring issues to the public’s attention.”
Sarah Homich studies medical biology at UNE and first heard of the movement from Caron, her roommate. The two began recruiting interested students from around campus to participate in the movement.
“Most of the people here are environmentalists and I am not, but I still have learned a lot from this experience,” Homich said. “I think we’re teaching people that you don’t have to be an environmentalist to get involved because it’s affecting everything.”
Nick Cornetta was inspired to join the movement when he met McKibben during one of the activist’s visits to Maine. He said the knowledge he gained by speaking with McKibben, combined with the work he has done with Caron, made him want to be a part of something important.
“It’s not just about the Keystone issue, we really hope to make our presence made,” Cornetta said. “Progress is made through movements and campaigns, you have to spread the word to new cities and new towns.”
Now that that the House of Representatives passed a bill approving the construction of the Keystone Pipeline, Caron plans to reorganize and arrange more demonstrations in the future. She hopes her actions will inspire others to take up a cause worthy to them.
“Get more involved and understand what is really happening right here in Biddeford,” Caron said. “There are a lot of issues happening that people may not be aware of. The best thing is to get involved with any organization.”  

Staff Writer Marc Filippino can be reached at 282-4337 ext. 213

Marc Filippino
Staff Writer

Several Maine lawmakers are rallying behind the Amtrak Downeaster after a bill was announced that could potentially withhold $6 million a year in federal funding from the railroad.  
Maine House Reps. Mike Michaud, and Chellie Pingree, both Democrats, announced that they plan to introduce an amendment to a bill now being considered by the House in order to preserve Congestion Mitigation Air Quality funding.
Congestion Mitigation Air Quality funding provides money to projects and maintenance areas for ozone, carbon monoxide and particulate matter   that reduce transportation-related emissions. Maine was granted a waiver in 2005 to allow the funds to be used for the Downeaster since the railway would essentially lower car emissions. However, the program’s support of the Downeaster lasts three years and will run out this year. It’s up to Congress to grant a waiver to continue the program.
Congestion Mitigation Air Quality Program funding covers nearly 80 percent of the Downeastern’s annual operating costs. Ticket sales, concessions and revenue from rental car state sales tax cover the remaining costs.
The bill being considered by the House would not allow another extension. Michaud and Pingree’s amendment would allow the U.S. Department of Transportation to continue funding rail lines programs with the Congestion Mitigation Air Quality Program for longer than three years.
“The Downeaster is one of the most successful and popular rail lines in the country,” Pingree said in a prepared statement. “It has created economic development along its current route and we can already see the boost it’s giving to local business in Freeport and Brunswick where service will begin later this year.”
Sen. Olympia Snowe, (R-Maine), is also pushing an amendment to the Senate’s highway bill in order for the Downeaster to retain its Congestion Mitigation Air Quality Program funding. The amendment has gained popularity since it was introduced and has won support from fellow Maine Sen. Susan Collins.
“The Downeaster is a critical link between southern Maine and the rest of the East Coast,” Snowe said. “This funding is part of the reason that the Downeaster has made such strides in recent years, and the Senate bill would force the department to scramble in order to continue funding the Downeaster’s operations.”
“A lot of hard work has gone into making the Downeaster a success,” said Michaud, who is a member of the House Transportation Committee. “As our economy continues to recover, it just doesn’t make sense to eliminate support for a service that Maine businesses and families rely on.”
Congressmen John Mica of Florida and John Duncan of Tennessee introduced the bill, H.R. 7, the American Energy and Infrastructure Jobs Act of 2012. Consideration of the amendment is scheduled to take place next week.
Sean Jeans-Gail, vice president of the National Association of Railroad Passengers in Washington, D.C., said that the bill was a “good effort,” but says Mica “missed the mark.”
“I’m not sure it can even be amended,” Jeans-Gail said. “The framework is so flawed that it will be hard for Congress to make it acceptable.”
In a Statement of Administration Policy, President Obama’s senior advisors said the bill “jeopardizes safety,” and “fails to make investments needed to strengthen the nation’s, roads, bridges, rail and transit systems.”
The advisors recommended the president veto the legislation.  
The Downeaster is managed by the North New England Passenger Rail Authority and celebrated its 10-year anniversary in December. In the span of a decade, ridership has doubled since 2005, and in 2011, more than half a million riders took the Downeaster. The 116-mile-long rail runs from Portland to Boston and makes stops in Old Orchard Beach and Saco.
Last month, the Northern New England Passenger Rail Authority reported the first two quarters of fiscal year 2012 as “healthy and strong,” according to executive director Patricia Quinn. The Downeaster showed 3 percent increase in riders and 1 percent increase in revenue. Downeaster also received a score of 92 out of 100 for overall customer satisfaction; Amtrak received a rating of 85.

