Bennett, well-known in several communities throughout Maine, capped off his nine-year stint in Biddeford under a cloud of mystery. Six days ago.
I understand why the city is keeping tight-lipped, but I cannot believe that I am the only reporter in southern Maine asking questions. Six days!
The rumors are swirling, and yet every other media outlet in southern Maine is either unwilling or unable to cover the story.
If I had not published my story, the people of Biddeford would have almost no way of knowing what is happening at City Hall. Six days! Really?
I get that I have an unfair advantage because I have been covering Biddeford longer than anyone else and have developed a healthy Rolodex of sources, but six days??
This is a disservice to the people of Biddeford. This community deserves better than just my reporting.
I understand, maybe it’s difficult or embarrassing for other media outlets to acknowledge that I have been running circles around them on a zero-dollar budget for the past two months while only wearing boxer shorts in my basement and often forgetting to put in my dentures . . . but come on! Six days!
No wonder local government officials think they can do whatever they want. No one is apparently watching.
Yesterday, there was a glimmer of hope. A reporter from the Portland Press Herald sent me an email, asking me if I would share my source of the e-mail that was sent to city workers last week. I declined but offered to point her in the right direction. Then? Silence.
Seriously? Six days?
Pathetic.
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Just when you think things are going to slow down and become more manageable, some big stories come from out of nowhere and demand your immediate attention.
Such was the case last week, with two stories that were both exclusive to the Biddeford Gazette. First, the plaintiffs in a lawsuit against the city of Biddeford, voluntarily withdrew their suit just weeks before the matter was to be heard at the Maine Supreme Court.
That lawsuit challenged the decisions of a lower court’s ruling and the decision by the Biddeford Planning Board regarding a housing development and land swap near Clifford Park.
James Bennett
Before the ink had even dried on that story, we learned that Biddeford City Manager Jim Bennett would not be returning to his office after a brief vacation. City officials are being tight-lipped about the matter, but the surprise announcement seemed strange, especially since Bennett had said he would stay at his post until mid-April when he announced his resignation back in October.
As always, we were also happy to share some photos and news from this year’s Winterfest celebration. We even caught video of Biddeford Mayor Marty Grohman busting a move along with several others during an exercise class.
Things are moving along even better than I could have imagined just two months ago. We now have hundreds of subscribers and — apparently — we’re now an international publication with a handful of subscribers from foreign countries, including six from Canada; two from Portugal and one from each Italy and New Zealand.
Pretty cool, eh?
On a more somber note, I am still happy to provide updated local obituaries each week at no charge to families. However, doing this does give you a moment of pause, especially when the obituaries are for people younger than you. Also, being part of the community, also means knowing or being connected to several of the deceased.
It’s a good reminder to live your life to the fullest, and never take anything for granted.
In closing, I apologize for being a day late in publishing this newsletter. Laura and I took a much-needed break and spent the weekend with some close friends in central Maine.
Maine is a big, beautiful and diverse state. On Saturday, we went from watching and listening to the roar of two-stroke snowmobiles in the annual Unity Pond snowmobile races and then over to Belfast to enjoy that community’s ice sculpture festival. It was pretty amazing to watch the ice sculptors work,
Now, I’m back, rested up and ready to finish the third installment of our three-part series regarding Biddeford’s housing crisis..
Drop me a line if you have a story idea, a complaint or a suggestion. As always, thank you so much for reading!
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According to multiple sources, embattled Biddeford City Manager James Bennett will not be returning to work after his brief vacation this week.
Employees report receiving an email Thursday from Brian Phinney, the city’s chief operating officer, that Bennett will not be returning to his post to finish out the remainder of his employment term.
Former city manager James Bennett
Phinney, apparently, will now serve as acting manager while the council continues its search for a permanent replacement.
Facing increasing public pressure, Bennett announced his resignation last October. In a deal he worked out with the City Council, he was scheduled to leave his post in April.
Bennett, hired in 2015, was the city’s fourth professional manager.
We have reached out to Mayor Marty Grohman and Council President Liam LaFountain for additional comment.
This story will be updated.
UPDATE:
Here is a copy of an email sent from Brian Phinney, the city’s chief operations officer, to all Biddeford city employees at 3:37 p.m. today.
“Good afternoon,
On behalf of the Mayor and members of the City Council, I want to take a moment to update you on a leadership transition development.
As you know, the City Council has begun the process of selecting a new city manager, with a decision expected late spring or early summer. In the interim, the Mayor and City Council have elected to begin implementation of the transition plan.
As part of the transition I have been asked to serve as acting city manager to ensure continuity in daily operations. In accordance with this plan, Jim will be on leave from this point forward.
We have every confidence in your abilities and know we have a shared desire for a smooth transition. Thank you all for your continued dedication to the city and the community we serve. Your work remains vital, and we appreciate your continued dedication during this time of change.”
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____________________
ABOUT THE AUTHOR | Randy Seaver is the editor and founder of the Biddeford Gazette. He has been covering Biddeford news and politics for nearly three decades. He may be reached by email: randy@randyseaver.com
A lawsuit filed against the city of Biddeford and a local real estate developer has been withdrawn by two residents who were upset about a proposed housing development near Clifford Park in Biddeford.
According to court documents, the plaintiffs Loren McCready and Christopher Quint both own property that abuts the proposed housing development.
The withdrawal of the lawsuit caps off a nearly four-year saga that began when Mike Eon, president of E&R Development, and Gervais Dube presented a plan to the city for an 18-lot housing subdivision.
