Biddeford mayor wants another term

Biddeford Mayor Marty Grohman is hoping to keep his seat for a second, two-year term.

Grohman, 57, said he wants to continue his work and the initiatives he started after being elected as mayor in 2023.

Grohman and his wife, Amy, moved to Biddeford in 1999 and they both became active in the community, including volunteer work. Amy Grohman served on the Biddeford School Committee. Marty was appointed by former mayor Alan Casavant and served on the city’s Recycling and Waste Management Commission. He also served as past president of the Biddeford–Saco Rotary Club.

Before being elected to the Biddeford City Council in 2021, Grohman served two terms – first as a Democrat before switching to Independent — in the Maine Legislature. As an independent candidate, he lost a 2018 bid to replace U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree in Maine’s First Congressional District.

Grohman grew up on a dairy farm in the small town of Carthage, a rural western Maine community wedged between the towns of Farmington and Rangeley.

Grohman has an engineering background and graduated from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in New York. He founded and later sold Correct Deck, a Biddeford-based company that used recycled composite materials in the manufacture of decking products.

When asked what he believes are the city’s biggest challenges, Grohman listed rising property taxes, housing affordability and homelessness as his top priorities.

Although the mayor does not get to vote on budgets or other council matters, Grohman said he proposed trimming more than $730,000 of new spending during a budget meeting in May.

Grohman says continued commercial development will provide new revenue and ease the burden on residential property taxpayers.

“Over the last two years, we have added between $40 million and $60 million of new commercial value,” he said. “That’s the mayor’s job.” Grohman pointed to the recent opening of a Firestone car repair shop and an L.L Bean outlet store as examples of his work to attract more business to Biddeford.

Grohman said he is also heavily advocating for the city when it comes to state subsidies for public education. “We are setting the tone and growing our tax base,” he said.

“We’re on the right track. I want
to keep Biddeford growing.”

— Marty Grohman

The mayor said housing inventory needs to grow at all levels, including single-family homes that can accommodate the needs of the city’s workforce, including public employees such as firefighters, police officers and public-school teachers.

Grohman said the city needs “sensible” development that includes land conservation measures.

“I’m not a rent control guy,” Grohman said. “We have added 84 new apartments to the mix and some of those are being rented in the neighborhood of $1,300 per month.”

Grohman described concerns regarding the city’s growing homeless population as his “signature” issue.

“When I came into our office two years ago, we had a lot of problems with a growing encampment near Mechanics Park,” he said. “It was bad; filthy, crowded, unsafe and offered no dignity for those who were forced to stay there.”

Grohman said clearing that encampment was necessary and triggered new opportunities for homeless residents and the city.

“I am proud of what we did,” he said, pointing out that his ongoing efforts on the homeless issue has resulted in finding safe and stable housing for 70 residents over the last few months.

“There is still a lot to do,” he said when asked about growing complaints about homeless individuals congregating near the McArthur Library’s main entrance. “That’s not okay, but it is not illegal,” he added, pointing to the fact that the York County shelter, which provided services for nearly 40 people, closed in July, creating a surge in Biddeford’s homeless population.

Grohman said his weekly “huddle” meetings with homeless advocates and volunteers has produced some “positive results,” including hiring a city liaison that can directly work to find resources for unhoused residents.

Although the other candidates both say that the city needs “stronger leadership,” Grohman says he has a proven track record and is proud of his work on several fronts.

“It’s a tough job,” he said. “But we have a great team of city staff and employees who are all very committed to serving the needs of our community.

“We’re on the right track,” Grohman said. “I want to keep Biddeford growing. I have a proven track record; People know me and trust me.”

To learn more about Grohman’s campaign, please visit his campaign website at martymayor.com

NOTE: The Biddeford Gazette will publish profiles of all three mayoral candidates, including Norm Belanger and Liam LaFountain.

RELATED: Belanger hopes to become Biddeford’s next mayor

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Randy Seaver is the editor and founder of the Biddeford Gazette. He may be reached by email: randy@randyseaver.com

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