Weighted UNE committee is appalling and patently unfair to UNE
By DIANE SNOW, Special to the Gazette
A recent Portland Press Herald story regarding the committee set up to review the plans for University of New England [Biddeford Committee plans public hearing, Feb. 24, 2026] left me appalled because the committee is comprised primarily by Hills Beach residents.
That the chairman of the committee [Councilor Patricia Boston] is a Hills Beach resident was surprising enough. Now to find out that three of the six committee members are Hills Beach residents, was not just surprising, it was shocking.
How can anyone expect an honest and objective assessment when the “plaintiffs” have become the “jury”?
This issue affects not just the residents of Hills Beach; it affects the entire community.
RELATED: UNE Oversight Committee begins work
The university is a major prize in Biddeford. Most cities would give their right arm for this privilege.
A more disturbing question: Whose welfare do our elected officials represent? The wealthy beachfront residents or the community at large?
That the Hills Beach residents wield outsized power is clear. How long has this been going on? Do we need to remind city officials that the taxes in the city are paid by all property owners, not just the beachfront owners?
There is plenty of real estate in vacant mills that need interested entrepreneurs willing to establish flourishing businesses. A university, with its educational and cultural benefits, is a major attraction.
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The university is a major prize in Biddeford. Most cities would give their right arm for this privilege.
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Impeding the progress of UNE is harmful to Biddeford. This outsized influence of a small, privileged group has also clarified the means by which beach access has become so restrictive.
Has anyone noticed how difficult it is to access our beaches? I once received a parking ticket at Goose Rocks beach when I stopped there to give a young girl from New York City — who was staying with us through the Fresh Air Fund — a chance to put her feet in the ocean for the first time.
The beauty of the world does not only belong to a select privileged group.
The mayor and city councilors were elected to represent the interests of the entire community, not just a single group.
It is time to address this travesty. Citizens of Biddeford, know whose interests your elected officials represent. Let them know of your concerns, and above all, think carefully next time you are at the polls.
Diane Snow was born and raised in Biddeford. Today, she lives in Cumberland, Maine
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NOTE: The Biddeford Gazette strongly encourages reader feedback and public commentary regarding our coverage and issues directly related to the city of Biddeford. To submit a letter to the editor or guest column, please contact us at biddefordgazette@gmail.com
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