Earlier today, the Biddeford Gazette learned that an email regarding the abrupt departure of former City Manager James Bennett was sent from one member of the Biddeford City Council to Mayor Marty Grohman and every other member of the council.
According to our sources, the email was sent at 7:05 a.m. today (Feb. 27, 2025).
The city has been tight lipped ever since we reported Bennett’s abrupt and surprise departure. That action by the mayor and council has led to speculation throughout the community. Thus, the Biddeford Gazette filed a FOIA (Freedom of Information Act) request with the city.
All the President’s Men/ New Yorker magazine photo
In October, Bennett announced his resignation. He said he would stay on the job until Apri with 14 months remaining in his current contract, leaving a $15,000 retention bonus on the table.
Last week, all city employees were sent an email announcing that Bennett was being immediately replaced by Brian Phinney, the city’s chief operations officer.
Today’s email from one member of the council to all other members of the council and the mayor is now a public document. The Biddeford Gazette believes the people of Biddeford deserve to know what is happening, especially given many irregularities in the city’s finance department over the past two years.
Per state and federal law, some issues such as current legal matters or personnel issues are exempt from FOIA requirements. However, once those documents are distributed (electronically or otherwise) to several elected officials from another elected official, they become public documents.
Our Feb. 27, 2025 FOIA request is copied below:
_____________________
February 27, 2025
To: Mayor Marty Grohman, City Council, Harry Center, esq; City of Biddeford, Maine; et al.
Re: FOIA request
Pursuant to and under the Maine Freedom of Access Act § 402 et seq., I am hereby — on behalf of myself and the Biddeford Gazette — requesting an opportunity to inspect or obtain copies of the following:
A copy of an email that was sent to you and every current member of the Biddeford City Council at approximately 7:05 a.m. today (February 27, 2025) from a city councilor regarding the appointment of Brian Phinney as acting city manager and regarding former City Manager James Bennett.
2..Any other written correspondence between members of the council and mayor between Wednesday, Feb. 19 and today regarding the leave of the former city manager.
If you believe that this request is invalid and not the purview of the general public, please advise and explain with your specific objections in writing.
Please also provide whatever other documents (as outlined above) even if you deem other parts of this request to be invalid as defined by the State of Maine.
I believe these requested records should be provided free of any monetary obligation, given the nature of this request. However, if you anticipate a cost associated with gathering these materials, please advise me of those costs in advance.
Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Sincerely,
Randy Seaver
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Bennett, well-known in several communities throughout Maine, capped off his nine-year stint in Biddeford under a cloud of mystery. Six days ago.
I understand why the city is keeping tight-lipped, but I cannot believe that I am the only reporter in southern Maine asking questions. Six days!
The rumors are swirling, and yet every other media outlet in southern Maine is either unwilling or unable to cover the story.
If I had not published my story, the people of Biddeford would have almost no way of knowing what is happening at City Hall. Six days! Really?
I get that I have an unfair advantage because I have been covering Biddeford longer than anyone else and have developed a healthy Rolodex of sources, but six days??
This is a disservice to the people of Biddeford. This community deserves better than just my reporting.
I understand, maybe it’s difficult or embarrassing for other media outlets to acknowledge that I have been running circles around them on a zero-dollar budget for the past two months while only wearing boxer shorts in my basement and often forgetting to put in my dentures . . . but come on! Six days!
No wonder local government officials think they can do whatever they want. No one is apparently watching.
Yesterday, there was a glimmer of hope. A reporter from the Portland Press Herald sent me an email, asking me if I would share my source of the e-mail that was sent to city workers last week. I declined but offered to point her in the right direction. Then? Silence.
Seriously? Six days?
Pathetic.
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Every year, the city makes difficult choices about where to invest tax dollars — from public safety and road repairs to parks and essential services. Budget season is when those decisions take shape.
The city budget is more than numbers — it’s a fiscal statement of what Biddeford values and how much we value it. It determines funding for schools, emergency services, infrastructure, and other priorities. Every dollar spent reflects a choice about the kind of city we want and the future we are building together.
Biddeford’s fiscal year runs from July 1 to June 30, meaning we are currently operating under the Fiscal Year 2025 budget. The budget now under review will determine spending for FY2026, which begins July 1, 2025.
Biddeford City Council President Liam LaFountain (Courtesy photo)
Over the next few months, elected officials will balance priorities and make difficult choices. This process is one of the most comprehensive and consequential in local government, and understanding it empowers residents to engage effectively.
How the Budget Process Works
Each department submits a budget based on projected needs for the next fiscal year. Department heads submitted their requests in January. For example, Public Works must estimate how much salt will be needed for winter storms, a costly but essential factor. The Fire Department may request new life-saving equipment for emergency response. Other departments, from Police to Recreation, have needs ranging from staffing to facility maintenance, utility costs, and programming that must be balanced with competing needs and limited resources.
These requests go to the City Manager’s Office and Finance Department, which review and adjust them to balance needs with available revenues. This process, completed in February, ensures the proposed budget reflects department expertise and fiscal oversight before being submitted to the City Council in March.
How the City Council Reviews the Budget
Once submitted, the City Council forms the Budget Committee, which includes all councilors, to review the budget in depth. The committee meets regularly — typically on Monday and Thursday evenings for several months — to refine the budget.
The first few meetings provide an overview of each department’s budget, where department heads present their proposals and answer questions. These meetings, held in Council Chambers, are open to the public. The city’s website will provide a calendar of meetings, public hearings, and deadlines, ensuring residents have multiple opportunities to follow the process and provide input.
Every budget should reflect the values of the people it serves. This is your money, your city, and your budget.
— Councilor Liam LaFountain
Key Cost Drivers: Why Costs Rise
The FY2025 municipal budget totaled $44.8 million, with the largest shares allocated to Public Safety ($14.2M) and Public Works ($5.9M). This does not include the $47.3 million school budget, which is managed separately by the School Committee.
Property taxes remain the primary funding source for municipal operations, as other revenue sources do not fully account for the level and quantity of services the city provides. While Biddeford also relies on state revenue sharing, tax programs like Homestead and BETE, and other revenue such as building permits and user fees, these sources covered only 35% of municipal expenses in FY2025, leaving property taxes to fund the remaining 65%.
