An iconic, but long neglected, sign post in Biddeford may be getting a new lease on life.
The former MOBIL gas station sign – nearly 40 feet tall- sits near the center of the Five Points intersection. It is visible to commuters traveling on both Route One and Route 111. It is also visible to drivers entering or exiting the city on both West and Graham streets.
Earlier this week, the city issued an invitation for artists to submit ideas for how the sign could be redesigned as an entry point into the city.
The former Mobil gas station sign may be revitalized (Seaver photo)
In its request, the city says it is seeking an artist to “create a welcoming, community-inspired design for the historic” sign.
According to Mayor Marty Grohman, improvements made to the sign will not involve public funds.
Grohman says he is confident that a private fundraising campaign and perhaps some grant funds could be used to revitalize the sign, which has been an eyesore for more than a decade.
“We’re talking about a project that is located in a key gateway to our community,” Grohman said, pointing out that the city’s growth is edging outward.
Grohman said that the Downtown Development Commission (DDC) has embraced the concept that the city’s downtown area extends well beyond the lower end of Main Street.
The proposed project is getting a mixed reaction on social media. Some residents say the sign should be scrapped, while others say they are excited to see some creativity and new ideas.
According to a press release from the city, the DDC hopes to “transform a key gateway into the downtown with an engaging, vibrant visual statement that reflects Biddeford’s rich industrial and cultural heritage, its creative energy and its commitment to public art.”
“We’re talking about a project that is located in a key gateway to our community.”
— Biddeford Mayor Marty Grohman
The project is a direct response to Biddeford’s Cultural Plan and Public Art guidelines.
According to the public invitation, the final design should foster a sense of place, welcome visitors and celebrate the evolving identity of Biddeford as a hub for creativity and cultural exchange.
“This is an open call for anyone interested in making a lasting impact on the city’s visual landscape,” Grohman said.
The selected artist will work closely with city officials and the Downtown Development Commission to ensure that the final piece resonates with community values and meets site-specific requirements, according to the press release.
For more information on how to submit a design, please click this link.
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More than a year after a catastrophic storm decimated Biddeford’s beaches, coastal properties and roads, community organizations are calling for the city to move beyond cleanup and embrace a plan that would prepare coastal beaches and dunes for the next big storm.
Armed with fresh research on beach erosion and how best to combat it, the Biddeford Coastal Preservation Coalition (BCPC) is advocating with the city to develop a plan to restore and strengthen dunes as the best way to protect our vulnerable beaches.
The BCPC is a coalition of community groups from Hills Beach, Biddeford Pool, Middle and Fortunes Rocks beaches and Granite Point. Most of these beach communities are in the process of forming their own working groups under the BCPC umbrella. The coalition is also allied with other regional groups, notably the SOS (Save Our Shores) Saco Bay group that got its start in Camp Ellis six years ago to advocate for federal relief from damage done by the Saco Bay Jetty and has since become a clearing house for climate-related information.
In December, the BCPC presented at the Coastal Resiliency workshop with Biddeford City Council and requested that Biddeford develop a comprehensive Coastal/Beach Management Program into its 2023 Climate Action Plan. According to BPCP President Kimberly Matthews, the group is advocating that the plan prioritize resilience when restoring beaches, dunes and marshes. Local infrastructure such as roads should also include resilience measures. New beach-facing buildings, building restorations and seawalls are already governed by state regulations.
Matthews said that BCPC is advocating for what is well established as best practices for beach protection — restoration of dunes and replanting of sea grass to allow for natural regeneration of the dunes. “Dunes and beaches serve as the first lines of defense during storms, protecting coastal infrastructure from erosion and flooding, and providing critical habitat to birds and other wildlife. These areas are also vulnerable to sea level rise,” the group notes.
In response, the Biddeford City Council has established a Sustainability Commission, which met for the first time Tuesday. Commissioners agreed to take up the BCPC proposals at future meetings, along with other sustainability issues.
By good fortune, a team of researchers from the University of New England had been measuring some of the Biddeford beaches before the January 2024 storms, and their work since the storms have produced precise information on just how much damage occurred from those storms, and how much the landscape has recovered since then.
The results of the UNE research is summarized in the BPCP year-end newsletter. Among the findings are that an astonishing 28 percent destruction of dune area on the four beaches they studied in Saco, Biddeford, and Kennebunkport. But while beaches tended to replentish themselves, dunes were repaired at a much slower rate. And the UNE research made clear that dunes are the most important line of defense against further erosion or damage from storms.
Dune restoration is already under way by a few private owners, and just recently the Biddeford Pool Conservation Trust, which now owns the former Marie Joseph property in Biddeford Pool, mounted a large, all-volunteer effort at their new property.
But climate mitigation is hardly a sure thing. “The estimate to have the beach grass planted professionally came in at $148,000,” recalls Lucie Fontaine, chair of the Biddeford Pool Preservation Trust. “This seemed like an enormous amount to spend on a project that could again be wiped out by a bad storm.”
Having done a small planting the year before, she knew the cost of the stalks was relatively low and that the planning process was relatively simple. Fontaine ordered 12,000 stalks of sea grass from the supplier she had used before, and paid just $2,040. “We put out a call for volunteers, and within days we had sufficient planters to do the job.
“The community was amazing! I had expected it to take the full two weeks to get the stalks planted, but in the end we pulled it off in just three afternoons with 35 volunteers including 14 from UNE. Now we wait to see how the grass takes and if it survives the high tides. But the plan is definitely to continue the project next year!”
Dune restoration in beaches like those at Biddeford Pool and Fortunes Rocks face several obstacles. The main issue is that a significant stretch of that two-mile beach is backed by riprap or sea walls. The UNE researched highlighted what has long been known, that beaches with sea walls do not recover as quickly as beaches with dunes because of the way the waves rebound.
The second issue is the high cost of bringing in new sand to build up the dunes after a major storm. The UNE researchers reported that in the few cases where private owners scraped sand from the beach to build up their dunes, they had some success, but the beach itself was slow to recover.
One potential answer to that issue is the dredge that York County purchased in 2022, and is now awaiting its first mission, probably in Wells. The issue of the dredge and how to use it most effectively was raised at a March 17 symposium organized by SOS Saco Bay, when it was revealed that Biddeford is the only coastal municipality in the county that has not signed on to an agreement to use the dredge.
Thomas McPheeters is a former journalist and a Biddeford resident. He can be reached at tommcp@me.com
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Despite concerns about a proposed double-digit property tax increase this year, acting City Manager Brian Phinney presented the Biddeford City Council with some good news on Tuesday evening.
Phinney presented a budget that shows a proposed 5.7 percent increase over last year’s budget. That overall increase includes the city’s share of the school budget.
At the start of Tuesday’s budget committee meeting, Councilor Marc Lessard — a self-described fiscal conservative — said he is breathing a sigh of relief, after speculating last week that taxpayers could see a significant, double-digit increase based on last week’s school budget meeting.
“We still have some work to do,” Lessard said. “But we are starting out at a much better place than I anticipated.”
During Tuesday’s meeting, various department heads presented their proposed budget requests to the council.
Next Tuesday (April 1) the public will have an opportunity to weigh in on the proposed budget.
Phinney’s proposed budget shows an increase of 0.53 percent for the city; a 5.10 percent increase in school funding and an 0.08 percent increase in county taxes.
According to Phinney every $100,000 of spending requires 2.3 cents on the tax rate..
Under Phinney’s proposed budget, the tax (mil) rate would increase from $14.22 last year to $15.03 this year.
Last year, the City Council approved a total budget of $61,639,883. This year, Phinney is recommending a total budget of $64,290,945.
For more details or to view/download the city manager’s proposed budget, see the PDF file pasted below or you can find all of the city’s budget documents by clicking on this link.
Last week, more than two dozen people appeared before the Biddeford City Council, each of them requesting varying amounts of public funding for their respective non-profit organizations.
It is an annual process that is just one part of the city’s annual budget.
None of the public presenters were questioned or challenged about their funding requests – except one.