Staff Writer Marc Filippino can be reached at 282-4337 ext. 213

Biddeford man recalls passion

By David Arenstam
Contributing Writer

It was a different era, to be sure. Biddeford during the 1950s was a small coastal community that revolved around the workplaces of its citizens and their accomplishments on and off the athletic fields of the city.
West Brook Skating Rink, an outdoor facility on Pool Street, was one of those places. It was the home for many skating enthusiasts and every weekend short-track racers met there to compete.
For nearly 25 years, Dan Gagne was one of those athletes and he was almost always at the center of those races.
“Everyone had speed skates,” Gagne said. “It was strange to see someone in hockey or figure skates.”
Gagne was born and raised in Biddeford and graduated from the high school in 1957, but as the 72-year-old man now looks back on the events of those winters, he realizes it was more than just a pastime.
As a 13-year-old boy, Gagne had seen older boys compete at the outdoor rink on Pool Street and he wanted to try the sport. He played basketball, football and baseball in school, but he had a feeling he would be good at skating.
“In the beginning all I knew how to do was compete,” he said.
The track was short and the sport tended to favor those who were smaller and powerful.
“I didn’t know anything about racing,” he said.
A smile slowly spread across his face and the words quickly came to him as he explained, “My idea was to go right to the front and see if they could catch me.”
They almost never did.
In the beginning, he didn’t even have a pair of his own skates.
“I had to rent or borrow skates if I wanted to race,” he said. “But I was pretty good and before long I was racing all the time.”  
Gagne learned that some of the biggest races were held out of state and, if he wanted to get better, he was going to have to travel to those events. He raced on the weekends in New Hampshire and Massachusetts and, according to the news accounts he still has, he quickly became a crowd favorite.
In 1953 Gagne entered a race that he carried with him the rest of his life.
“Skating was big then, much bigger than today,” he said. “And everyone knew about the Silver Skates Derby at the old Boston Garden.”
With another pair of borrowed skates, Gagne and his coach, Henry Parody, traveled to the city and entered the junior division. There were three daily newspapers in Boston and reporters from each of them covered the event.
As Gagne remembered the race, his eyes sparkled and his hands started to make small circles.
“It was a 40-lap race and I was up against people from all over New England,” he said.
The gun went off and the group began to jockey for position and, as he recalled, they settled into the rhythm of the event.
“My skates didn’t fit so well, but I was alright,” he said.
As the pace quickened, Gagne tried to get to his customary spot and powered toward the front, but this time something happened. He slipped coming into a corner and slid on his backside across the ice.
He quickly jumped to his feet, but by then the pack had lapped him.  
“They were fast. I just pushed on,” he said.
Gagne said the group went round and round a few more times and as he was thinking about how to catch up, it happened again.
“Now I’m two laps down,” he said. “I was mad, and I knew if I didn’t do something, they’d pull me from the race.”
Gagne skated for all he was worth and as he said, “I was in a zone, and they were less than a lap away.”
Eventually, he caught the lead group and, knowing he was still one lap down, he skated even harder.
With a homemade skating uniform, borrowed skates and a heart that knew only one speed, he pushed on and made up the missing lap.
“I still am not sure what the others thought,” he said. “But, I was mad and just kept on going.”
Gagne went to the front and then managed to put some distance between himself and the others.
“I couldn’t believe the sound coming from the crowd,” he recalled. “I’d never heard anything like it.”
Gagne won the race and a prominent place on the sports pages of the Boston Herald. He entered the race the next year, and won again, but this time he was in the senior division.
He continued to race and move up through the ranks, both locally and nationally. Eventually, as member of the U.S. Air Force, he was asked to train with the Olympic Speed Skating team, and he was named an alternate for the team that competed in the 1960 winter games.
For most people, the story might have ended there, but Gagne still had a burning desire to compete. During the next four years, using his own money, and sleeping in his car along the way, he traveled from Maine to Wisconsin and Colorado to compete in the U.S. National Championships.
He won some races, lost others, but everywhere he went, he competed as the kid from the West Brook Skating Rink and the Maine Bladesmen.
At home, he helped start a new skating club and settled down to raise a family in the town where he grew up.
Over the years, Gagne has found other outlets for his competitive nature. When his skating days were over he started cycling and playing racquetball.
“I liked racquetball. It was quick and fast,” he said, and it reminded him of skating.
During a 25-year span, Gagne managed to win 32 state titles in both singles and doubles and ultimately, in 2002, he was enshrined in the Maine Racquetball Hall of Fame.
Even today, Gagne often rides his bike more than 2,500 miles every summer.
“I have a condo at Sugarloaf and try to ride there in one day,” he said.
That’s 140 miles and I can get there in just about 10 hours,” Gagne said, his voice coming alive as he spoke about the ride.
Today, Gagne and his wife Kathy live quietly in a home he rebuilt that is not too far from the rink where it all started.
“I don’t skate much any more,” he said. “But I still think I could,” he added, his body leaning a little to one side, as if he were trying to take one more corner and slip to the front.
 