As state revenue sharing and school funding formulas shift costs to municipalities like ours, Biddeford taxpayers have absorbed a greater financial share. Rising wages, energy expenses, and infrastructure needs continue to drive costs higher annually.
Additionally, unfunded state and federal mandates require municipalities to cover new expenses without additional funding, adding to financial pressures. Balancing rising costs while maintaining essential services is a key challenge.
How to Engage in the Process
Public input is crucial. Residents can participate by:
Attending public hearings and Budget Committee meetings (dates available on the city’s website).
Reviewing budget documents, available on the city’s website.
Contacting city councilors with questions or concerns.
Following updates through city communications and local media.
Every budget should reflect the values of the people it serves. This is your money, your city, and your budget. The choices made in this municipal budget will help shape Biddeford’s services, infrastructure, and priorities. Your engagement ensures a more informed and responsive budget.
If you have thoughts on priorities or questions about the budget process, please contact your city councilor. These discussions help shape the decisions that will impact our city’s future.
The views expressed in this column are my own and do not necessarily reflect those of the Biddeford City Council.
Local students demonstrated their spelling prowess at the York County Spelling Bee, held earlier this month at Massabesic Middle School. Twelve talented spellers in grades 5-8 from schools across southern Maine, including Biddeford, Saco, Bonny Eagle, and Wells, competed for the county title in a contest that came down to an intense tie-breaking spelldown lasting two extra rounds.
Scarlett Lantz of Wells Junior High claimed the championship and will advance to the Maine State Spelling Bee on March 22 at Bowdoin College. Representing Saco Middle School, Olivia Blais secured the runner-up position after an impressive performance.
First Row (L to R): Howard Conklin, Joe Bailey, Jeremy Nielsen, Leo L’Italien, Marko Marjanovic, and Jahvied Joseph. Back Row (L to R): Reed Direnzo, Olivia Blais, Donny Denton, Tyler Donahue, and Brycen Drake.
Saco and Biddeford were well-represented in the competition. Marko Marjanovic of CK Burns School in Saco and Jeremy Nielsen of Massabesic Middle School tied for third place. Brycen Drake of Biddeford Middle School and Leo L’Italien of Saco Middle School finished in a three-way tie for fifth place. Jahvied Joseph of Biddeford Middle School, Donny Denton of CK Burns School, and Joe Bailey of Bonny Eagle Middle School all competed fiercely but exited in the early rounds.
Superintendent Jeremy Ray praised the students for their achievements, stating, “We are incredibly proud of our students from Saco and Biddeford who participated in this year’s York County Spelling Bee. Their dedication, hard work, and perseverance were on full display, and they represented their schools with excellence. Congratulations to Olivia Blais for her outstanding runner-up finish and to all of our spellers for their impressive performances.”
Per rules, misspelled and winning words are not allowed to be published as other regions conduct their bees. The Maine State Champion will move on to the prestigious Scripps National Spelling Bee this May, marking the 100th anniversary of the national competition, which will be broadcast on the ION network.
Karen Garnett is the communications director for the Biddeford School System. She can be contacted at kgarnett@biddefordschools.me
Just when you think things are going to slow down and become more manageable, some big stories come from out of nowhere and demand your immediate attention.
Such was the case last week, with two stories that were both exclusive to the Biddeford Gazette. First, the plaintiffs in a lawsuit against the city of Biddeford, voluntarily withdrew their suit just weeks before the matter was to be heard at the Maine Supreme Court.
That lawsuit challenged the decisions of a lower court’s ruling and the decision by the Biddeford Planning Board regarding a housing development and land swap near Clifford Park.
James Bennett
Before the ink had even dried on that story, we learned that Biddeford City Manager Jim Bennett would not be returning to his office after a brief vacation. City officials are being tight-lipped about the matter, but the surprise announcement seemed strange, especially since Bennett had said he would stay at his post until mid-April when he announced his resignation back in October.
As always, we were also happy to share some photos and news from this year’s Winterfest celebration. We even caught video of Biddeford Mayor Marty Grohman busting a move along with several others during an exercise class.
Things are moving along even better than I could have imagined just two months ago. We now have hundreds of subscribers and — apparently — we’re now an international publication with a handful of subscribers from foreign countries, including six from Canada; two from Portugal and one from each Italy and New Zealand.
Pretty cool, eh?
On a more somber note, I am still happy to provide updated local obituaries each week at no charge to families. However, doing this does give you a moment of pause, especially when the obituaries are for people younger than you. Also, being part of the community, also means knowing or being connected to several of the deceased.
It’s a good reminder to live your life to the fullest, and never take anything for granted.
In closing, I apologize for being a day late in publishing this newsletter. Laura and I took a much-needed break and spent the weekend with some close friends in central Maine.
Maine is a big, beautiful and diverse state. On Saturday, we went from watching and listening to the roar of two-stroke snowmobiles in the annual Unity Pond snowmobile races and then over to Belfast to enjoy that community’s ice sculpture festival. It was pretty amazing to watch the ice sculptors work,
Now, I’m back, rested up and ready to finish the third installment of our three-part series regarding Biddeford’s housing crisis..
Drop me a line if you have a story idea, a complaint or a suggestion. As always, thank you so much for reading!
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According to multiple sources, embattled Biddeford City Manager James Bennett will not be returning to work after his brief vacation this week.
Employees report receiving an email Thursday from Brian Phinney, the city’s chief operating officer, that Bennett will not be returning to his post to finish out the remainder of his employment term.
Former city manager James Bennett
Phinney, apparently, will now serve as acting manager while the council continues its search for a permanent replacement.
Facing increasing public pressure, Bennett announced his resignation last October. In a deal he worked out with the City Council, he was scheduled to leave his post in April.
Bennett, hired in 2015, was the city’s fourth professional manager.
We have reached out to Mayor Marty Grohman and Council President Liam LaFountain for additional comment.
This story will be updated.
UPDATE:
Here is a copy of an email sent from Brian Phinney, the city’s chief operations officer, to all Biddeford city employees at 3:37 p.m. today.