Vassie Fowler, executive director of the Seeds of Hope Neighborhood Resource Center, was questioned about her funding request by veteran City Councilor Marc Lessard.
Fowler told the council that her organization’s budget has exploded over the past 12 months, from a total of $345,000 last year to a projected $1.1 million this year.
Vassie Fowler, executive director, Seeds of Hope
“It’s hard for me to even say that number out loud,” Fowler told the council.
Last year, Fowler asked the council for a $50,000 donation. Ultimately, the council then approved a $28,000 expenditure for Seeds of Hope.
This year, Fowler is asking the city for a contribution of $180,000 primarily to support the installation of fire sprinklers on the second floor of the former church on South Street, where between 40 and 50 unhoused residents stay during the evening.
Fowler told the council that she expects to pay $150,000 for the sprinkler system, and said her organization is in “serious need” to support its daily meals, pointing out that a single gallon of orange juice now costs $8.
Fowler said Seeds of Hope served more than 36,000 meals last year. “We are focused on getting the most out of every dollar,” she said. “At this, point finding solutions to the growing need seems impossible.”
Fowler said her organization was quite different than other organizations asking for funds, such as the Heart of Biddeford, City Theater, LaKermesse or Subscircle, a community arts program.
“What we do is not fun to talk about,” she said.
After Fowler completed her presentation, Mayor Marty Grohman asked if any of the councilors had any questions. Lessard raised his hand.
Lessard pointed out that last summer the city committed $1.3 million to begin a new “test program” to provide structured services for unhoused residents. Almost nine months later, the city still does not have a permanent plan to address the issue.
City Councilor Marc Lessard
“We have no guarantees about what your operation will look like or how it will function after November,” Lessard said to Fowler.
During a telephone interview on Sunday, Lessard said he was simply asking the same questions he asked last year when Grohman and former City Manager James Bennett outlined a plan that would allow the city to close a sizeable homeless encampment near Mechanic’s Park.
“I am concerned that we have no long-term security in how this program will operate in the future,” Lessard said. “There’s nothing stopping them from becoming a for-profit organization or shutting down.
“I just want some assurances,” Lessard said. “I am trying to safeguard the city.”
Growing questions and a growing need
The city began its new “homeless approach” in July 2024, after the annual budget was already approved.
Bennett told the council then that the city could tap into some of the federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds that the city had received.
Bennett laid out a two-phase approach, the first part of which would be to hire a new homeless outreach worker and provide several zero-gravity chairs to Seeds of Hope. The second-phase included funding to make repairs and upgrades to the former church that included the installation of several shower stalls and a new kitchen.
But after learning that the city could not use the CDBG funds for work on an historic building, the renovation project was abruptly halted as the city struggled to find a new way to fund the renovation project.
Fowler said that once Seeds of Hope was asked to provide the city with overnight services, her operating costs skyrocketed because of the need for additional staffing, utility costs and other supplies.
“To me, it doesn’t make sense to fix something that isn’t broken,”
— Vassie Fowler
“I think it’s important to remember that this was the city’s plan,” Fowler told the Biddeford Gazette during a subsequent interview. “We’re just the vehicle the city decided to use to tackle this problem.”
When asked by Lessard about a guarantee or assurances, Fowler said it depends on what the city wants.
“We will always be a non-profit,” Fowler replied. “The answer is that’s a conversation that needs to happen. I’m open to it. I have always been open to it. We’re open to all possibilities.
“To me, it doesn’t make sense to fix something that isn’t broken,” Fowler added. “This is working. We are finding permanent solutions to homelessness in our community. I cannot imagine why we wouldn’t continue to do that.”
As a resident of Biddeford, Fowler told the Gazette that she very much appreciates Lessard and his fiscally-conservative perspective.
“Marc really cares about this city, and we need people like him who are going to keep a close eye on things,” Fowler said.
For his part, Lessard told the Gazette that it is sometimes hard being in the minority on the council.
“I have a very deep appreciation for everything that Vassie and Seeds does for our community,” Lessard said. “I don’t feel as if I’m asking for a lot by looking for some concrete assurances.
“We are facing a budget that is putting a big strain on the backs of most taxpayers,” he added. “We talk a lot about affordable housing but then we go ahead and make housing less affordable. It’s just not sustainable.”
“That’s a good back and forth,” Grohman said of the exchange between Fowler and Lessard on Thursday evening.
Randy Seaver is the editor of the Biddeford Gazette. He can be contacted at randy@randyseaver.com
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Former Biddeford Mayor Alan Casavant — now the vice president of the non-profit Biddeford Cultural and Heritage Center — appeared before the Biddeford City Council Thursday to present his organization’s annual funding request.
Before the meeting started, Casavant was seated next to me in the back row of the council chamber. We made some small talk as we were waiting for the meeting to begin.
We both agreed that this is going to be a brutal year for budget making in Biddeford. We both agreed that we were glad that neither of us were sitting on the other side of the council dais.
We both listened as presenter after presenter approached the podium to make their various pitches for some municipal funding. Representatives from McArthur Library, the Heart of Biddeford, the Biddeford Mills Museum, Seeds of Hope, Biddeford Community Gardens, La Kermesse and so many others each waited for their turn to explain why they should receive some modest funding from the city.
Casavant (left) and I chatting during his 2011 mayoral campaign
This part of the annual budget process is called the “social services” portion of the budget. These are organizations that are not part of city government or operations. These are all non-profits struggling to keep pace with inflation in an uncertain economy.
” “I also believe it is important — critical — that city government try to find ways to bring people together . . . to chat, to laugh and to find commonality.
— Alan Casavant
It’s easy to say we cannot afford these things, but ask yourself: can we afford to lose these things?
Laura and I are feeling the same economic pinch as many other families are feeling all across the country. We are in the process of trimming some fat from our own household budget. We really don’t have much of a choice in the matter, but there are some things that may look like fluff but are actually essential to our quality of life.
When it was his turn to speak, Casavant approached the podium with a certain amount of gravitas. He is the second-longest serving mayor in Biddeford’s history, first elected in 2011 and then re-elected five more times before stepping down last year,
Casavant reviewed details of his organization’s request, but it was his summary that caught me off guard and left me wondering if maybe I should reconsider some of my own thoughts about this year’s city budget.
“I realize you are facing a very difficult budget year,” Casavant said. “”But I also believe it is important — critical — that city government try to find ways to bring people together . . . to chat, to laugh and to find commonality.
“They’re not gonna find that from social media. They’re not gonna find that from their cellphones.
“People need things like festivals, musical events, historic awareness and social interaction to bring everyone together; to build community, which is also the responsibility of this council,” Casavant added.
The room erupted with vigorous applause, and I saw a glimpse that made me think: Biddeford is much more than a city. It is a community. So the question becomes, what is the value of community?
I honestly don’t know, but it’s something worth thinking about.
Disclosure: I served as Casavant’s campaign manager in 2011 and 2013.
Randy Seaver is the editor of the Biddeford Gazette. He can be reached at randy@randyseaver.com
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The Biddeford City Council was presented Tuesday with preliminary budget proposals from both the School Department and the acting city manager.
There were a lot of grim faces in the room after both acting City Manager Brian Phinney and School Superintendent Jeremy Ray reviewed their budget projections with the council.
Because of a technical glitch, Phinney was unable to provide detailed information regarding salaries, but said that information should be available by early next week.
Ray described the annual budget process as a “Superbowl event” for those who have to develop public budgets.
Much later in the meeting, Biddeford City Councilor Norm Belanger said he felt like he was being served “saltines and cauliflower” instead of chicken wings for this ‘Superbowl.”
The largest number of the evening came from the School Department, which is requesting an 11.6 percent increase over last year.
Acting City Manager Brian Phinney (center) presents the council some grim budget realities (Seaver photo)
Though the city does not have its municipal budget finalized, Councilor Marc Lessard predicted a bleak outlook for the public and his fellow councilors.
Lessard, who has served on the council since 1993, said the upcoming budget review is going to be a “monumental task,” which will require plenty of pain and needed belt-tightening.