By Marc Filippino
Staff Writer

After a comprehensive and heated discussion, the Regional School Unit 23 Board of Directors voted in favor of an educational plan that could send up to 30 Saco Middle School students to Loranger Middle School in Old Orchard Beach per year.
Over the next three years, parents who send their children to Saco Middle School and Dayton Consolidated School will be informed about the option to send students to Loranger Middle School.
The plan was designed by the Resource Equalization Committee in an effort to decrease the population of Saco Middle School and equally share the district’s resources across RSU 23 schools.
Ron Michaud, an RSU member from Saco, believes there is no need to ship Saco and Dayton students to Loranger, and it is a mistake to rush a decision that could radically affect the school district. In his argument, Michaud scolded the board for its decision to support a plan he felt was barely discussed publicly before a motion was made.
“I want to thank the committee for working hard,” Michaud said. “However, this will affect the community for many, many years and needs to be handled thoroughly, based on accurate information and done with as much public influence as possible.”
Michaud went on to lambaste Superintendent Patrick Phillips, stating that previous superintendents never saw an overcrowding issue at Saco Middle School.
“It’s an issue that we are trying to create, but it isn’t based on any reality,” Michaud said.
Saco Middle School Principal Rick Talbot said overcrowding is, in fact, a reality, one that he sees as a problem on a daily basis.
“We are overcrowded. Kids are getting bigger, nothing is getting larger in the building and it is tough to move around,” said Talbot, who will retire from his position of principal at the end of the school year. “We have not a single closet empty. We don’t have any space to do anything, really. Everything is being used to the max.”
Meanwhile, Loranger Middle School Principal, Lloyd Crocker, welcomes the shift, saying that the influx of students would help balance out the low numbers in Loranger’s classrooms.
“We would be more than happy to take these students, since having classes that are too small can have a negative effect,” Crocker said. “With a low number of students it’s sometimes difficult for classroom participation and debates to be effective.”
Loranger averages between 15 to 20 students per classroom, and total enrollment is less than 400 students, Crocker said. He said if Loranger took more students, it may alleviate the Saco Middle School overcrowding issue and create a more personalized experience for their students.
“Right now I can walk down the halls and greet all my students by their first name,” Crocker said. “You can’t have that kind of familiarity at a larger school.”
At one point during the planning process, the RSU 23 Leadership Team considered three possible options to address the overcrowding and resource equalization problem: broad-based budget reductions, realigning the map that decides where students attend school and reconfiguring where certain grade levels were located. In the end, the team decided that a combination of the three options was the best solution.
Currently, there are 782 students enrolled in grades six through eight at Saco Middle School, and a decrease of 57 students is anticipated at the beginning of the 2012-2013 school year.
Discussions at prior committee meetings indicated that Saco Middle School should ideally have a population of no more than 500 students. But, Michaud said this number was misleading, since the building could potentially support up to 900 students.
“Given this year, and the philosophy of education that we are operating under now, given the 21st century student, 500 students would be the optimal number for that building to hold,” said Chairman Gary Curtis.
Phillips said the committee would soon begin preparing public information for families with children in kindergarten through grade seven. Through print, television and online mediums, the board will alert families of the problem of overcrowding and summarize the solution. They also emphasized that Saco and Loranger middle schools will be portrayed equally, with neither school represented as the preferable choice.
“The central theme must be that we are now an RSU, not three separate towns, and that the programs and curriculum are strong in all the schools,” Phillips said.
The plan passed with by a 4-3 margin. Michaud, and Skip Cushman of Saco and Jim Boisvert of Old Orchard Beach voted against the plan.
Despite Michaud’s argument against the recommendation, other members, including Board of Directors Member Beth Johnston, feel that student relocation is the clear, short-term answer to the problem at Saco Middle School.
“As a parent of four children who have gone through Saco Middle School, I’ve always felt, that school was overcrowded,” Johnston said. “I don’t know that it takes a rocket scientist to figure that out.”
Johnston said another option is to build a new building and that other options have not been ruled out, even though the board feels that encouraging student relocation is the best way to see immediate results.
“It’s an option that would take the pressure off Saco Middle School and actually take the pressure off people living in Saco. It would give parents the opportunity to experience a different kind of education they would like for their child.”
Curtis also responded to Michaud’s concerns, and questioned Michaud as to why this plan was garnering so much animosity.
“There is no mandate (for parents to move their children) in this recommendation; it’s strictly an educational exercise,” Curtis said. “I’m really surprised that there are so many alarm bells going off at a recommendation to educate the public.”