“Good afternoon,
On behalf of the Mayor and members of the City Council, I want to take a moment to update you on a leadership transition development.
As you know, the City Council has begun the process of selecting a new city manager, with a decision expected late spring or early summer. In the interim, the Mayor and City Council have elected to begin implementation of the transition plan.
As part of the transition I have been asked to serve as acting city manager to ensure continuity in daily operations. In accordance with this plan, Jim will be on leave from this point forward.
We have every confidence in your abilities and know we have a shared desire for a smooth transition. Thank you all for your continued dedication to the city and the community we serve. Your work remains vital, and we appreciate your continued dedication during this time of change.”
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____________________
ABOUT THE AUTHOR | Randy Seaver is the editor and founder of the Biddeford Gazette. He has been covering Biddeford news and politics for nearly three decades. He may be reached by email: randy@randyseaver.com
A lawsuit filed against the city of Biddeford and a local real estate developer has been withdrawn by two residents who were upset about a proposed housing development near Clifford Park in Biddeford.
According to court documents, the plaintiffs Loren McCready and Christopher Quint both own property that abuts the proposed housing development.
The withdrawal of the lawsuit caps off a nearly four-year saga that began when Mike Eon, president of E&R Development, and Gervais Dube presented a plan to the city for an 18-lot housing subdivision.
The main entrance to Clifford Park/ Photo by Joe McKenney, Biddeford Recreation Commission,
In order to meet development standards, Eon and Dube needed to acquire roughly four acres of land in Clifford Park, a forested park that offers hiking trails and other recreational opportunities on Pool Street, less than a mile from the city’s downtown core.
In exchange for the four acres, the developers proposed trading roughly 100 acres of land that they already owned near the park, leaving the city with a net gain of nearly 96 acres that could be permanently protected from any development and remain publicly accessible into perpetuity.
Although one city official described the proposal as a “win-win” scenario that would nearly double the popular park’s size and provide greater public access, a handful of opponents said the plan should be rejected.
According to a November 3, 2020 Portland Press Herald story, former Biddeford Recreation Director Carl Walsh appeared before the city council and said “It’s s quite an opportunity,” adding that the city has long desired to add the waterfalls — which is on part of the land that could go to the city — to the park.”
McCready, however, said the proposed land swap was a bad idea and could cause environmental damage. Shortly after the Biddeford Planning Board gave their initial approval to the project, McCready formed a non-profit group to prevent the project and address other “environmental concerns” in the city.
The Biddeford-Saco Climate Action Team still meets on a regular basis and its Facebook page shows 13 “Likes” and 19 ‘followers.”
McCready and Quint first appealed the Planning Board’s decision to the Maine Superior Court.
On November 22, 2023 Superior Court Justice James Martemucci ruled against the plaintiffs on a number of technical and procedural issues.
The plaintiffs then appealed their case to the Maine Supreme Court.
Meanwhile, the proposed project has been put on hold until all of the legal matters can be resolved.
Earlier this week, the Biddeford Gazette learned that McCready and Quint decided to withdraw their complaint against the city and the developers.
In an email statement to the Gazette, McCready wrote: “I remain committed to advancing housing solutions that are both inclusive and environmentally responsible.
“Moving forward, I will continue working with the Biddeford-Saco Climate Action Team to advocate for sustainable development practices that align with the City’s Climate Action Plan and prioritize long-term community well-being.”
McCready’s attorney Kate Hambley said the decision to withdraw her client’s complaint boiled down to money.
“While I felt and still feel my clients had strong legal grounds for appeal, my clients ultimately decided against using personal funds to pursue an appeal to the Law Court (which, as I’m sure you can imagine, can be quite an expensive undertaking),” Hambley wrote.
“This was a difficult decision given the environmental and community resources at stake, but they are confident they can still make positive changes in Biddeford, which they intend to do by promoting smart growth and affordable, sustainable infill housing within the city,” said Hambley.
Mike Eon said he was feeling relieved that the four-year battle is finally coming to a close. “It’s really hard to build affordable homes when you have to through four years of delays and increasing costs,” Eon said. “I always strive to do good projects that will benefit my community.”
Biddeford Mayor Marty Grohman also expressed a sense of relief that the litigation is over.
“I’m glad that this issue is finally settled,” Grohman said. “The city is getting a tremendous resource of additional public lands that will be protected into perpetuity.”
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Discovering what excites and motivates students can be a game-changer in education, boosting engagement, academic performance, and overall well-being.
This month, Biddeford High School (BHS) hosted “Passion Classes,” a special day filled with a unique curriculum designed to help students explore new hobbies and interests while fostering meaningful connections with teachers.
For one day, teachers stepped outside their traditional subjects to share something they are passionate about—whether it’s a life skill, creative hobby, or unique interest. Students were given the opportunity to choose three sessions throughout the day, selecting from a wide range of engaging topics.
(BHS) students enjoy making diamond paintings as part of the “Passion Classes,” a special day filled with a unique curriculum designed to help students explore new hobbies and interests while fostering meaningful connections with teachers. (Contributed photo)
Some sessions focused on practical life skills, such as making sushi, homemade pasta, or pancakes, while others introduced students to weightlifting techniques or the basics of sourdough baking.
Creativity took center stage in sessions on knitting and crocheting, embroidery, and candle-making, while other offerings helped students develop social-emotional skills through communication workshops, meditation, and even mapmaking.
For those looking for something fun and interactive, options included trivia, chess, and even a session on planning the perfect Disney trip.
This initiative aligns with the growing focus on social-emotional learning (SEL), which encourages students to explore their passions, develop confidence, and build a sense of purpose. Finding one’s passion in high school can lead to greater motivation, more substantial learning outcomes, and even help shape future career choices.
Just as importantly, these Passion Classes create opportunities for students to connect with teachers in new ways, discovering shared interests that can strengthen relationships beyond the classroom.
Last year’s event was a huge success, with students forming meaningful bonds with teachers over common hobbies—relationships that continued to grow throughout the school year and contributed to a more positive and supportive learning environment.
BHS students making homemade pasta as part of the “Passion Classes,” a special day filled with a unique curriculum designed to help students explore new hobbies and interests while fostering meaningful connections with teachers.
