How Biddeford is using its opioid settlement funds

February 6, 2026February 6, 2026 ~ Randy Seaver ~ Leave a comment

By RANDY SEAVER, Editor

The Biddeford City Council received an update Tuesday regarding how the city’s local allocation of Opioid Settlement funds has been used over the last year.

The funds come from several class action lawsuits that were filed against opioid manufacturers and distributors roughly 10 years ago.

*Jake Hammer, Biddeford’s General Assistance supervisor, gave the Biddeford City Council a presentation Tuesday about how the city is using its portion of the Opioid Settlement Funds.*

The defendants – including Johnson & Johnson, Walmart, Walgreens and CVS –reached a $56 billion settlement with those states, counties and municipalities that filed suit against them. The funds can only be used to provide for treatment and other services directly linked to opioid use.

Opioids — more commonly known as “painkillers” — are often prescribed to treat severe pain. They can be highly addictive and addiction causes consequences for communities in terms of crime, economic instability and fractured interpersonal relationships.

Examples of opioids include Oxycontin, Fentanyl and Demerol.

According to reporting by Emily Bader from The Maine Monitor, Maine communities and counties have received roughly $20.3 million from the $66.4 million they’re set to receive by 2038.

The money, Bader reports, “has been used for a wide range of initiatives, from grants to community organizations providing recovery services to scholarships for residential treatment beds.”

Biddeford’s General Assistance Supervisor — Jake Hammer – provided the council with an annual overview of how the city has been handing its portion of the funds allocated to Maine communities.

According to Hammer, the funds began flowing in 2022 and are scheduled to continue through 2038.

Hammer told the council that at least 70 to 85 percent of the funds must be used for future opioid remediation, including treatment, harm reduction, prevention, and recovery services.

In September 2024, the city council adopted an ordinance to track and report how the city’s share of Opioid Settlement Fund (OSF) is being used.

A little more than a year ago, the city council approved an OSF Strategic Action Plan, Hammer said. That plan includes Strategic Goals and measurement criteria, which are required by the Maine Attorney General’s office, as spelled out by state law.

Hammer told the council that the city now has six recovery residences — total of 95 beds –available for those struggling with opioid addiction. Roughly 83 percent of the city’s allocation last year was used to support those residential facilities.

The city received roughly $378,039 during the last calendar year as its annual allocation of funds.

Hammer also supplied the council with some demographic information about the 58 people who have requested addiction treatment during the past year.

The bulk of those requesting or applying for services were white men (44), Hammer said. 18 individuals identified as having a physical or mental disability; and 14 applicants were employed when seeking services.

Councilor Dylan Doughty asked if the city could use some of its allocation for further public outreach about treatment options in the city.

“That is absolutely something we can do,” Hammer responded.

Note: To view or download a copy of Hammer’s presentation: OPIOID SETTLEMENT | Biddeford

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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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OPINION: Those were the days . . .

February 5, 2026March 7, 2026 ~ Randy Seaver ~ 1 Comment

By RANDY SEAVER, Editor

How do you know you’ve been covering Biddeford news for a long, long time?

I have covered the city’s annual WinterFest celebration since — well – since before it was called WinterFest.

Biddeford’s annual downtown winter celebration was the brainchild of newly elected Mayor Alan Casavant in 2012.

Casavant — who was also serving as a state representative back then –had attended a community dog-sledding event and celebration in Fort Kent.

“I was really impressed by the community turnout,” the former mayor said during a recent interview. “It wasn’t just dog-sledding and races, they had lots of different activities. It really brought people together.”

Casavant returned home full of optimism and ideas about how Biddeford could do something similar.

Let her rip! Former mayor Alan Casavant tackles the man-made sledding hill on Adam’s Street during the very first WinterFest celebration in February 2012. The annual festival was then known as L Fete d’ Hiver

The city was in the early stages of a downtown renaissance, and Casavant was eager to draw people back to the downtown area — even though MERC was still burning garbage roughly 1,200 feet away from the first man-made sledding hill on Adams Street and the fact that there were then fewer than 438 places in downtown Biddeford to get gourmet coffee, craft beers and specialty pizzas.

Casavant enlisted the help of resident John Maxson who jumped into the project with both feet and a smile that never faded until his passing several years ago. Maxson’s memory and community service is enshrined by a bronze plaque that was placed on the outside wall of City Hall near Adams Street.

Originally, the celebration was called La Fete d’ Hiver, a nod to the city’s then dominant Franco-American heritage.