“The city council has never been able to shrink a budget request by more than two or three percent,” Lessard said. “Although we don’t yet have the numbers, I wouldn’t be surprised to see a seven to eight percent increase [on the city side of the budget]”
According to Lessard, the city’s combined budgets (School and City) have increased by roughly 20 percent over the last three years.
“This may be the year when we zero fund some social services,” Lessard said.
The social service budget includes funding for non-municipal services and programs, including things such as the library, the Heart of Biddeford, the Biddeford Housing Authority, Seeds of Hope, La Kermesse and the Biddeford Mills Museum.
A few highlights and details
Supt. Ray gave the council an impassioned presentation, pointing out the biggest factor for the school budget was directly tied to dwindling reductions in state subsidies because of the city’s skyrocketing valuation.
“This is the real picture and it’s going to involve some tough conversations,” Ray said. “But I firmly believe that our conversation should be about what is right, not what is on the spreadsheet.”
Ray said the school department is “hanging on” with its proposed budget and operating with minimum staffing levels and supports for students.
While student enrollment has risen only risen slightly since last year, Ray said an increasing number of students are facing significant challenges, including food insecurity and homelessness.
“I firmly believe that our conversation should be about what is right, not what is on the spreadsheet.”
— School Supt. Jeremy Ray
Ray told the council that between 100 and 150 Biddeford students are homeless, and that the large majority of students are living in poverty.
“Roughly two-thirds of our kids are living below the federal poverty line,” Ray said.
Ray told councilors that the school department has also seen a spike in students who need English as a Second Language services, up more than 100 from last year’s total of 300 students needing those same services.
Ray said looming concerns about federal funding for education along with changes in state funding are creating an extraordinary set of challenges, asking councilors and members of the public to show support for two bills now being reviewed by the Maine Legislature.
LD 501 would slightly increase the weighted count in the school funding formula for economically disadvantaged students under the Essential Programs and Services Funding Act, from 0.15 to 0.25 beginning next year.
LD 193 would amend the school funding formula to provide an additional .50 weight to a school administrative unit’s per-pupil count for each student experiencing homelessness.
On the municipal side of the budget, Phinney said he and his staff are presenting a “needs-based” budget.”
Phinney listed five new positions including a deputy fire chief, a fire inspector and a part-time administrative assistant in the fire department. The Recreation Department is requesting a part-time custodian, and the Assessing Department is requesting a “field lister” position.
Of those five new positions, Phinney said he was only recommending the field lister position.
Phinney said the council may want to look at reducing staff and building operations for the city’s public-access television studio that is now located on Pool Street near the West Brook skating park.
The budget process will continue Thursday, beginning at 5:30 p.m. as the council hears directly from those requesting social service funding from the city, including City Theater, the My Place Teen Center, Caring Unlimited, Biddeford Community Gardens and several others.
Randy Seaver is the editor of the Biddeford Gazette, He can be reached at: randy@randyseaver.com
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The seven-month project is expected to have a “significant impact” on local traffic
No matter how you slice it, there is no denying that a major road repair project will significantly impact traffic in Biddeford and Saco.
City officials are asking motorists in the two cities to prepare for significant delays, plan accordingly and try to be as patient as possible during the construction project.
Facing increasing pressure from the Maine Department of Environmental Protection, the city of Biddeford needs to upgrade a section of its stormwater and sewer infrastructure on a section of Elm Street (Rte. One).
Biddeford City Engineer Craig Chekan presented a project overview
The project will begin in early April and will extend from the intersection of Hooper and Elm streets (near the ‘Black Bridge”) and will continue southbound on Elm Street, past Main Street to Center Street in Biddeford.
While southbound traffic from Saco into Biddeford will not face detours, northbound traffic from Biddeford into Saco will all be redirected onto Main Street for the duration of the project.
The project is expected to take seven months to fully complete, meaning summer tourism traffic will also be impacted.
While the city works to upgrade its sewer separation systems, Maine Water will also use the opportunity to upgrade its infrastructure with new 16-inch water pipes in the construction area.
The project is expected to cost Biddeford roughly $3 million. Maine Water is expected to spend $2 million on its upgrades in the area.
Brace for impact
Biddeford Public Works Director Jeff Demers said the city knows the project will leave people feeling frustrated as they attempt to navigate between the two cities.
“We have been doing as much advance work as possible,” Demers said. “We are working closely with our counterparts in Saco. We have been studying traffic patterns and we’ll be adjusting timing of the traffic lights in downtown.”
During an informal public meeting about the project, City Engineer Craig Chekan said the project has been “in development” for more than a year.
“We really can’t put this project off any longer,” Chekan said. “The DEP is breathing down our necks to get this [sewer/stormwater separation] done.”
As part of the project, existing gas lines in the area will be removed and reconfigured.
During the construction, Hooper Street residents will still be able to receive city services, such as trash and recycling collection. But area residents will likely be impacted by noise as crews work through bedrock in the area.
Hooper Street resident Shawn O’Keefe attended Thursday’s meeting. When asked his opinion, he shrugged his shoulders and smiled. “It is what it is,” he said.
Demers said the project will be conducted during daytime hours to increase efficiency and save a significant amount of money.
“If we tried to do this at night, the project costs would be tripled,” Demers said.
But wait, there’s more
As the city tackles the Elm Street project, public works crews will begin their construction repair project of a retaining wall near the Riverwalk area on lower Main Street in Biddeford.
The parking lot at the North Dam Mill on lower Main Street will be closed so that city crews can get equipment in and out of the area.
Demers said the city was able to secure federal funding for the repair project, but said the city needs to move forward because of concerns regarding federal funding for local and state projects.
Delilah Poupore of Heart of Biddeford and Angie Presby of Saco Main Street attended Thursday’s meeting.
Both Poupore and Presby acknowledged that the project will have a significant impact on downtown businesses and downtown events.
“We’ll just have to pivot,” Presby said.
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After nearly seven years at the helm, Jim LaBelle announced Thursday that he will be stepping down as executive director of the Biddeford-Saco Chamber of Commerce + Industry.
LaBelle, 60, said he plans to stay in place and help the Chamber with its transition to new leadership.
“It’s not an easy decision because I really enjoy what I am doing,” LaBelle said during a telephone interview. “I’m just at a point in my life where I want to take a step back and focus on my personal life and goals.”
Jim LaBelle/ Contributed photo
LaBelle said he is proud of his accomplishments at the Chamber, most notably a significant increase in membership, from the mid-300s to more than 460 members today.
“We have held more than 100 ribbon cuttings, and this community has experienced unprecedented economic growth,” LaBelle said. “I live in this community. I love this community, and I will be forever rooting for this community.”
LaBelle said he believes the Chamber needs to be continually evolving in order to better serve its members and the overall business community.
“The next leader will need to be visionary,” LaBelle said. “Hopefully someone a bit younger with fresh ideas to make sure that the Chamber remains relevant well into the future.”
LaBelle, known for his trademark optimism, admits that he has always been a glass-half-full person. “It’s easy to be optimistic in this community,” he said.
“He’s basically working all alone, and yet he’s always ready to dig in. Always looking for ways to help. It will not be easy to fill his shoes.”
— Mayor Marty Grohman
Biddeford Mayor Marty Grohman had nothing but praise for LaBelle and his performance as the Chamber’s executive director.
“Jim has been truly incredible,” Grohman said. “He makes it look easy, but he has done so many positive things for the community.”
A few years ago, Grohman served on the Chamber’s board of directors and today the mayor is an ex-officio member of the Chamber.
“From behind the scenes, I can tell you that Jim is one of those people. He’s the guy with the enthusiasm and the optimism. He’s basically working all alone, and yet he’s always ready to dig in. Always looking for ways to help. It will not be easy to fill his shoes.”
LaBelle said running the Chamber has not always been easy, pointing to the Covid pandemic. “You know, the Chamber is all about bringing people together, and we had to figure out how to do that without actually getting together in person,” he laughed.
LaBelle also looked for ways to capitalize on technology, and the use of social media to promote the community. During his tenure, a Chamber employee created what would become one of the area’s most prolific Facebook community groups. Today, the Biddeford+Saco Community page is no longer managed by the Chamber but has more than 18,000 members.