“Passions fuel curiosity and drive learning in ways traditional instruction sometimes cannot,” said Martha Jacques, Biddeford High School Principal. “When students have a reason to build skills—whether it’s reading, math, or problem-solving—because they need those skills to go further in something they love, they become more engaged and invested in their learning.”
The creative classes reflect the school’s commitment to connect with one another and continuously foster a sense of belonging for students and staff. While strong relationships are forged in the classrooms each day, Biddeford High School works to elevate these efforts with school-wide co-curricular activities aimed at supporting its core values of Perseverance, Respect, Integrity, Dependability, and Empathy. These opportunities are called “PRIDE Days”.
Karen Garnett is the communications director for the Biddeford-Saco system. She can be reached atkgarnett@biddefordschools.me
Editor’s Note: This is the second installment of our three-part series regarding Biddeford’s housing crisis.
A panel of experts offered their perspectives and guidance regarding Biddeford’s housing crisis during a special city council workshop meeting earlier this week.
For more than two hours, the nine panelists each offered their professional insights and took questions from both councilors and members of the public Tuesday evening.
Biddeford Mayor Marty Grohman described the workshop as a necessary “first step” for city officials who are trying to find innovative solutions for a problem that shows no signs of going away.
While Biddeford has seen recent success in attracting development of market-rate housing units, the city is still struggling with “affordable housing” options and a low inventory of single-family homes for young families, often described as “starter homes.”
“We have a beautiful, dynamic and growing city,” Grohman said as he kicked off the discussion. “We’re in our 12th straight year of enrollment growth in schools. It’s immensely positive that we’re growing, and seeing this type of pressure on housing, but it’s also immensely challenging.”
George Gervais, the city’s director of economic and community development, started the meeting by providing an overview of the city’s current housing status.
According to Gervais, the city today has 10,576 housing units. Of those units, 9,431 are occupied, according to data from the 2020 Census.
Gervais said rental units make up slightly more than 52 percent of the city’s occupied housing.
Average monthly rents in Biddeford range between $1,700 and $3,200, ranging from studio apartments to three-bedroom units, Gervais said.
The average home values in Biddeford have risen by roughly five percent during the last year. The average home value in the city is slightly more than $478,000.
One of the city’s biggest challenges, however, is that area wages are not keeping pace with increasing housing costs.
“We have quite a bit coming at Biddeford,” Gervais said outlining the horizon in which more than 2,100 units of housing are currently in some form of development. “That’s a pretty impressive number,” he added.
The new development numbers include projects that are either under construction, under review by permitting agencies or projects that are conceived but have not yet gone through the permitting process.
Gervais said 319 of those units are planned as affordable housing units in which rental costs are calculated by the area’s median income (AMI).
During an earlier interview, Grohman said the city council has set a goal of creating 180 units of affordable housing each year over the next five years.
What the experts say
The panelists were broken into three main groups, focused on affordable housing; market-rate housing and a housing finance development panel. The panel also included a presentation regarding state government housing resources from Benjamin Averill, Housing Opportunity Program coordinator for the Maine Department of Economic and Community Development.
“Today, Biddeford is the place to be. “It’s the cool place. That’s great but it also poses problems.”
–Guy Gagnon, Biddeford Housing Authority
Guy Gagnon, executive director of the Biddeford Housing Authority, said Biddeford has undergone some dramatic changes in the last 15 years, pointing out that he joined the quasi-governmental agency in 2010.
Gagnon, a Biddeford native, said he is especially troubled by the fact that so many kids who grew up in Biddeford can no longer afford to live here. “I see my friends’ kids and even my own children being forced to look elsewhere for housing,” Gagnon said.
“It used to be that Biddeford was the second, third, fourth or even fifth choice when people were looking for homes,” Gagnon said. “Today, however, Biddeford is the place to be. It’s the cool place. That’s great but it also poses problems.”
Gagnon said the city needs to be creative and willing to look at alternatives that include modular housing and mobile home parks.
“It may not be for everyone,” Gagnon said, “but it may be for some people. Biddeford should be the community that thinks outside of the box.”
Kevin Bunker of Developers Collaborative said the city needs to stay aware of what is happening at the Legislature, especially in regard to statewide housing policies and assistance for affordable housing development.
“Those resources are limited and the state is facing a challenging budget,” Bunker said. “You need to remember that they are also trying to keep up with a huge demand.”
John Laliberte, the CEO of Reveler Development, provided an overview of his company’s projects in Biddeford, including 73 apartments at Riverdam, Phases One and Two of The Levee project and the recently offered market-rate units at The Eddy on Barra Road.
“We have had a lot of success in Biddeford,” Laliberte said. “There is a big demand for this type of housing, but our main challenge remains being able to attract the private capital necessary to get these projects off the ground.”
A common theme throughout the evening was centered upon the need to make the development process more streamlined and efficient to reduce costs for both renters and buyers.
Although not members of the expert panel, local real estate developers Chico Potvin and Matt Chamberlain both spoke during the public comment period, detailing how hard it is to get a project from design to out of the gate development.
Potvin, 61, said he has been building “starter homes” in the Biddeford area since 1987.
He said the city’s shortage of available single-family homes is “forcing people into apartments and making it harder for people to find apartments. “It’s a vicious cycle,” he said.
Potvin said his biggest challenges include skyrocketing labor costs and a growing myriad of red tape that cause time delays and increases building costs.
“Every year, the regulations increase,” Potvin said, questioning why the council chose to fund needed city-wide sewer improvements on the backs of new homebuyers.
“Almost every day I get calls from friends and other people asking what I can do for them,” he said. “They don’t want to wait two years for a project to get approved. I feel bad. The city needs to buckle down and treat housing the same way as you treated land for industrial parks.”
Potvin also said he is nervous about all the high-end apartments being built in Biddeford. “It scares me,” he said. “I’m not sure if it’s sustainable.”
Cat Bates said he grew up in Kennebunk and moved to Biddeford almost five years ago. He said he would like to see the city do a better job in streamlining the approval process for Accessory Dwelling Units and said it should be easier to get bank financing for that type of development.
City Councilor Doris Ortiz previously chaired the council’s affordable housing task force, and said she would like to see the city be creative in its approach to creating housing, including co-ops and micro developments.