The first festival exceeded expectations for community turnout, and the weekend celebration was later expanded and became more popular with each passing year and a growing base of volunteers.

But by the third year, the name La Fete’ d’ Hiver was dropped and replaced with a more inclusive moniker: WinterFest, much easier for most of us to pronounce and spell.

Look, my family attended Mass at St. Mary’s, not St. Andre’s or St. Joseph’s.

When my parents bought their first home in Saco, I served as an altar boy at Most Holy Trinity, not Notre Dame.

I graduated from Thornton Academy, not St. Louis High School.

I knew just enough French to get in trouble and flirt with local girls. Et, pourquoi pas?

I’m not trying to position myself as the defender of Biddeford’s Franco-American heritage. Growing up in Saco, we made jokes about French people.

*Laura and I were getting our groove on during the city’s first WinterFest celebration in 2012*

It should also be noted that Biddeford’s cultural roots are not just pure-bred French Canadian. Our community was also built by immigrant factory workers who came here from Ireland, Greece, Albania and numerous other countries, including Syria, Russia and Italy.

When it comes to cultural diversity, Biddeford pretty much knocks it out of the park.

But I do feel sad and a bit troubled by the gentrification now taking place in my community.

What’s next? Are we going to rename the city’s annual La Kermesse celebration as SummerFest?

I think the Lincoln Hotel lobby is fantastic and a wonderful place to meet friends. I enjoy hanging out at Element’s and drinking really good beer at Sacred Profane.

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But I do feel sad and a bit troubled

by the gentrification now taking place

in my community.

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But like many other people, I do so sometimes wax nostalgic about getting new school clothes at Butler’s, eating at the Woolworth’s lunch counter or browsing the vast collection of records at Murphy’s Music.

The once vibrant shoe factory on State Street is now an apartment complex. You no longer get your local groceries at Sevigny’s Market and charge your purchases to your weekly slip.

You blissfully ignored whatever it was that would periodically spew forth directly into the river from the Saco Tannery.

*There will be many activities for adults and children throughout the weekend, but the downtown sledding hill remains as a favorite among area children. (Photo by Devin Wright)*

There was no Home Depot. You went to McKenney & Heard Hardware on Main Street, You got your prescriptions at Doyon’s Pharmacy not Wal-Mart.

If you lived in Biddeford, your furniture came from Warren’s. If you lived in Saco, you probably bought your new dining set at Atkinson’s.

With each passing day, it is getting harder and harder for longtime residents to keep pace with soaring rental costs and restaurants that now cater to a younger, more affluent clientele.

People tell me all the time that they miss print newspapers like the Journal Tribune or the Biddeford-Saco Courier.

I shrug and say, “Oh well. Times change. Now you have the Biddeford Gazette and Saco Bay News.”

Change is the only constant . . . that and the joy that can be found in community events like WinterFest. Enjoy!

For more information about this weekend’s events, please visit: WINTERFEST | 2026

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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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Biddeford city manager: Cheering for the Seahawks on Sunday?

February 4, 2026February 4, 2026 ~ Randy Seaver ~ Leave a comment

By RANDY SEAVER, Editor

Nearly 128 million people are expected to watch Sunday’s Superbowl Championship game between the 17-3 New England Patriots and the 16-3 Seattle Seahawks.

One of those people who will be watching the Superbowl LX game on television is Biddeford’s relatively new city manager Truc Dever.

Dever relocated to Biddeford last summer from her home in Kirkland, Wash., a Seattle suburb where she served as that city’s public works director.

When asked Wednesday about which team she would be rooting for, Dever took in a deep breath and paused before offering her reply.

“I’m probably going to get in a lot of trouble for saying this, but I’ll be cheering for the Seahawks,” she admitted.

*Biddeford City Manager Truc Dever (File Photo)*

When asked to predict the game’s outcome, Dever laughed: “I’m probably in enough trouble already.”

Dever was previously asked a similar question last year, when she was interviewed by Biddeford Gazette reporter Jim Krause.

Dever said she is looking forward to watching the game, cheering for Seattle from deep in the heart of Patriots’ territory.

“I’ll likely be texting with some of my former coworkers throughout the game,” she said. “I think it’s going to be a lot of fun.”

Apparently, there are some things that still bring people together.

Ben Affleck fans from both coasts are looking forward to the actor’s much-anticipated Dunkin’ Donuts commercial during Sunday’s game.