Saco City Council mulls fireworks, bridge

Saco officials planned to address the addition of fireworks in Maine, which became legal in the state January and will review recent development regarding the 200-year-old Stackpole Bridge at Tuesday night’s city council meeting and workshop, after Courier deadline.
The council will address an ordinance that deals with controlling consumer fireworks within Saco’s city limits. Mayor Mark Johnston said he has no preconceived notion as to what the discussion will entail, but said since the issue was ignored by the previous administration it needs to be properly handled now.
Last July, Gov. Paul LePage signed a bill that legalized the sale, possession and use of fireworks in an effort to boost sales and economy in Maine. Local town and city governments have the right to control fireworks sales. However, this does not restrict residents from going to a neighboring town that has legalized firework sales and buying there.
According to federal regulations fireworks are “any combustible or explosive composition or substance, or any combination of compositions or substance or any article which was prepare for the purpose of producing a visible or audible effect by combustion explosion, detonation, or deflagration.”  
Saco city councilors will also address the deterioration of Saco’s Stackpole Bridge. Saco’s structural engineers will present their annual report with information regarding the bridge.
The Stackpole Bridge lies on Simpson Road and endures most of its traffic from Buxton commuters. The one lane bridge can hold up to three tons.
In recent weeks, the bridge has shown signs of weakness and Johnston said needs to be observed to see how it will handle certain weather conditions.
Johnston said that town officials have noticed some instability with the bridge with stones shifting and evidence of crumbling. According to Johnston, there is no immediate danger and the town is currently using gauges to monitor any further movement of the bridge.
“The bridge is still sturdy, and it isn’t going to crumble and fall soon,” Johnston said. “But we do need to monitor the situation over to see if there are any more signs of weakness.”
Johnston also hopes to present a plan to allocate funds for a collapsing sewer located on Main Street. He said the sewer is fractured and is partially collapsed, and anticipates that it will take $170,000 to fix it.
The construction is estimated at 500 feet and will run from the Dyer Library to Summer Street. Johnson said he hopes to get the area dug up and fixed before fall when the state will pave the roads.

Middle school principal to retire

After almost a decade of service, Saco Middle School Principal Richard Talbot announced his resignation due to retirement during last week’s RSU 23 meeting.
Talbot, 65, resides in South Berwick and has been an educator for more than 43 years. Before his tenure in Saco, he served as the assistant principal at York Middle School. “I’m glad that I was able to focus on the needs of the children and increase the number of programs in the school that we didn’t have before,” Talbot said. “I can’t single one thing out, but I’m certainly proud of the addition of the World Language program and increasing the number of gifted and talented programs.”
Talbot will remain principal until June 30, nine days after Saco Middle School’s last day of the 2011-2012 school year. A committee will be formed, in order to choose the Saco Middle School’s principal for next year.
Talbot prides himself on the expansion of Saco Middle School’s athletic program, adding swimming, lacrosse, and track teams by eliminating the school’s football program.
“I believe the children are much happier since we diverted the funds to get more students involved in sports,” Talbot said. “These sports offer more events and life-long activities that they can continue to do after high school and college.”
Now he is looking forward to spending his retirement with his family, especially his four grandchildren.
“I’m not getting any younger, and right now I have no plans for post-retirement,” Talbot said. “I’m just going to take it one day at a time and see where the road will take me.”
Superintendent Patrick Phillips thanked Talbot for his dedication and time to the town of Saco.
“I want to thank Mr. Talbot for all his years of service to Saco and the RSU. Superintendent Patrick Phillips said at the meeting. “I think I speak for everyone when I say we wish him all the best.”