Hundreds of people flocked to downtown Biddeford on Saturday for the 13th annual Winterfest celebration. The giant sledding hill on Adams Street was once again a popular attraction, but there were also a lot of other things happening, including tours of the newly renovated City Hall clock tower, dancing and music.
The Adams Street sledding hill was again a big favorite during Biddeford’s Winterfest celebration (Seaver photo)
Volunteers from the New Life Church had several tables set up, giving away free donuts, hot chocolate and hats and mittens.
New Life Church volunteer Roland LaFlamme poses with a Winterfest mascot (his wife Maureen) Seaver photo
Children also had the opportunity to see the inside of a fire truck, city plow and the police department’s mobile Crime Scene Unit.
Outdoor temperatures remained above freezing, making this year’s celebration even more enjoyable.
Alannah, 11, gets her fingerprints made by Cpl. Matt Baldwin of the Biddeford Police Department inside the mobile crime scene unit (Seaver photo)
Larry Patoine, one of the event’s lead volunteers, said it will take less than four hours for volunteers to remove the giant sledding hill this evening before another winter storm descends on the city
This year’s hill was constructed with snow from the Five Points Shopping Center. Patoine says the snow from the hill will be disposed of near Rotary Park.
A long line of children anxiously await their chance to experience the giant sledding hill on Adams Street (Seaver photo)
Former mayor Alan Casavant, who helped organize the very first Winterfest (La Fete d’ Hiver) in 2012, said he was pleased to see the festival growing in popularity with each passing year.
“This is what community is all about,” Casavant said. “It’s fun just watching so many people having fun.”
Mayor Marty Grohman struts his stuff during Winterfest (Seaver photo)
A good turnout at this year’s Winterfest in Biddeford (Seaver photo)
Evelyn (left) and Zoe check out what it’s like to ride in a fire truck (Seaver photo)
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Hard to believe it’s been two weeks since our last newsletter. A big thank you to all of you who have decided to join us on this journey by subscribing and/or following and liking us on Facebook.
A quick review:
Things at the Biddeford Gazette have been moving quickly and there are exciting changes on the horizon, but let’s take a quick look back:
If housing is a concern of yours, the Biddeford City Council will host a special workshop meeting at City Hall on Tuesday, Feb. 11, beginning at 5:30 p.m. There will be an opportunity for public comment. You can choose to watch the meeting online. Click here for more info about that meeting
I have been doing this work off and on for decades. The hardest part of the job is interviewing people when they are grappling with crippling grief and loss.
My colleague Liz Gotthelf and I respectfully remained in a corner while we waited for Police Chief JoAnne Fisk to ask Sgt. Jacob Wolterbeek’s parents if they would be willing to speak with the media.
Even with their permission – and gratitude – it is still the hardest part of the job, and you want to do your very best to capture the story with precision, empathy and respect.
Many officers of the Biddeford Police Department are wearing wrist bands that honor the memory of Sgt. Jacob Wolterbeek (Seaver photo)
Community Feedback:
We have received some very good feedback, suggestions and guidance from the community. Not a day goes by when I don’t hear encouraging and supportive words from my neighbors, friends and others who care deeply about Biddeford.
One person suggested that we should change and darken the font on our site to make it more readable. Done. Another person suggested that we should add an events calendar to our site. We are working on that and hope to launch a dedicated page for community events by the end of the month.
Another person who I greatly respect, told me she is enjoying reading the Gazette but advised me to slow down a bit. She said I should consider taking a day off once in a while.
Another person suggested that we try to shorten some of our stories to make them more readable. I have now imposed a 750-word limit on myself.
However, the most popular part of the Biddeford Gazette is our weekly publishing of obituaries that are updated on our website daily. Unlike other publications, we provide this service at no charge to the families or funeral homes. We consider it a public service. With the combined resources of our social media partners, we have access to more than 35,000 readers.
It’s part of our mission, I explained. We are here to promote Biddeford news, regardless of where it comes from. We simply post a link to the other guys so that when you click on their stories, our Facebook page takes you directly to their site, not our site.
No other media outlet does that: promoting news stories from other media outlets. We do it to make it easier for you to stay on top of what’s happening from a wide variety of sources.
In just the last week, I have shared stories from Saco Bay News, the Biddeford-Saco Courier, WGME-TV and WMTW-TV. Make sure to like and follow the Biddeford Gazette on Facebook so that you stay completely up to date.
What’s ahead?
We have a lot of things in the works. After all, it’s been less than 30 days since we officially launched this site.
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Editor’s Note: This is the first installment of a three-part series that examines Biddeford’s housing crisis.
A large conference table takes up the center of Biddeford Mayor Marty Grohman’s second-floor office at City Hall. On that table is a large aerial photo of the city’s downtown area, where several new housing projects are either under construction or in development.
Grohman can’t help but to get excited when talking about the city’s potential for growth and prosperity, but he is also mindful of the struggles the city still faces in terms of increasing rental costs, home prices and the lack of affordable housing.
“It’s a big mix,” said Grohman during a recent interview with the Biddeford Gazette. “There are a lot of moving parts and they are all connected.”
All across Maine, cities and towns are struggling to keep pace with their community’s housing needs.
Mayor Marty Grohman points to several housing projects that are in development throughout the city’s downtown area.
“It’s not just Biddeford,” Grohman explains. “It’s virtually everywhere, and we – as elected leaders – have a responsibility to be part of the solution for this problem.”
In his search for creative solutions, Grohman is convening a special workshop meeting of the Biddeford City Council to address housing issues on Tuesday, Feb. 11.
At that workshop meeting, which will include an opportunity for public commentary, councilors and city officials will review the city’s goals and progress in meeting the various housing demands throughout the city.
For example, Grohman says the city council last year set a goal of creating 180 units of “affordable housing” each year over the next five years.
But even the term “affordable housing” creates confusion and resentment.
“A lot of this is subjective,” Grohman said. “What is affordable for one person may not be affordable for another person.”
In order to qualify for state and federal tax credits, affordable housing rental costs are based upon the region’s Area Median Income (AMI). The federal department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) uses a formula that calculates rental rates at 80 percent of AMI.