But for all of its benefits, social media proved to have its own pitfalls, continually requiring more time to moderate and manage the online forum.
For his part, LaBelle said he is looking forward to having some more down time. He’s not exactly sure what his future will look like, but says a change of pace will allow him the opportunity to take stock of where he is and where he wants to be.
“I have been really lucky so far,” he said. “Now, I’m just looking at the future as a blank page, but there is no doubt that I am going to miss the opportunity I had while working here.”
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While Michael’s cause of death was described as complications from a grand mal seizure, his struggle began roughly six years earlier when he suffered a traumatic brain injury while riding a snowmobile in northern Maine.
Although Michael was wearing a helmet, he suffered a skull fracture because the helmet was not properly fitted.
Michael was on life support for five weeks, but he defied the odds and with the help of his doctors and a team of neuro researchers at the University of New England, he returned to an almost normal lifestyle.
Brad Goulet of Saco talks about his son and his legacy
He had a girlfriend and a driver’s license, and he graduated from Thornton Academy in 2007.
But Michael developed a seizure disorder that landed him back in the hospital. He underwent a rigorous rehab treatment and began new medications.
Again, Michael left the hospital and continued living a full life, beginning classes at St. Joseph’s College where he majored in psychology. He was also very involved in community and charity work.
“It was like we found our kid again,” said Brad Goulet, Michael’s father. “He was happy and optimistic, despite all the struggles and battles he had to endure.”
Michael then suffered another seizure while alone. He was again taken to the hospital, and remained on life support with multi-organ failure for several days.
And then it was time for Brad Goulet and the rest of his family to say their final goodbye to Michael.
Moving forward
Michael was the youngest of Brad Goulet’s three children. Although it has been more than 14 years since Michael passed, his father still tears up and struggles for words when asked about his son.
“I was lost and floundering,” he said. “But I knew we had to do something to honor Michael’s life and his service to others.”
The Michael T. Goulet Traumatic Brain Injury and Epilepsy Foundation was founded to raise awareness and funding for the prevention of traumatic brain injury.
To date, the non-profit foundation has provided more than 3,500 helmets for use in outdoor recreation, including cycling, skateboarding and snowmobile riding throughout York and Cumberland counties.
“A properly fitted helmet is not a panacea if you are engaged in risky behavior,” Goulet says. “But a properly-fitted helmet can make the difference between life and death”
Goulet says that even a properly-fitted helmet has an expiration date. According to federal standards, a helmet has an expiration date of five years.
The foundation, Goulet says, also provides scholarships for those suffering from a brain injury or epilepsy.
“A properly fitted helmet is not a panacea if you are engaged in risky behavior, but a properly fitted helmet can make the difference between life and death”
— Brad Goulet
Where does the money come from?
The Michael T. Goulet Foundation is supported by volunteer students and faculty members at the University of New England.
Funding for helmets and the organization’s outreach efforts comes from a variety of sources, most notably an annual fundraising event that sets a high bar for a gala that is described as an evening “to remember.”
The eighth annual gala event will once again be held at The Landing in Pine Point on March 22, beginning at 7p.m. All the proceeds will go the Michael T. Goulet Foundation to support their ongoing advocacy and public awareness efforts.
The gala is described as an evening of sophistication and glamor.
“Prepare to be dazzled from the moment you arrive, as you make a grand entrance and have the opportunity to capture stunning photos. Step inside and be transported to a world of glamour and sophistication, surrounded by breathtaking decorations and enchanting live music that will set the perfect mood,” reads the website.
Tickets for the gala – which includes a silent auction and food from Black Tie Catering — are now available online by clicking on this link
“We work pretty hard to make it an exceptional evening,” Goulet says. “It really helps us keep moving forward as we continue to do our part in honoring Michael’s courage, optimism and generosity.”
To learn more about the Michael T. Goulet Foundation, go here
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Less than 48 hours later, we received a detailed and comprehensive reply from Brian Phinney, the acting city manager.
Below, you will find our list of questions along with the unedited answers from Phinney:
Question: According to your comments at Tuesday’s meeting, the city is nearly three years behind on its annual audit obligations, going back to FY 2023. How did we get so far behind?
Given that we have not gone through an audit, how can we possibly put together a budget of more than $40 million with any degree of confidence?
Why was this delay with conducting an audit not addressed sooner?
Can this situation adversely impact the city’s bond rating?
RESPONSE:
“The audit delay is not unique to Biddeford; many municipalities across Maine and beyond have reported delays in completing audits as far back as FY22. The Office of the State Auditor maintains a website of municipal annual audit reports at https://www.maine.gov/audit/municipal/annual-audit-reports.html. It is assumed that these municipalities faced similar challenges due to either a shortage of auditors and increasing complexity in financial reporting requirements or other factors. While I cannot speak to the specific details related to delays in completing audits for other municipalities, it is known that Biddeford’s financials records were not kept current for FY23 resulting in the need to contract with Berry Dunn for services. This has delayed completion of subsequent audits. For reference, Biddeford’s typical audit schedule for each fiscal year, which runs from July 1 through June 30, usually begins in early July. The auditor will perform a pre-audit to perform a high level review of records in preparation for the audit. The audit is then typically started in late August and may run though December resulting in delivery of the audit between December and March. The actual dates vary based on availability of the auditor. As of today the City has two audits pending – FY23 and FY24. The FY25 Audit is not due to begin until July. While it’s not an ideal situation, we are on a tight timeline and fully committed to getting the audits completed as soon as possible.
The budget process is based on real-time financial data, revenue projections, and careful oversight from the City’s finance department, City Council, and professional staff. While an audit provides a third-party verification of financials, the absence of a completed audit does not mean we lack reliable financial information. Our team has continuously monitored revenues, expenditures, and fund balances to ensure fiscal responsibility. Additionally, our budgeting practices have been consistent with prior years, and we have not faced any operational issues as a result of the delay.
The City has been working on this issue for some time, and we have been in constant communication with our auditors. That said, we recognize the importance of getting the audits back on track, and we are exploring all possible avenues—including potentially engaging additional resources—to complete them as soon as possible.
The delay in audits is something we take seriously, and we are aware that financial reporting is a key factor in maintaining a strong bond rating. However, credit rating agencies look at a variety of factors beyond just audit timelines, including our overall financial health, debt management, and economic growth. To date, we have continued to meet our financial obligations, and there has been no indication of an imminent impact on our bond rating. That said, we are prioritizing the completion of the audits to ensure we maintain our strong financial standing.”
Our team has continuously monitored revenues, expenditures, and fund balances to ensure fiscal responsibility.
— Brian Phinney
QUESTION: You also told the city council that the city may have “a considerable exposure” of $790,000 in penalties from the IRS. You said you are “negotiating with the IRS” but the city (combined with school department) could still face a $233,000 liability. Can you provide specific details about how this happened?
RESPONSE: “The issue stems from payroll tax reporting errors that occurred several years ago. These were administrative oversights, and the City is now taking steps to address them. We have been working closely with the IRS to resolve the matter, and our goal is to minimize any financial impact on the City and taxpayers.
The initial penalty amount was $790,000. Absent report data the IRS calculated the penalty based on the total number of W-2 forms prepared rather than the actual number of 1095-C statements issued. Through proactive engagement and a detailed assessment of issue we have calculated a significant reduction in the potential liability. At this stage, the potential remaining exposure is approximately $233,000, though we are continuing our efforts to reduce or eliminate that amount entirely.
It’s important to note that while this is a serious issue, the City has taken corrective action to help ensure this does not happen again. We have additional oversight measures in our payroll and reporting processes and may consider using an outside payroll processing firm. Such a firm would be obligated to meet these IRS reporting requirements, thereby reducing or eliminating this concern going forward.”
QUESTION:HUD funding for Lead abatement: You told the council that the city may be facing a $350,000 penalty for our failure to properly “close out” the 2019 grant. What does this mean, and how did it happen?