Councilor steps down from seat

In an effort to re-enter the private sector, David Flood announced his resignation from Biddeford’s City Council last week.
Flood was elected to the city’s Ward 7 seat last November with a total of 390 votes. Flood is leaving the council to pursue a media venture.
“It’s very difficult, if not impossible to sit on the city council, while covering the city council,” Flood said. “It could end up being a big conflict of interest and create a lot of awkward situations.”
Flood said he had not made a definite decision to pursue the venture while campaigning last November, but said he was considering a re-emersion into media during last few years.
“When I handed in my name for the election I considered (a business opportunity) unlikely,” Flood said. “Nothing was definite and it would have been arrogant to think I would have won the election. If I had lost, I still would have pursued this idea.”
Bill Sexton, who ran against Flood during the election, is calling the move “irresponsible” and described Flood’s decision as a slap in the face to the people who voted for him.
 “As far as I am concerned, he just turned his back on the 390 votes that he got last year,” Sexton said. “If he knew he was pursuing this venture he shouldn’t have run. It’s insulting.”
Sexton placed second to Flood by a margin of 120 votes, beating out third place finisher, Patricia Whitehurst, by 110 votes. As Flood’s runner-up, Sexton may be next in line for the vacant position, but said he is unsure if he would take the seat if offered.
Biddeford Mayor Alan Casavant has 30 days to appoint a new councilor to replace Flood; the candidate also needs to be confirmed by the city council. Casavant intends to pick a replacement with prior government experience and hopes to have a candidate chosen by the March 6 city council meeting.
According to the Biddeford City Charter, whomever Casavant appoints will hold the Ward seat 7 until December 2013. The charter states, the only time a special election can be held is if the mayor resigns with more than six months remaining in his term. If he leaves with less than six months, the acting council president immediately replaces him.
“I need to have someone with government experience; ideally who has served on a city council or some type of government body,” Casavant said. “I fear putting someone in with no experience is problematic since the budget issue is getting complex. The person replacing David will have to get up to speed quickly.”

Business competition announced  

A local community group announced a competition in hopes to attract business to the downtown Biddeford area by this year’s holiday shopping season.
The Heart of Biddeford will award $20,000 incentive packages to three new businesses with the most appealing business pitch. In their prize package, the businesses receive six months of free rent in a Biddeford storefront and $6,000 in services that include legal and accounting assistance. The businesses will also receive a number of amenities in their first year, including Internet website creation, photography and video production.
“We were amazed at how much the community was willing to step forward to add to this incentive package,” said Heart of Biddeford Executive Director Delilah Poupore. “The people of Biddeford are saying, ‘How can we help?’”
The Biddeford City Council is still working with the Heart of Biddeford to add to the incentive package.
The winners will be chosen based on a two-page business pitch with priority given to projects that promise to fill first floor vacancies, expand the downtown business mix and have the highest potential to draw customers.
The Maine Small Business Development Center will provide business plan writing assistance.
A panel of judges with proficiency in small-business start-ups will choose up to 10 business pitches to advance to the next round where they will be invited to submit a comprehensive business plan.
Six semi-finalists will then be selected to move onto Phase 3, in which the committee will interview them. The three winners will be announced by June 4. All businesses are required to open by Nov. 22.
“This competition will draw a great range of business concepts,” said Biddeford Economic Development Director Daniel Stevenson. “By November, we’ll see three great new additions to downtown that are truly set up to succeed.”
Stevenson, along with three other confirmed members, will sit on the committee that will decide the winning businesses. Karin Gregory, owner of the legal firm Furman Gregory Deptula, Wil Armitage, director Biddeford Saco Area Building Economic Development Corp. and Michael Manos, chairman of the Heart of Biddeford Business Enhancement Commission, joins him.
The Heart of Biddeford will ask the Downtown Development Commission for another representative to have a fifth member on the panel.