According to the most recent statistics from the U.S. Census Bureau, Biddeford’s median income is $63, 261 per household or $32,763 for an individual.
For comparison purposes, the AMI in Saco is $81,326 per household or $44,596 for an individual.
Both the federal and state government use AMI data (and other measurements, such as total assessed property values) to determine a community’s need for federal grants and school funding.
“Our housing problems also adversely impact people who already have stable housing,”
State Rep. Traci Gere
While some people say that Biddeford’s population growth is creating an unsustainable spike in demand for housing, data from the U.S. Census Bureau shows only modest gains in the city’s population over the last 10 years.
Today, the city of Biddeford is listed with a population of 22,367 people, the largest of any of York County’s 46 municipalities. In 2000, the city’s population was 20,942. In fact, Biddeford’s population has actually decreased by 0.5 percent in just the last two years.
Like other urban centers throughout Maine, Biddeford has a notable population of unhoused residents, a problem Grohman says the city is fighting every day.
But the city is also facing some other serious housing issues, including a lack of so-called “work-force” housing options.
“If you talk with any of our department heads, whether it’s the school superintendent, the police chief or the fire chief, they will all tell you how hard it is to hire and retain new employees,” Grohman says. “We’re not going to get new teachers or police officers in our community if those people cannot afford to live here. It’s a big problem.”
Members of Biddeford’s legislative delegation all agree with Grohman’s assessment that housing is a big part of a growing problem in attracting workers and private businesses to the city.
Local legislative delegation rolling up its sleeves to tackle housing
“There are so many facets that fit under the umbrella of housing issues,” said State Rep. Traci Gere during a previous interview with the Gazette. This issue runs the gamut, she said, pointing out that roughly eight percent of Maine homeowners occupy manufactured housing.
Gere and other local lawmakers are hoping the Legislature will be able to help cities and towns across the state in revising zoning standards and cutting bureaucratic red tape, a problem that many developers say drives up the cost of housing.
“Our housing problems also adversely impact people who already have stable housing,” Gere said. “If we want a sustainable local tax base — and relief for homeowners — we have to find a way to help businesses maintain a stable pool of employees. For example, a hospital cannot function without support personnel, such as custodians or clerical workers.”
House Speaker Ryan Fecteau of Biddeford is very familiar with housing issues. In addition to his legislative service, Fecteau is employed as a senior officer of policy and planning for Avesta Housing, a non-profit affordable housing developer that operates throughout New England.
“There is an appropriate role the state can play in these local discussions,” Fecteau said. “We can certainly work harder in bringing resources to the table and help our municipal partners without stepping on their toes.”
A recent report issued by the Maine State Housing Authority (MSHA), says the state agency was able to complete 775 affordable housing units in 2024, and that 1,005 units of affordable housing are now in the process of being built.
The agency also points out that the average production costs of building those units is finally beginning to level off following three straight years of rising production costs.
Other factors pointed out in the report’s executive summary is that interest rates have leveled off and that MaineHousing’s “First Home” program is now maintaining rates well below the market average to a rate to 5.375 percent prior to the end of 2024.
But there are still many challenges that lie ahead for Maine’s housing landscape.
Although some recent “leveling off,” in home prices has helped cool the market, rising home prices continue to be a primary concern for homeownership access, according to the MSHA’s report.
From 2020 to 2024, the median home price in Maine grew by more than 50 percent, far outpacing a 33.3 percent increase in wages and salaries of Maine workers during the same period.
Other things such as utility and heating costs play big factors in housing affordability. For example, heating fuel prices have recently stabilized after record high prices in 2022 and 2023. According to the MSHA, heating fuel costs have now been trending downward since April 2024.
Since 2018, the rental cost burden across the state has increased sharply for most households, especially for those with household incomes between $35,000 and $75,000 in total household income.
NEXT:Housing developers discuss their challenges and opportunities.
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Despite frigid outside temperatures, a layer of warmth blanketed the cities of Biddeford and Saco Wednesday night as people from both communities turned out to support the family of a fallen police officer.
Sgt. Jacob Wolterbeek, a veteran member of the Biddeford Police Department, was killed in a traffic accident in December.
Biddeford Mayor Marty Grohman organized Wednesday’s event in order to raise funds for Wolterbeek’s family, including his wife and three young children.
Nearly 20 Biddeford restaurants, taverns and shops participated in the four-hour ‘Mayor’s Night Out’ event. Many of the businesses donated a percentage of their proceeds to a fund in honor of Wolterbeek.
Many residents wandered from location to location, donating funds along the way.
Wolterbeek’s parents, Jacob and Ky, were surrounded by supporters at Or Nell’s Barbecue on Franklin Street shortly after the event started.
Left to right: Mayor Marty Grohman, Ky Wolterbeek, Deputy Biddeford Police Chief Steve Gorton, Jacob Volterbeek, senior and Police Chief JoAnne Fisk
Wolterbeek’s parents each held back tears as they shared stories about their son with well-wishers, city officials and reporters.
“We are grieving internally and externally,” Ky Wolterbeek said.
Jacob Wolterbeek, Sr. said he was “deeply touched by the stories he read on social media about his son, especially one in which a resident wrote that Jacob had literally saved his life by helping him overcome a troubled life.
“He loved this city,” the elder Wolterbeek said. “He was passionate about it, and he always said how much he loved the opportunity to work with some very fine people. The last time I was in Biddeford was last August during the ceremony when he was being sworn in as a sergeant.”
Those who participated in the event said they were happy to support Wolterbeek’s family because he had given so much back to the community.
Former Biddeford Mayor Bonita Pothier (center) chats with Ky Wolterbeek (right) during the Mayor’s Night Out
“Jacob was a cop’s cop. He always had a good word for everybody. He was just a great human being.”
— Juliet Angis
Jim Albert, a Saco native and the owner of Cowbell Burger on Main Street, said it was a “no-brainer” when he was asked if his restaurant would participate in the event.
Jim Albert, owner of Cowbell Burger, Saco Mayor Jodi MacPhail and Saco City Councilor Tricia Huot. (Seaver photo)
“It’s a great cause,” Albert said, recalling Wolterbeek’s trademark smile. “He was very personable and super friendly. It is so tragic what happened to him, leaving behind three little kids. We were more than glad to help.”