Note: Biddeford resident Paul Burgess inspired this story. Moreover, Burgess predicted the Seahawks will trounce New England, 35-7.

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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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Council debates controversial parking plan

February 4, 2026February 4, 2026 ~ Randy Seaver ~ Leave a comment

By RANDY SEAVER, Editor

The Biddeford City Council finally got the chance Tuesday to discuss a controversial parking plan that has raised questions and eyebrows about city spending procedures.

One councilor described the project as a significant breach of city procedures, but another councilor described the $20,000 project as “small potatoes,” when compared to other issues facing the city.

*The Biddeford City Council took up several issues Tuesday night, including discussion about a controversial parking program that was launched last year (Seaver photo)*

The temporary parking plan is no longer in place. It was designed to help struggling downtown businesses by providing them and their employees free parking during a major sewer construction project last year in the downtown area.

The city spent roughly $20,000 over a five-month period to fund the program. It was designed to be “net neutral,” transferring money from an account the city uses for subsidizing bi-annual payments to the company that operates the Pearl Street parking garage.

Councilor Brad Cote blasted the program and the city’s former mayor, saying he was outraged about how it was funded and implemented.

“This was done without the approval or knowledge of the Finance Committee or the city council,” Cote said. “This was a one-man show, and it was shooting from the hip. I think it’s awful and insulting to taxpayers.”

In December, Mayor Liam LaFountain – the former council president and chair of the finance committee — said he was flabbergasted when he first learned about the program months after it had been launched.

LaFountain then asked City Attorney Harry Center to investigate the issue. In his Jan. 3 memo to the mayor and city council, Center raised concerns about the program’s “process.”

But Councilor Jake Pierson said the issue is relatively benign.

“I think we’re making a mountain out of a molehill here,” Pierson said. “I guess I don’t understand the outrage. I see this as a waste of our energy and city resources.

“When we look at all the other issues facing the city, I see this as small potatoes,” Pierson added.

Councilor Marc Lessard – an outspoken critic of former mayor Marty Grohman – said his concerns were rooted in the process used behind the program’s funding.

“It was incorrectly done,” Lessard said, pointing out that the former mayor “lobbied hard” last year for a 35 percent increase to the Heart of Biddeford’s annual funding request.

The Heart of Biddeford – a non-profit downtown booster organization – coordinated the parking program, providing outreach and information to downtown businesses.

“This is yet just another example of mismanagement,” Lessard said. “It was swept under the rug, and it should have never happened.”

In order to reconcile the city’s accounting ledgers and prepare for future financial audits, the council voted 7-1 (Cote) to retroactively approve the project and redirect the expenditures from a different account in the city’s budget.

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

You may view and learn more about our editorial standards and policies here: Biddeford Gazette | Standards & Policies

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OPINION: Supporting our municipal workforce; how AI can help cities serve better

February 3, 2026 ~ Randy Seaver ~ 3 Comments

By MARTY GROHMAN, Special to the Gazette

Our municipal employees are the backbone of our communities. They plow our streets at three in the morning during snowstorms. They respond to service requests, maintain our infrastructure, and keep our cities running smoothly day after day. These dedicated public servants often work with limited resources, facing growing demands while dealing with staffing constraints and aging technology systems.

We owe it to them to provide every tool that can make their jobs easier, safer, and more effective. Artificial intelligence isn’t about replacing these hardworking people—it’s about giving them support so they can focus on what matters most: serving our residents.

Starting Small: Meeting Minutes and Administrative Tasks

The simplest place to start is often the most impactful. Consider the countless hours municipal employees spend transcribing meeting minutes, summarizing discussions, and producing reports. In Gray, Maine, Communications and IT Director Kyle Hadyniak has embraced this exact opportunity.

Gray uses Microsoft Copilot to create meeting recaps of Town Council sessions much faster than manual transcription would allow, with the AI automatically generating timestamps and natural language summaries that help Hadyniak turn around news articles in just an hour or two. This means residents get information about their local government faster, and it means one less tedious task weighing down a small municipal staff.

Gray adopted a formal AI policy in the summer of 2025 that requires staff training before receiving access to AI tools and emphasizes that AI outputs must be treated as draft material requiring human review. This responsible approach recognizes that technology should augment human judgment, not replace it.

The impact goes beyond time savings. When communications staff can produce meeting summaries quickly, they have more time for community engagement, answering resident questions, and improving accessibility. Hadyniak noted that small municipalities in Maine with fewer than ten full-time staff members would particularly benefit from AI tools to handle smaller administrative tasks.