RESPONSE:
“The issue with the 2019 HUD lead abatement grant stems from administrative requirements related to the formal “closeout” process of the grant. When a federal grant is awarded, there are specific reporting and documentation steps that must be completed to demonstrate that funds were used appropriately and that the project met all compliance standards. In this case, some of those final reporting requirements were not completed in a timely manner, leading to the possibility of the grant being rescinded.
The City has been in active discussions with HUD to resolve this issue, and we are working to provide the necessary documentation to properly close out the grant. We are optimistic this can happen.
There is no penalty, but rather, as a reimbursement grant the funds that had been expended would not be reimbursed.
It’s important to emphasize that this issue does not mean funds were misused—rather, it’s a matter of ensuring all federal reporting obligations are met. Moving forward, we are strengthening our grant management processes to prevent similar issues and ensure full compliance with federal requirements.”
QUESTION: Last year, the council approved a measure to spend up to $300,000 for an investigation and report concerning irregularities in the finance department. You said you anticipate that report later this month. How much did we end up paying for those services, which are above and beyond the annual audit, which is typically performed by Runyon, Kersteen & Ouellette?
RESPONSE:
“It’s important to clarify that BerryDunn is not conducting an investigation or preparing a report. Rather, they have been providing professional accounting services to help the City catch up on prior years’ financials. This includes tasks such as preparing journal entries, reconciling accounts, and other essential accounting cleanup work needed to get us ready for the audit.
“The Council authorized up to $300,000 for these services, and we are tracking expenses carefully to ensure we use only what is necessary. While this work is separate from the annual audit conducted by Runyon, Kersten & Ouellette, it is an essential step to ensure our financial records are in order and to facilitate the audit process. We will provide a final cost breakdown once all work is completed.
“We anticipate continuing to use BerryDunn’s services as needed until all outstanding financial issues are fully resolved. Their expertise has been critical in helping us catch up on prior years’ accounting work and prepare for the audit. Given the complexity of the work involved, we expect their support will be necessary on an ongoing basis to ensure all financial records are fully reconciled and that we remain on track moving forward, and we will need to approach the Council for additional funding for their work. We will continue to monitor costs and provide updates as this work progresses.”
QUESTION: You told the council “you all know the conditions of our books.” Can you please elaborate and provide some details about that statement?
RESPONSE:
“When I said, “you all know the conditions of our books,” I was referring to the well-documented challenges we’ve been working through in our finance department. The delays in our audits, the need for accounting cleanup work, and the backlog of reconciliations are all issues that the Council has been regularly briefed on. These challenges are precisely why we brought in BerryDunn, a highly regarded and award-winning accounting firm, to assist with financial reconciliation and why we are working diligently to bring our records fully up to date.
“It’s important to note that while there have been delays and areas that need improvement, the City is now taking every necessary step to ensure financial accuracy and transparency. Indeed, with the new Finance Director’s leadership backed up by additional outside expertise, we are making steady progress toward getting everything back on track.
QUESTION: You indicated that there are now two vacancies in the city’s finance department, saying “there’s no capacity down there, but also praised the new Finance Director for her professionalism and accomplishments in just the last few weeks.
You said that you had an applicant interested in one of the vacancies but they decided not to accept the city’s offer. Can you shed any light on why the applicant declined the offer?
RESPONSE:
“Yes, there are currently two vacancies in the finance department, which does present challenges. However, our new Finance Director has already made significant progress in just a few weeks, bringing a high level of professionalism, expertise, and fresh energy to the team. She is actively working to stabilize operations, improve internal controls, and move the City’s financial processes forward. In these roles, the level of public scrutiny can sometimes feel unfair to those simply trying to do their jobs. This is something we have to acknowledge when recruiting, as it can be a deterrent for potential hires.
We recognize that staffing shortages have added to the workload, but we are committed to filling these positions with highly qualified candidates who will contribute to the long-term strength of the department. As noted above, we may also engage outside services, such as for payroll processing, to provide additional support. Also, based on a decision of the Council, we will soon be transitioning sewer billing to Maine Water. Many surrounding municipalities (including Saco) handle sewer billing this way, which reduces errors and improves efficiency, since the sewer bill is based on the water bill, and Maine Water already does the water billing.
Despite these financial reporting challenges, the City remains on solid financial footing. We have a significant fund balance, skilled management, and improved oversight in place to ensure responsible fiscal stewardship. While we acknowledge the need to catch up on financial reporting and complete past audits, these issues do not reflect a financial crisis—rather, they are administrative hurdles that we are actively addressing. With a strong Finance Director in place, additional professional support from BerryDunn, and a commitment to transparency and best practices, we are making steady progress. The City continues to meet its financial obligations, provide essential services, and invest in our community’s future with confidence.
______
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During the March 4 Biddeford City Council meeting, acting city manager Brian Phinney provided the council with some concerning and significant updates regarding the finance department.
According to Phinney’s regular report to the council, the city could be facing:
Potential penalties of $790,000 from the Internal Revenue Service;
Penalties of roughly $350,000 from the federal Housing and Urban Development (HUD) regarding a 2019 grant for lead abatement.
According to Phinney, the city is also nearly three years behind on its regular audits. He said the FY 2023 audit should be completed this month.
Last year, the city council authorized spending up to $300,000 for an independent, forensic analysis of problems in the finance department. That report, Phinney said, is expected later this month.
Phinney praised the work of Gerry Matherne who was hired just a few weeks ago as the city’s finance director. “She is doing a fantastic job,” he said. “But we don’t have capacity down there.”
Phinney alluded to financial complications by telling the council: “You all know the conditions of the books.”
The city has gone through six finance directors in the last five years.
Below is the text of an email we sent to Brian Phinney today, seeking answers and clarifications regarding these issues. We have shared these questions with every media outlet that covers City Hall.
********
Dear Mr. Phinney,
I recently watched the Biddeford City Council’s March 4, 2025 meeting, and I have a few questions regarding your update as acting city manager to the council.
I know this is an extremely busy time for you and city managers all across the country as you begin putting together the FY 2026 budget.
Further complicating matters are two vacancies in the Finance Department and a rather abrupt transition in leadership.
Considering all that, I thought (and Mayor Grohman agreed) that it may be helpful to put my questions regarding your recent report in writing.
Make no mistake, if you would prefer, I am more than happy to meet face-to-face and anticipate the interview would take less than 15 minutes.
Here are my questions:
Three-year delay on audit: According to your comments at Tuesday’s meeting, the city is nearly three years behind on its annual audit obligations, going back to FY 2023. How did we get so far behind?
Given that we have not gone through an audit, how can we possibly put together a budget of more than $40 million with any degree of confidence?
Why was this delay with conducting an audit not addressed sooner?
Can this situation adversely impact the city’s bond rating?
IRS Exposure: You also told the city council that the city may have “a considerable exposure” of $790,000 in penalties from the IRS. You said you are “negotiating with the IRS” but the city (combined with school department) could still face a $233,000 liability. Can you provide specific details about how this happened?
HUD funding for Lead abatement: You told the council that the city may be facing a $350,000 penalty for our failure to properly “close out” the 2019 grant. What does this mean, and how did it happen?
BerryDunn report: Last year, the council approved a measure to spend up to $300,000 for an investigation and report concerning irregularities in the finance department. You said you anticipate that report later this month. How much did we end up paying for those services, which are above and beyond the annual audit, which is typically performed by Runyon, Kersteen & Ouellette?
Misc. You told the council “you all know the conditions of our books.” Can you please elaborate and provide some details about that statement?
You indicated that there are now two vacancies in the city’s finance department, saying “there’s no capacity down there, but also praised the new Finance Director for her professionalism and accomplishments in just the last few weeks.
You said that you had an applicant interested in one of the vacancies but they decided not to accept the city’s offer. Can you shed any light on why the applicant declined the offer?
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Editor’s note:This is the third and final installment of our three-part series regarding Biddeford’s housing crisis.
When discussing Biddeford’s housing crisis, the bulk of the conversation often settles upon issues of homelessness, low-income housing or so-called “affordable” housing projects.