Biddeford Police Chief JoAnne Fisk accompanied Wolterbeek’s parents during the event.
“Jake was one of the kindest, most thoughtful people I have ever met. That’s what made him a great cop,” Fisk said, choking up a bit with her words.
“He had a way of dialing into people he encountered,” Fisk added. “He had this uncanny ability to see beneath the surface and see people where they really are.”
Biddeford State Rep. Marc Malon is joined by Dianne and Bob Cyr of the Biddeford Cultural and Heritage Center at Banded Brewing.during the Mayor’s Night Out event
Saco Mayor Jodi MacPhail said she was honored to participate in the event.
“In times like these, there are no boundaries. We are one community,” MacPhail said. “We celebrate together, and we grieve together.”
Wolterbeek’s fellow officers spoke highly of their deceased co-worker and friend.
“We miss him every day,” said Corporal Matthew Baldwin, a 27-year veteran of the Biddeford Police Department who helped train Wolterbeek. “it still almost doesn’t feel real that he is gone. He was definitely one of the good guys.”
Deputy Police Chief Steve Gorton described Wolterbeek as a dedicated family man. “That was the thing about Jake. His top priority, first and foremost, was his family.”
Kennebunk Police Officer Juliet Angis shows a bracelet that she any many other officers are wearing to honor the memory of Sgt. Jacob Wolterbeek
Larry Angis, who recently retired from the department, said he is still processing the grief of losing his friend and co-worker. “I’m not there yet. He was a good cop and a good friend.”
Angis’ wife, Juliet, is a police officer in Kennebunk. “Jacob was a cop’s cop,” she said. “He always had a good word for everybody. He was just a great human being.”
Ky Wolterbeek said her son was the second of nine children, six of whom were adopted. “He was our second child, but oldest son, and it leaves a big void.”
“This is truly a great community,” she added. “The outpouring of support has touched us deeply.”
Editor’s Note:If you would like to donate to Sgt. Wolterbeek’s family, please visit the Trooper Black Foundation at https://trooperblackfoundation.orgthrough February 15.
Checks may also be mailed to the Trooper Black Foundation (PO Box 104, Cape Neddick, Maine 03902) and should be marked as designated for the Wolterbeek family.
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With another winter storm looming on the horizon, members of the Biddeford City Council discussed the city’s policy regarding overnight parking bans.
At the tail end of Tuesday’s council meeting, Councilor Neva Gross – who represents much of the city’s downtown area — raised the issue to her fellow councilors, asking if there is more the city can do to announce parking bans in advance of a storm.
“I personally live down here [downtown area] so I am affected by this every time there is [a ban],” Gross said. “I received some emails over the last few days from some folks whose cars were towed during a ban because they didn’t know about it.”
Photo: City of Biddeford
Gross acknowledged that city routinely updates residents about pending parking bans in a variety of ways, including the city’s website, the city’s official Facebook page and the ability for residents to sign up for email or text notifications.
The city — — along with several other communities throughout southern Maine — also notifies television news stations about upcoming parking bans.
“Is there some kind of way that we could notify folks who are not on social media or looking at the city’s website,” Gross asked.
City Councilor Marc Lessard drew a round of laughter when he suggested that the city may want to consider using a “fire horn” to alert downtown residents of a pending parking ban.
“The bottom line is that if you park your vehicle on a public road, in the wintertime, and it’s going to snow; you have to assume that there is going to be a parking ban and try to figure out a way to find out about that.”
City Manager James Bennett
“I’m kind of being serious,” Lessard said, recalling that decades ago the city used a central fire horn to inform citizens of fires and served as a curfew notice.
City Manager James Bennett said “there is just no way for us to do it right” in reference to snow parking bans.
Bennett said the city of Lewiston had a policy prohibiting all overnight parking during the entire winter season.
“I’m glad to look at ways for us to enhance getting that information out,” Bennett said, pointing out that residents should make an effort to stay informed.
“This probably sounds cold, or not customer-friendly, but the bottom line is that if you park your vehicle on a public road, in the winter time, and it’s going to snow; you have to assume that there is going to be a parking ban and try to figure out a way to find out about that,” Bennett said.
Bennett also told the council that “snow clearing” parking bans represent an additional challenge in keeping residents informed about parking bans because those do not happen during a storm. “We really have to go overboard in alerting residents about those [parking bans].” Bennett said.
“If you live downtown, please help us by also doing what you can to find out about parking bans,” Bennett said.
Mayor Marty Grohman also said he heard from some friends whose vehicles were towed during a parking ban. “I think making the lots on Water and Washington streets available has been helpful,” he said.
The University of New England (UNE) is, apparently, refusing to provide information to the public and the media about a federal grant the university received to construct a new “research pier” on the banks of the Saco River.
Over the last few weeks, John Schafer, a Hills Beach resident and former chair of Biddeford’s Harbor Commission, has repeatedly tried to get documents regarding a $3.5 million federal grant that the university received from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).
In previous interviews, the university says it is planning to use those funds to build a permanent pier on the Saco River that can accommodate its 60-foot marine research vessel.
Schafer says he and other residents simply want to see documents related to the grant. “I am a big believer in transparency and accountability,” he said. “I don’t understand why the university is unwilling to release details about a grant award of public funds. What are they hiding?”
The Biddeford Gazette attempted to contact both the university’s president James Herbert and Alan Thibeault, vice president of operations, for comment. Neither Herbert nor Thibeault returned our calls as of press time.
Sarah Delage, associate vice president of communications, replied to our inquiries with a one sentence response: “The University of New England has provided, and will continue to provide, all required and relevant documentation to the regulatory agencies and governmental bodies conducting the permitting process for our proposed research pier.”
After receiving that email from Delage, we sent another email inquiry to her, asking why the university is unwilling to simply share those documents with members of the public, especially those who live in close proximity to the school’s Biddeford campus.
Delage did not respond to our second email inquiry, as of press time.
The university formally submitted its plan for a new pier to the city of Biddeford in June last year. The grant application, however, was submitted several months prior.