Making Our Streets Safer and More Efficient

Syracuse, New York, demonstrates how municipalities can use technology to enhance essential services while maintaining transparency and community oversight.

For snow removal operations—a critical service in upstate New York—Syracuse’s Department of Public Works has implemented GPS fleet tracking and AI cameras on trucks. These systems don’t just monitor employees; they protect them. Cameras provide visual documentation of road conditions and can help verify crew safety and accountability. Real-time GPS tracking allows operations superintendents to optimize routes, respond to service requests more effectively, and ensure no streets get missed during storms.

Think about the worker driving a plow truck for twelve hours straight during a blizzard. That technology means their supervisor knows where they are, can send help if needed, and can verify their route is safe and efficient. It means fewer callbacks to streets that were already plowed and better coordination across the entire fleet.

Looking Forward: Smarter Services, Better Communities

The next generation of municipal AI applications will transform how cities deliver services:

Route Optimization for Waste Collection: AI can analyze traffic patterns, construction zones, and historical data to create more efficient garbage and recycling routes. Drivers spend less time in traffic, trucks use less fuel, and residents get more consistent service.

Predictive Infrastructure Maintenance: Machine learning can identify patterns in service requests and sensor data to predict when a water main might fail or when a road needs repaving—before it becomes an emergency. This helps cities budget more effectively and prevents those frustrating situations where the same street gets dug up multiple times.

Intelligent Website Navigation: Many municipal websites are difficult to navigate, especially for residents who aren’t familiar with government terminology. AI-powered search and chatbots can help residents find the right form, understand a regulation, or get connected to the correct department without spending hours clicking through menus or waiting on hold.

Smart Permitting Systems: AI can review permit applications for completeness, flag common errors, and route them to the appropriate reviewers automatically. This speeds up processing times for residents and businesses while freeing up permit staff to handle complex cases that need human expertise.

A Commitment to Our Employees

Our municipal employees didn’t sign up for endless paperwork and administrative burden. They chose public service to make a difference in their communities. We need to innovate to keep our taxes down, and every minute we can give back to our hardworking employees through smart automation is a minute they can spend on more meaningful work—and providing the personal touch that no algorithm can replicate.

As we move forward, the question shouldn’t be whether to embrace AI in municipal operations, but how to implement it responsibly in service of the dedicated people who serve our communities every day. They’ve earned our support, and technology is one more way we can show we value their contributions.

The future of municipal service isn’t about choosing between people and technology—it’s about using technology to empower people to do their best work. Our employees deserve nothing less.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Marty Grohman of Biddeford is a former Maine State representative and former mayor. He has served as the Executive Director of E2Tech, a clean energy trade association, and built a successful manufacturing business in southern Maine.

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Firefighters tackle blaze at Sleepy Hollow motel in Biddeford

February 3, 2026February 3, 2026 ~ Randy Seaver ~ Leave a comment

Firefighters from several communities are now on scene at the former Sleepy Hollow Motel on Elm Street in Biddeford. A structure fire was reported shortly before 9 a.m. Tuesday.

One firefighter was removed from the scene by an ambulance from the Goodwins Mills fire department. It is unclear why the firefighter was taken from the scene.

Elm Street traffic near the Hannaford grocery store is closed to traffic in both directions.

This story will be updated as more information becomes available.

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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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BREAKING NEWS: IRS will waive $700K in penalties against Biddeford; city assessor taking new job

February 3, 2026February 3, 2026 ~ Randy Seaver ~ Leave a comment

By RANDY SEAVER, Editor

City officials in Biddeford are breathing a sigh of relief today after learning that the IRS will be waiving more than $500,000 in fees and penalties that were levied against the city two years ago.

Furthermore, City Manager Truc Dever says the IRS will also refund roughly $200,000 that the city already paid in penalties that resulted from the city’s failure to file employee health insurance forms with the IRS in 2021.

The Biddeford Gazette first published information about the IRS penalties in March 2025,

“This is really great news,” Dever told the Gazette earlier today.

According to Dever, much of the credit for getting the fines removed were the result “of some very hard work” by staffers in U.S. Sen. Susan Collins’s regional office in Biddeford.

“Both Pam Buck and Andrea Sarris in Senator Collins office worked closely with the city of several months to help us resolve this issue,” Dever said.

Assessor leaving

The Gazette also learned today that City Assessor Deanne Vail has accepted a new job in the town of Scarborough.