But there is another important piece to the puzzle.
Over the last few years, pricing for single-family homes has been skyrocketing as the demand for housing continues to soar throughout southern Maine.
According to a recent report by the Westbrook Development Corporation, the average age of first-time home buyers has substantially increased: from people in their mid-twenties in the 1980s to an average age of 38 years old in 2024.
During a Feb. 11 Biddeford city council workshop meeting about housing, George Gervais, the city’s director of economic development, told the council that the housing issue is somewhat “cyclical.”
According to Gervais’ report, almost half of households 55 and older have no retirement savings, and that the median cost of a semi-private room in a nursing home was roughly $93,000/year in 2020. Thus, many senior residents simply cannot afford to leave their current homes. That dynamic, Gervais said, clogs the market for available single-family homes for younger buyers.
A somewhat stagnant supply of single-family homes – combined with a skyrocketing demand for housing – creates a perfect storm scenario.
If young adults are not transitioning from their apartments to homeownership, the availability of apartments decreases, which increases average rental costs.
If someone cannot keep pace with rising rental costs, they are at risk of being homeless or forced to move to a more rural community. That scenario impacts local business owners who struggle with workforce challenges because employees simply cannot afford to live near their work place.
Biddeford Mayor Marty Grohman said he and the city council are committed to tackling this complicated issue.
“It’s a very complicated and complex problem,” Grohman said during a prior interview. “There are a lot of moving pieces.”
The average market rate rent for a one-bedroom apartment in Biddeford is $1,450. While that cost is lower than prices in Portland, Portsmouth or Boston, it leaves generational residents wondering how much longer they can live in the same town where they were raised and attended school.
According to local real estate agents, homebuilders and developers, the housing crisis is directly connected to the “Three I’s” Inventory, Interest Rates and Investors.
The local real estate market
Scott Thibeau of Biddeford is a well-known real estate agent who hosts a regular podcast about southern Maine’s real estate market.
A native of Saco, Thibeau jumped into the real estate business in 2013 when he began a partnership with Doug Sanford, perhaps the region’s most well-known real estate developer.
It was Doug Sanford who had the vision to begin turning vacant and deteriorating mill buildings in downtown Biddeford into residential apartments and micro-businesses.
Thibeau says the local real estate has cooled a bit over the last few months, but said southern Maine real estate is still a very hot market that is very attractive to people from other parts of the country.
“The secret of Maine is out, and that has consequences, mainly gentrification. That’s a tough dynamic for people who have lived here for generations.”
— Scott Thibeau
“If you really think about it was social media that changed the whole dynamic about Maine and our quality of life,” Thibeau said. “Suddenly, people from all over started being exposed to everything we offer, shattering myths and misconceptions about life in Maine.”
The new “awareness” of Maine was also fueled by climate change, Thibeau said.
“We offer a phenomenal quality of life in southern Maine,” Thibeau said. “And a lot of people are coming here to escape extreme heat in southern states. Climate migration is a real thing.”
Those people moving to Biddeford for a better quality of life bring with them greater financial resources and the ability to work remotely from anywhere in the country, Thibeau says.
“The secret of Maine is out, and that has consequences, mainly gentrification,” Thibeau said. “That’s a tough dynamic for people who have lived here for generations.”
In addition to being a real estate agent, Thibeau is currently the president of the Heart of Biddeford’s board of directors. The Heart of Biddeford was created several years ago to help improve and promote the city’s downtown area making it more attractive for investment.
“We’ve seen a lot of success in making our city more attractive and desirable, but I don’t think anyone wants to go back to the days when MERC was still burning trash downtown just to bring prices down,” Thibeau says.
Thibeau says the average rent for a three-bedroom apartment ranges from $2,200 to $2,500 per month. In order to get a home at that same income level, the home price cannot be more than $332,000, factoring interest rates on a 30-year mortgage.
“You’re going to have a hard time finding a $332,000 home in southern Maine,” Thibeau said. “There are only 17 houses currently listed for $332,000 or less in York and Cumberland counties, most of them are in Sanford.
The problem of rising housing costs is impacted by the harsh realities of low incomes that makes it nearly impossible to pay no more than 1/3 of your income in housing.
“Maine is still the most affordable state in New England, but we’re the 17th most costly state to live in nationally,” Thibeau said.
A homebuilder’s perspective
Richard ‘Chico’ Potvin has been building homes in the Biddeford-Saco area for nearly 40 years.
A Biddeford native, Potvin says he has seen dramatic changes in the housing market, including more stringent governmental guidelines, higher labor costs and a much higher expectation of what a starter home should include.
“It used to be that a starter home was something like a two-bedroom, one bath ranch-style home,” Potvin said. “Today, buyers are much more demanding. They want everything from granite countertops and recessed lighting to an attached garage, three bedrooms and 2 bathrooms.
“Expectations are literally through the roof,” Potvin said.
Potvin says he and one of his partners spent more than four years trying to get approval for a project known as South Street Village, a proposal that included up to 50 single-family homes, a few duplexes and a commercial core for small businesses on outer South Street.
“They [the city] kept changing standards and requirements,” Potvin said. “Every time we felt like we had scored a touch-down, they just moved the goal post further back.”
According to Potvin, roughly 58 percent of Biddeford is zoned as rural farmland (RF). “If the city truly wants more housing inventory, they will need to be very creative,” he said, pointing to the city’s industrial parks and other land the city already owns.
“We need a balance,” Potvin said. “But we also need a more streamlined review process. Every new regulation and requirement adds additional costs to that new home. If you really want affordable, you have to manage your expectations.”
A developer’s perspective
Nathan Bateman literally grew up in the world of real estate development. His grandfather, an architect, formed a partnership to create a real estate development company in the early 1970s
“My brother (Aaron) and I literally grew up in the development world,” he laughed. “I was eight years old and boots on the ground.”
Over the last 40 years, Bateman Partners, LLC has developed properties worth more than $210 million, and currently has more than $140 million worth of projects in development or under construction, according to their website.
Bateman says he is proud of his company’s legacy and its commitment to working collaboratively with communities, but also said developing any kind of significant project is not an endeavor for the faint of heart.
“It’s a very competitive world, even in the affordable housing market,” Bateman said. “It’s almost a bloodsport. “Every project is basically a business unto itself.”
Bateman said some projects are safer than other more ambitious projects, but there are many outside forces that create challenges to creating quality housing that is also affordable.
“Fortunately, we have the experience and know how to get things done,” Bateman said. “But there are lots of factors beyond our control, including interest rates and a limited pool of state funding assistance for affordable housing development.”
Bateman said increasing labor and material costs also put pressure on the costs of any housing project, not to mention rigorous reviews by both local and state regulatory agencies.”
“Safe, affordable housing is always our goal,” Bateman said. “We certainly understand the importance and need for local and state standards and review, but it’s not always the model of efficiency. We literally need to use every tool in our toolbox.”
Bateman said one of the largest challenges in developing affordable housing projects is often created by neighbors and abutters of the proposed project.
“We see it all the time,” Bateman said. “People want affordable housing but not in my backyard. NIMBYism is a big hurdle to clear.”
The city of Biddeford has denied the Biddeford Gazette’s request to release an internal email regarding the abrupt departure of former City Manager James Bennett on Feb. 20.
The Gazette subsequently learned that another internal email was shared among individual members of the Biddeford City Council regarding Bennett’s sudden departure. Under both the federal and state public access laws, the Biddeford Gazette asked for a copy of that second email.
Former City Manager James Bennett
Today, City Attorney Harry Center sent an email, denying the Gazette’s request based on state law that prohibits the city from public disclosure of personnel records. A copy of Center’s letter can be found below:
For the first time since Bennett left office, Biddeford Mayor Marty Grohman released a public statement about the issue:
Grohman’s unedited remarks:
“As of February 20, 2025, City Manager James Bennett is on Paid Administrative Leave. This is a personnel matter and pursuant to state statute, Title 30A MRS Section 2702, personnel matters are designated as confidential.