UNE is still facing an arduous and likely lengthy review process for their proposal. In addition to the city of Biddeford, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Maine Department of Environmental Protection will need to review the proposed project.
Schafer said he has been bending over backward to be courteous and professional with his requests, but says he feels as if he is being stonewalled by the university.
Schafer, wrote Herbert on January 21, asking the university president to release a copy of the application the university submitted to NIST.
Herbert, Schafer says, did not reply.
According to a recent press release issued by Schafer, Alan Thibeault called Schafer and told him that he did not need to see the application, while also saying that the university is “not required” to release it.
“I don’t get it. Why are they being so stubborn? There are no national security issues here.”
— John Schafer
Thibeault did not respond to our request for comment.
Schafer says that Thibeault “reluctantly agreed to ask about permission to release the application and said he’d be back in touch.”
“I never heard back from him,” Schafer said. “At first, our conversation was very cordial, but it quickly became terse.”
Schafer says that Thibeault told him there was nothing in the grant application that wasn’t already given to various regulatory agencies.
Schafer then sent a second email to Hebert a few days later. Once again, Schafer asked to see the grant application, saying the documents should be available in the interest of transparency.
The university president has also not responded to Schafer’s second email request for disclosure.
“I don’t get it,” Schafer said. “Why are they being so stubborn? There are no national security issues here. These should be public documents. The public has a right to know how UNE presented their project to the federal government.”
Schafer commended both Biddeford City Manager James Bennett and Mayor Marty Grohman for informing UNE last year that the location of the proposed pier is not in any way approved by the city.
“The application filed with NIST could very well affect Biddeford’s regulatory process, but UNE doesn’t want it released to me, Biddeford or Saco. Luckily, freedom of information laws exist to deal with this type of obstruction,” Schafer said.
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This week at the Statehouse was front-loaded and compact. Many of my colleagues traveled on the biannual Maine Development Foundation tour across the state, learning about economic development particularly in Penobscot and Aroostook Counties from Wednesday through Friday. I’ve always wanted to attend, but it’s difficult to manage with family obligations. One of these days I will.
On Monday, the Veterans and Legal Affairs Committee met, adopted committee rules, held one public hearing and voted on two lines relevant to our work in the Governor’s supplemental budget. One of those lines appropriated money to the Secretary of State’s office to offset costs associated with the 2024 election which were higher than anticipated.
State Rep. Marc Malon
Funding our election systems is critical, and I voted to support this one-time appropriation. The other line was requested by the Secretary of State to cover their Maine IT costs, which were billed to them at a higher amount than expected. I was in the minority in voting Yes on this, but agreed with my colleagues that the Appropriations Committee should ask tough questions of the Department of Administrative and Financial Services for why they hiked their IT bill (to the tune of $19k).
Tuesday, we had a relatively uneventful session where we referred many bills to committees. I also announced to colleagues that the Franco American Caucus was going to begin its work and that folks should think of individuals in their communities who might deserve nominations for the Franco American Hall of Fame.
After Session, the Housing and Economic Development Committee met and listened to the report from HR&A Advisors on how to address the state’s 84,000-unit shortfall. The report was comprehensive and gave us significant food for thought. NewsCenter produced an excellent story on their presentation and published the full report here: https://www.newscentermaine.com/…/97-847e89d5-dd04-4678…
The speech, like any of these addresses, contained plenty to like and dislike. That’s normal. It’s a tough budget this year,
After committee, I attended a lecture at the Holocaust and Human Rights Center of Maine commemorating the 50th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz and Birkenau. The lecture, partly organized by my colleague Rep. Sam Zager, offered us a sobering look at how Hitler was able to quickly consolidate power and destroy German democracy, a necessary condition for him to further pursue his plans, including the planned extermination of Jews. There are serious lessons to learn from this history which I hope we will take to heart.
Following this presentation, we returned to the State House for Governor Mills’s State of the State Address. The speech, like any of these addresses, contained plenty to like and dislike. That’s normal. It’s a tough budget this year, and the Appropriations Committee will carefully review her budget proposals to see how they can be improved.
I liked that she stood strong in her commitment to funding MaineCare, which covers a significant percentage of Mainers, as well as 55% of the costs of public education, revenue sharing, and free school lunches. I did not like the stance she took against adopting red flag gun laws which would strengthen public safety. No one agrees 100 percent of the time. When I liked what she said, I stood and clapped. When I didn’t, I politely remained in my seat.
What was not helpful, however, is that one of my legislative colleagues recruited protesters to the State House to shout at and heckle the Governor, her family, and legislators from both parties. One of the hecklers I recognized as a former political candidate who believes the horrific Sandy Hook shootings were a hoax. People have the right to protest, and the right to be as rude to us as they want. That’s fine! But we have the right to not be persuaded by such antics, and I wasn’t.
Finally, I would be remiss if I did not note the impact that certain federal actions have on Maine. I would love for my posts to stay focused on state policy, but some actions are so impactful that I can’t avoid mentioning them.
The chaos and confusion caused by the federal OMB memo on Tuesday blocking the funding of all grants and federal funding to programs that Mainers rely on was unacceptable. Though the memo was rescinded after significant outcry, it put people’s livelihoods in question. These programs included LIHEAP, Meals on Wheels, and numerous initiatives at the University of Maine. That is no way to govern.
Just yesterday the Trump administration announced significant tariffs on imports from Canada, Mexico, and China. I am not a free trade fundamentalist, but these tariffs are ill-conceived and very harmful to Maine consumers. Canada is our largest trading partner and a trade war with them hurts Maine workers too.
Overall, these tariffs will raise prices on energy, heating, food, housing, and cars. This is not what we need, and I will add my voice to the chorus demanding that Trump walk this back.
State Rep. Marc Malon is a Democrat representing a portion of Biddeford in the Maine Legislature. He may be contacted at:Marc.Malon@legislature.maine.gov
The views and opinions presented here are solely those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Biddeford Gazette or its publisher.
The Gazette is always happy to consider reader-submitted commentary for the Community Voices section of the Biddeford Gazette. For more information, please email: biddefordgazette@gmail.com.
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BIDDEFORD GAZETTE 