– Compiled by Staff Writer Marc Filippino

Marc Filippino
Staff Writer

More than 150 XATel customers were left without phone service last week after FairPoint Communications cut service to the Biddeford-based telephone company.
FairPoint ceased services to XATel last Thursday due to a billing dispute between the two companies that dates back to 2009. Representatives from FairPoint state that XATel’s inability to maintain monthly payments resulted in the termination of service.
In January, XATel attempted to get the disconnection repealed, but the Maine Public Utilities Commission Rapid Response Process Team found XATel to be in default of its billing obligations and “found no reason” for FairPoint to stop the disconnect, according to the decision stated on the XATel’s Rapid Response Complaint issued last week.
XATel CEO, Roland Lawler, said his company suffered negligence by FairPoint to fix billing errors and said that credits owed by FairPoint to XATel were not reflected in the most current bill. Lawler said these credits would clear his bill entirely.
By December 2010, XATel owed FairPoint $221,000, a total that Lawler said does not make sense.
“Our starting bill in June 2009 with no customers was more than $1,000, when it should have been zero,” Lawler said. “To owe $221,000 a little more than a year later with 300 customers? It doesn’t add up if you do the math.”
Three months earlier, FairPoint placed an embargo on XATel, preventing them from taking on anymore phone customers. The embargo did not affect XATel’s ability to take new Internet customers or provide wireless security camera service.
Since 2010, XATel has worked its bill down to $650, a balance Lawler said he sent a payment for, but has not cleared.
FairPoint Spokesman Jeff Nevins denied claims of erroneous billings and said XATel had more than enough time to resolve the billing issue in good faith.
“We gave them a long time to take action and they continued to ignore the problem,” Nevins said. “FairPoint has invested a considerable amount of money and we have no obligations to provide a service to a company who hasn’t fulfilled their responsibility to their bill.”
Nevins said XATel failed to meet a legal obligation to alert their customers of a disconnect two weeks in advance. Nevins said XATel customers still had access to all 911 emergency lines.
Last week’s shut down was not FairPoint’s first attempt to end service to XATel.
In December 2010, FairPoint attorney Sarah Davis alleged there were no billing errors and handed Lawler an order of disconnect. XATel appealed to the Maine Public Utilities Commission, which lifted the disconnect but not the embargo.
FairPoint argued that it worked with XATel to resolve all issued disputes and felt it would be unjust to continue service to XATel due to the outstanding bill.
In its order, the Maine Public Utilities Commission Rapid Response Process Team stated that XATel could suffer “irreparable” damage, and ceased the shutdown. Maine Public Utilities Commission ordered XATel pay $7,300 a month to pay off its remaining bill. Lawler called the demand “outrageous” since the bill didn’t reflect FairPoint’s pending credits and XATel was still not allowed to take on new phone customers.
Lawler anticipates some customers to leave due to the shutdown, but also had many supporters. XATel customer and Biddeford resident Bil Moriarty said he would continue doing business with Lawler’s company despite the blackout.
“I’m still an XATel customer and will be until they close their doors,” Moriarty said.
“You have to buy local and have faith, that’s how small businesses grow.”
XATel regained service last Friday with the help of local competitor USA Telecom. Lawler hopes to work together with other small businesses in an effort to stop corporate bullying and level the playing field.
“FairPoint has received a lot of state funding and little independent companies haven’t been helped out. They’ve been stomped on by the Maine PUC,” Lawler said. “I think it would be a great collaboration to get all these little guys together and to beat the FairPoint giant. We could have a lot of pull out there.”

Processes, procedures and proposed politicians

Biddeford City Councilor David Flood is expected to resign from his seat and this caused quite a commotion around town pertaining to procedure.
Some people thought if a city councilor resigned with more than six months remaining in their tenure, the city would have to hold a special election in that ward to fill the seat. Others believed it was changed in the last charter review commission to give authority to the mayor to appoint the new councilor.
The city clerk confirmed that it’s up to the mayor to appoint someone to the seat.
The debate is now who should Mayor Alan Casavant appoint?
 Should he appoint someone who favors and supports his ideas? Some have criticized him for putting mainly his supporters on city boards and commissions. However, that’s his prerogative as mayor. His other option would be to take the political high road and appoint an adversary. 
Casavant told the Courier he wasn’t going to announce his appointment until the March 6 council meeting so he can think about it – unless he unintentionally hoodwinked us and announced his appointment at Tuesday’s meeting after the Courier deadline.
Some people believe the fair thing to do would be to appoint the person who came in second in November’s election, Bill Sexton, as is done in most contests. However, what if Sexton doesn’t want the seat? Then what?
A number of other names have been mentioned as possible candidates, including, Joanne Twomey, Pat Whitehurst and former School Committee member Laura Seaver. Then, say Casavant went down this list and couldn’t find anyone willing to fill the seat, then what?
If it were up to me I’d hold a special election, but that’s only done if a mayor resigns or is impeached. Still, to me, fair is fair. The positions are meant to be elected, not appointed. An election would eliminate the issue and ensure a list of candidates who truly want the seat.
Though voter turnout would surely be low, I believe it’s the only fair way.

– Molly Lovell-Keely