At its March 4 meeting, the City Council passed an Order appointing Chief Operating Officer Brian Phinney as Acting City Manager. With over 20 years of leadership experience in Biddeford, Mr. Phinney is well-prepared to oversee city operations. Additionally, our Department Heads are strong, capable leaders who will ensure that city services continue to run smoothly.
The City and its elected officials are unable to comment further on City Manager Bennett’s leave as it is a personnel matter. However, I want to reassure our residents that the city remains in good hands, and we remain committed to delivering high-quality services and advancing key projects and priorities.
The City Council and I appreciate the community’s engagement and will continue to provide updates as appropriate.”
We learned yesterday that the weekly Biddeford-Saco-OOB Courier will no longer be printed and now accessible only in digital form, online.
This is just part of a global trend in the newspaper industry. Let’s face facts. The cost of printing and distribution are significant.
But while technology marches onward, there are still many painful consequences. Nearly 50 employees got layoff notices yesterday from the Courier’s parent company, the Maine Trust for Local News.
Regardless of how you feel about evolving technology, we are entering an era that is making human workers more irrelevant with each passing day.
It’s not just newspapers. There are no more phone books. No more encyclopedia salesmen. EZ Pass reduces the need for human toll booth workers. Self-checkout at the grocery store, shopping online and using ATM cards are all part of the equation.
For older people who may be a bit skittish about apps, streaming television and AI (artificial intelligence), many of these changes (advancements?) are uncomfortable, if not downright terrifying.
When my children were growing up, I often told them: “Your environment does not adapt to you. You must adapt to your environment.” It’s a matter of survival.
But this latest news about the Courier leaves me feeling a bit nostalgic and a bit sad.
I am personally connected to this story nine ways from Sunday.
Let’s backup for a second. For more than 50 years, newspapers have been part of my life, first as a paperboy for the York County Coast Star, the Journal Tribune and the Portland Press Herald.
I dreaded Sundays because the weight of those Maine Sunday Telegram issues were more than twice as thick as their daily counterparts and quite heavy. I had to break my route up on Sundays simply because I could not fit all of the papers into my over-the-shoulder sack.
Even as a young boy, I had a fascination with news and politics. In high school, I even landed a short gig as an intern in the Journal Tribune’s newsroom.
Over the years, I wrote for a few different publications, but it was the Courier where I made my mark.
Today, I own and operate an online-only “newspaper.”
I was lucky enough to work for the Courier back in the good ol’ days, when the paper was still locally owned and operated.
I very much doubt that the Courier’s current owners have even visited Biddeford, but still, they have the audacity to promote the paper by describing its coverage as “hyper-local.”
Ummm . . . not really hyper-local . . . . whatever that is supposed to mean.
It’s been a long time since I have seen a Courier reporter cover City Hall. I did not see a reporter from the Courier at this year’s Winterfest festival.
When Biddeford Mayor Marty Grohman scheduled a community event to support the family of a fallen police officer, the Courier was not there to cover it, but did publish a story a few days later. Liz Gotthelf from Saco Bay News was there. I was there, representing the Biddeford Gazette but that was it for media coverage during the actual event.
Make no mistake. It’s not the reporter’s fault. It is a situation playing out in newsrooms all over the country, where ad revenue trumps news coverage.
I very much doubt that the Courier’s current owners have even visited Biddeford, but still, they have the audacity to promote the paper by describing its coverage as “hyper-local.”
I Want To Be Sedated
Sydney Richelieu is today the primary reporter for the Courier. Her editors expect her to cover six communities every single week. Think about that for a minute.
Richelieu is responsible for covering news in Biddeford, Saco, Old Orchard Beach, Arundel, Kennebunk and Kennebunkport. I don’t care who you are or how hard you work, that beat is a really big nut to crack.
Consider this. When I left the Courier in 2006, we had four full-time reporters (including me) covering the same geographic area.
Today, the Maine Trust for Local News expects one reporter to cover the same beat that was previously covered by four reporters. The Maine Trust for Local News has set Sydney up for failure even before she inherited the beat last year.
The folks at the Maine Trust for Local News love to bloviate about their dedication to “local journalism,” but maybe they should put some of their money into the newsroom, you know? Local journalism?
The Courier and the Portland Press Herald are both owned and operated by the same company, so don’t expect the state’s largest daily newspaper to step in and fill in the cracks. The way they see it, Biddeford and Saco are already covered.
Newspapers – including both tabs (tabloids) and broadsheets — are printed in four-page increments. In order to cover costs, roughly 60 percent of the newspaper needs to be covered by paid advertisements.
When I left the Courier, we were consistently publishing 44-page papers. Today, the Courier is merely a shadow of itself, hovering around 16 pages (not including advertising inserts).
I’ll close with some good news for the Courier. This move by their parent company removes their handcuffs of being published just once a week. Now they can more effectively compete with the other digital publications in this area, Saco Bay News and the Biddeford Gazette.
Being online allows journalists to be nimbler, to be in a better position to scoop some breaking news. Something that hasn’t happened at the Courier in a long time.
As a Biddeford resident who appreciates and values local news from a variety of sources, I hope that this recent transition returns the Courier to its rightful position as a competitive, local news source.
We’ll see.
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The Courier and many other newspapers throughout southern Maine, including daily and weekly publications, are owned by the Maine Trust for Local News.
Carolyn Fox, executive editor of the Maine Trust for Local News, said the decision was “difficult,” but pointed out that a dwindling number of people rely on printed publications as their primary news source.
“To sustain and grow impactful journalism in Maine, we have to meet our readers where they are,” Fox said. “Our digital expansion creates a stronger foundation for the Maine Trust, and we’re excited to build on that in partnership with the communities we serve.”
The move to a digital platform will result in 49 layoffs of employees who print and distribute the newspapers. Fox said her company is planning to add employees to its newsrooms later this year.
The Biddeford-Saco Courier — a free weekly publication — was created and launched by David and Carolyn Flood of Saco in 1989. The paper was distributed in residential neighborhoods and available on newstands.
The Floods — who now live in Delaware — sold the Courier and several of its sister publications to the publishers of the Journal Tribune in 2007. The daily Journal Tribune newspaper closed its doors in 2019.
Flood said he was surprised by the announcement but acknowledged the industry trend. “Personally, I think printed papers are easier to read,” Flood said.
Liz Gotthelf, the publisher of Saco Bay News — another online news source in the Biddeford-Saco area — said she was not surprised by the announcement.
“To sustain and grow impactful journalism in Maine, we have to meet our readers where they are,”
– Carolyn Fox, executive editor, Maine Trust for Local News
“I think publishing local news online is a way to reach a wider range of readers,” Gotthelf said. “By focusing on a digital platform, it makes things so much easier and less expensive. Also, there are not many places that have a printing press.”
Currently, the Courier’s online presence is connected to its parent company’s web site, which can only be accessed with a paid subscription. The Courier has always been a free publication, so it remains unclear if readers will be able to access the publication without a subscription.
Both Flood and Gotthelf say they will be closely watching the Courier’s transition.
People seeking local news and information in the Biddeford-Saco area will now have three online media outlets to choose from, including the Biddeford Gazette and Saco Bay News.
Laura Seaver, publisher of the Biddeford Gazette, said the announcement was expected for a long time. “This puts everyone on a level playing field,” she said.
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More than 48 hours after the final buzzer, Coach Jeannine Paradis’ voice is still hoarse, and she jokingly said that her blood pressure has not yet returned to normal.
Paradis is the head coach of the Biddeford High School Girls’ Basketball team, and unless you’ve been living under a rock for the last few days, you already know that Paradis and her players have been very busy over the last few days.
HeadCoach Jeannine Paradis
On Saturday – for the first time ever – the BHS Lady Tigers played in the state championship game, a thrilling and yet heartbreaking display of courage, tenacity and skill.
Trailing the Caribou Vikings for much of the game, the Tigers rallied in the final minutes of the fourth quarter to overcome a 12-point deficit and force overtime play, where the Tigers grabbed the lead. But in the end, the Vikings were able to clinch the win with just a one-point difference, 49-48.