Vail will remain at her current job in Biddeford until Feb. 26, according to the city manager

These reports will be updated as new information becomes available,

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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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King being challenged by independent in sheriff’s race

February 2, 2026February 2, 2026 ~ Randy Seaver ~ Leave a comment

By RANDY SEAVER, Editor

Brian Pellerin — deputy chief of the Cumberland County Sheriff’s office — recently announced that he is running for York County Sheriff in the November 2026 election.

“I am running as a principled independent candidate, committed to professional, nonpartisan leadership in public safety,” Pellerin wrote in a press release that was sent to several media outlets in southern Maine.

The York County Sheriff’s Office operates the York County Jail and provides law enforcement to 14 rural towns without police departments. The Sheriff’s Office also provides contract deputies to several municipalities within the county and maintains a civil process division.

According to the Maine Secretary of State’s office, incumbent Sheriff William King – a Democrat –will be seeking a fourth, four-year term. First elected sheriff in 2014, King – a Saco resident — began working at the Sheriff’s Office in 2010.

During the last year, King has found himself embroiled in some controversy, including media reports about jail employees allegedly accepting bribes from inmates.

King did not return the Gazette’s request for comment on Monday.

For his part, Pellerin says he is running as an independent candidate because the sheriff’s office “must remain above partisan politics.”

As of Monday, no Republican candidate has yet filed the required candidacy paperwork for the York County sheriff’s position.

Pellerin says the job requires accountability, transparency and a clear focus on putting people over politics.

“I have more than 30 years of law enforcement experience at the local, county, state, and federal levels,” Pellerin wrote in his press release. “I currently serve as Chief Deputy of the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office, a nationally accredited agency serving more than 300,000 residents.”

Pellerin – a Saco native – today lives in Dayton, where he has resided for more than 20 years and served as a community volunteer, coach and civic leader.

Pellerin previously spent more than two decades as a federal special agent with the U.S. Secret Service and the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services Office of Inspector General, conducting complex investigations and protective operations both domestically and internationally, according to his press release.

“The Sheriff’s Office exists for no other reason than to serve and protect the people of York County,” Pellerin said. “In the coming weeks and months ahead, I look forward to earning the trust of voters and building a Sheriff’s Office that sets the standards for professionalism, accountability and service.”

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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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Biddeford students headed to York County spelling bee

February 2, 2026February 10, 2026 ~ Karen Garnett ~ Leave a comment

By KAREN GARNETT, Contributing Writer

Students from Biddeford and Saco schools showcased their spelling skills last month during their respective school Spelling Bees, earning top honors and advancing to the York County Spelling Bee on February 9, 2026, at Saco Middle School. Due to limited space, the event is not open to the public.

*Biddeford Middle School’s Spelling Bee Champion Ronan Lunianski and Runner-up Jordan Souliere. will be heading to the York County Spelling Bee (Contributed photo)*

At CK Burns School, fifth-grade students Sage Daicy claimed the championship by correctly spelling gleaned, while Peter Galasyn earned the runner-up position and Calie Thayer placed third. At Saco Middle School, sixth-grader Toran King-Riggs secured the championship in round ten by correctly spelling Frankenstein, while sixth-grader Marko Marjanovic earned runner-up, and eighth-grader Layla Goodrich placed third. At Biddeford Middle School, seventh-grader Ronan Lunianski was named School Champion by correctly spelling equestrian, with sixth-grader Jordan Souliere earning the runner-up position.

The York County Spelling Bee brings together top spellers from schools across the region for a rigorous, multi-round competition that challenges students’ vocabulary, composure, and perseverance. Participants advance by correctly spelling increasingly complex words, with judges and an official pronouncer guiding each round. The event celebrates academic achievement while encouraging confidence, focus, and a love of language.

“In past years, I’ve had the chance to watch students compete, and what stands out most is their courage,” said Jeremy Ray, Superintendent of Biddeford and Saco Schools. “Standing up in front of your peers, trusting your instincts, and pushing through pressure takes real grit. Whether they placed first or simply took the microphone and gave it their best, every one of these students made their school communities proud, and we wish them the best of luck at the York County Spelling Bee.”

The Biddeford and Saco School Departments congratulate all Spelling Bee participants for their preparation, perseverance, and outstanding sportsmanship, and wish their advancing students the best of luck at the York County Spelling Bee.

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Karen Garnett is Director of Communications for Biddeford, Saco and Dayton schools.

She can be reached at kgarnett@biddefordschools.me

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