Paradis grew up in Biddeford and played field hockey, basketball and ran track at Biddeford High School before graduating in 1994.
Ayla Lagasse looks for three during Saturday’s state championship game (Photo: Maureen Grandmaison Photography)
She then went on to study rehabilitation services at the University of Maine Farmington. During her senior year in college, she was recognized as being a hard worker and landed a job as the junior varsity boys basketball team at Morse High School.
She has now been the head coach in Biddeford for four seasons.
Biddeford’s Gabby Silva drives under the boards (Photo: Maureen Grandmaison Photography)
You were still in school and got a coaching position for a boys’ team with no coaching experience.
“I think it was my professional attitude that got me the job,” Paradis said. “There were several applicants interviewed, but I was the only one who dressed up for the interview.
“Some of the candidates went to the interview wearing jeans with baseball caps turned backward. I think my eagerness and professionalism stood out. I’m a hard worker. It’s a pride thing that was instilled in me when I was young.”
Gabby Smith maintains possession for the Lady Tigers (Photo by Maureen Grandmaison Photography)
This was the first time that the Lady Tigers every played in a state championship. Were you feeling lots of pressure?
“Coming into the season, there was always a lot of talk about this particular freshmen group. When we look back at the basketball program, we’ve always had a lot of athletes, but never true basketball players.”
“I felt good about how our kids were reacting throughout the whole tournament season, and how they just got better with each game. Going in, I figured we’d be a little nervous, anxious and excited.
— Head Coach Jeannine Paradis
What’s the difference between an athlete and a ‘true basketball player?”
“These kids will pick up a ball. They’ll do the extra. They’ll play travel ball and tournaments and spend hours shooting baskets in their own driveway. Just completely committed to the game of basketball.”
You had a very young team for a state championship game.
“I brought 14 players up to the tournaments. My original roster was 13 girls, but I brought along one standout from our junior varsity team. I had three sophomores, one of whom was injured and could not play and three seniors. The rest were all freshmen.”
Biddeford’s Jordyn Crump goes for two ( Photo by Maureen Grandmaison photography)
What was running through your head on Friday evening, the night before the big game?
“We had practiced hard on Wednesday and Thursday, so I wanted to keep Friday pretty light; working on ball handling, shooting. We talked about our game plan, in terms of what we were going to do when we got on the bus, what we were going to do when we got to the [arena].
“I felt good about how our kids were reacting throughout the whole tournament season, and how they just got better with each game. Going in, I figured we’d be a little nervous, anxious and excited. So, we talked about having all those feelings, and letting them know it was okay to have those feelings, but once the game starts, and that clock starts ticking we all needed to be focused and serious.
“I had a really good feeling waking up that we could compete. I’ve seen our kids compete against some pretty talented players in the SMAA. We had a tough schedule, and they stepped up every single day. If one of our top shooters wasn’t shooting well, somebody else picked up that slack. So, it was really great to see how they would play for each other.”
Anna Smyth puts up two for Biddeford (Photo by Maureen Grandmaison Photography)
How long do you think you’re going to replay the final 20 seconds of that game in your head?
(Laughs) “I’ve heard from several of my colleagues and other people that it will take at least a couple of months before I stop analyzing every little detail. It was a learning experience for our players, but it was also a learning experience for me.”
Did you and your team have a sense of how much the larger community was supporting you?
“You know, growing up in Biddeford during the 1990s, you know that this is a football town, and football gets a lot of the attention.
“I wasn’t sure how much support we would have. Our gym wasn’t always full. But unlike other more rural communities that don’t have a center, our community has a core. To see the City Hall clocktower lit up in orange, all the things being shared on Facebook, I think the girls felt the support.
“Even though we lost, they still did something amazing, and the community really had our backs.”
Natalie Silva drives past heavy Viking defense (Photo by Maureen Grandmaison photography
Have you now set the bar of expectation so high that it will be tougher next year?
“I think there’s always a downside, but I’m always up for a challenge, good years or bad years. My commitment to the program and the kids is about a lot more than just winning or losing.
“It’s more about the kids and having them grow and find some success even if the record doesn’t indicate that, if I can do that then I have done my job.”
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The last time I wrote to you, I spoke about the importance of MaineCare, our state’s version of the Medicaid program. MaineCare provides health care to low-income families and children, people with disabilities and pregnant women, and is overwhelmingly supported by Maine people.
I also wrote about how Maine faces the same challenge as many red and blue states – the cost of health care is rising and state budgets are having a hard time keeping up.
This fiscal year, which runs until the end of June 2025, we face a $117 million gap in MaineCare. If unaddressed, providers already facing financial challenges would be put in an even more difficult situation. In some dire cases, providers could be forced to shut their doors – and when those doors shut, they shut for all of us.
State Sen. Henry Ingwersen (D-York)
In the last month, members of the Legislature’s budget committee worked hard to reach a bipartisan agreement on a supplemental budget that would fix this gap and get funding out the door quickly.
I was very pleased when, in early February, they reached a deal and voted unanimously to recommend passage of the supplemental budget to the full legislature. However, my Republican colleagues suddenly walked back on the deal and began insisting that to earn their support, we would need to make cuts to MaineCare and housing assistance.
While I disagree with these cuts, these are large policy conversations that can certainly be had as the Legislature moves to construct a biennial budget – which covers the next two fiscal years – in the coming weeks. Right now, Maine people are counting on us to keep MaineCare afloat and to do it quickly.
A unique aspect of Maine law requires a two-thirds vote in the Maine House and Senate to approve emergency funding, which means strong, bipartisan support. Without this two-thirds vote needed to get this funding out the door, the Department of Health and Human Services will begin cutting back funds owed to hospitals, nursing homes, and home and community-based services as early as March.
We have continued to hold votes, and Republicans continue to oppose the plan they had previously agreed to. The more votes we take, the less I understand why there is opposition.
–State Sen. Henry Ingwersen
We have continued to hold votes, and Republicans continue to oppose the plan they had previously agreed to. The more votes we take, the less I understand why there is opposition. Our most rural communities rely heavily on keeping MaineCare functional – 45 percent of folks in Washington County; 40 percent in Aroostook County and an average of 37 percent across Oxford, Franklin, Somerset and Piscataquis counties are enrolled in MaineCare.
Many of us in the Legislature are here to make sure that our rural areas are not left behind.
In addition to the people covered by MaineCare in these areas, the small health care providers that strengthen our small towns are at most risk of harm. The Maine Primary Care Association recently told the Press Herald, “Health centers operate in small, rural towns in each county, and are also present and essential in Maine’s bigger cities; like many other health care providers, they are not designed to weather endless instability in payments.”
As I’ve learned in my time on the Legislature’s Health and Human Services Committee, Maine already has many “care deserts” across our state, forcing folks to travel long distances to get the services they need. I am deeply worried that not approving this funding means the problem would only get worse.
Every day in Augusta, as I chair the Health and Human Services Committee, I hear more stories of folks struggling with access to health care. Folks like Vickie, from Norway, who shared how her insurance did not cover services she felt would have made a real difference in her mental health care.
We need to be moving forward on health care access, not backward. I stand ready to support critical funding for MaineCare, and I hope my colleagues will join me to find a path forward for Maine people.
The people of my district and the rest of Maine are not the least bit interested in the political games taking place here in Augusta. They want to make sure that they continue to get the quality health care they deserve for their families. They deserve no less from us.
As always, if you have any questions about the information here or if you would like to reach out with a comment, question or concern, you can reach out to me any time. If you want to stay up-to-date on what we’re working on in Augusta, please sign up for my email newsletter at mainesenate.org or visit my Facebook page at facebook.com/IngwersenForMaine.
Henry Ingwersen represents District 32 in the Maine Senate, which includes Biddeford and the surrounding communities of Arundel, Dayton, Hollis and Lyman. He can be reached at Henry.Ingwersen@legislature.maine.gov or 207-287-1515
Editor’s note: The views expressed here are those of the author. If you would like to contribute an opinion column, please contact us at biddefordgazette@gmail.com This column was also published in the Biddeford-Saco Courier
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