The main entrance to Clifford Park/ Photo by Joe McKenney, Biddeford Recreation Commission,
In order to meet development standards, Eon and Dube needed to acquire roughly four acres of land in Clifford Park, a forested park that offers hiking trails and other recreational opportunities on Pool Street, less than a mile from the city’s downtown core.
In exchange for the four acres, the developers proposed trading roughly 100 acres of land that they already owned near the park, leaving the city with a net gain of nearly 96 acres that could be permanently protected from any development and remain publicly accessible into perpetuity.
Although one city official described the proposal as a “win-win” scenario that would nearly double the popular park’s size and provide greater public access, a handful of opponents said the plan should be rejected.
According to a November 3, 2020 Portland Press Herald story, former Biddeford Recreation Director Carl Walsh appeared before the city council and said “It’s s quite an opportunity,” adding that the city has long desired to add the waterfalls — which is on part of the land that could go to the city — to the park.”
McCready, however, said the proposed land swap was a bad idea and could cause environmental damage. Shortly after the Biddeford Planning Board gave their initial approval to the project, McCready formed a non-profit group to prevent the project and address other “environmental concerns” in the city.
The Biddeford-Saco Climate Action Team still meets on a regular basis and its Facebook page shows 13 “Likes” and 19 ‘followers.”
McCready and Quint first appealed the Planning Board’s decision to the Maine Superior Court.
On November 22, 2023 Superior Court Justice James Martemucci ruled against the plaintiffs on a number of technical and procedural issues.
The plaintiffs then appealed their case to the Maine Supreme Court.
Meanwhile, the proposed project has been put on hold until all of the legal matters can be resolved.
Earlier this week, the Biddeford Gazette learned that McCready and Quint decided to withdraw their complaint against the city and the developers.
In an email statement to the Gazette, McCready wrote: “I remain committed to advancing housing solutions that are both inclusive and environmentally responsible.
“Moving forward, I will continue working with the Biddeford-Saco Climate Action Team to advocate for sustainable development practices that align with the City’s Climate Action Plan and prioritize long-term community well-being.”
McCready’s attorney Kate Hambley said the decision to withdraw her client’s complaint boiled down to money.
“While I felt and still feel my clients had strong legal grounds for appeal, my clients ultimately decided against using personal funds to pursue an appeal to the Law Court (which, as I’m sure you can imagine, can be quite an expensive undertaking),” Hambley wrote.
“This was a difficult decision given the environmental and community resources at stake, but they are confident they can still make positive changes in Biddeford, which they intend to do by promoting smart growth and affordable, sustainable infill housing within the city,” said Hambley.
Mike Eon said he was feeling relieved that the four-year battle is finally coming to a close. “It’s really hard to build affordable homes when you have to through four years of delays and increasing costs,” Eon said. “I always strive to do good projects that will benefit my community.”
Biddeford Mayor Marty Grohman also expressed a sense of relief that the litigation is over.
“I’m glad that this issue is finally settled,” Grohman said. “The city is getting a tremendous resource of additional public lands that will be protected into perpetuity.”
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Editor’s Note: This is the second installment of our three-part series regarding Biddeford’s housing crisis.
A panel of experts offered their perspectives and guidance regarding Biddeford’s housing crisis during a special city council workshop meeting earlier this week.
For more than two hours, the nine panelists each offered their professional insights and took questions from both councilors and members of the public Tuesday evening.
Biddeford Mayor Marty Grohman described the workshop as a necessary “first step” for city officials who are trying to find innovative solutions for a problem that shows no signs of going away.
While Biddeford has seen recent success in attracting development of market-rate housing units, the city is still struggling with “affordable housing” options and a low inventory of single-family homes for young families, often described as “starter homes.”
“We have a beautiful, dynamic and growing city,” Grohman said as he kicked off the discussion. “We’re in our 12th straight year of enrollment growth in schools. It’s immensely positive that we’re growing, and seeing this type of pressure on housing, but it’s also immensely challenging.”
George Gervais, the city’s director of economic and community development, started the meeting by providing an overview of the city’s current housing status.
According to Gervais, the city today has 10,576 housing units. Of those units, 9,431 are occupied, according to data from the 2020 Census.
Gervais said rental units make up slightly more than 52 percent of the city’s occupied housing.
Average monthly rents in Biddeford range between $1,700 and $3,200, ranging from studio apartments to three-bedroom units, Gervais said.
The average home values in Biddeford have risen by roughly five percent during the last year. The average home value in the city is slightly more than $478,000.
One of the city’s biggest challenges, however, is that area wages are not keeping pace with increasing housing costs.
“We have quite a bit coming at Biddeford,” Gervais said outlining the horizon in which more than 2,100 units of housing are currently in some form of development. “That’s a pretty impressive number,” he added.
The new development numbers include projects that are either under construction, under review by permitting agencies or projects that are conceived but have not yet gone through the permitting process.
Gervais said 319 of those units are planned as affordable housing units in which rental costs are calculated by the area’s median income (AMI).
During an earlier interview, Grohman said the city council has set a goal of creating 180 units of affordable housing each year over the next five years.
What the experts say
The panelists were broken into three main groups, focused on affordable housing; market-rate housing and a housing finance development panel. The panel also included a presentation regarding state government housing resources from Benjamin Averill, Housing Opportunity Program coordinator for the Maine Department of Economic and Community Development.
“Today, Biddeford is the place to be. “It’s the cool place. That’s great but it also poses problems.”
–Guy Gagnon, Biddeford Housing Authority
Guy Gagnon, executive director of the Biddeford Housing Authority, said Biddeford has undergone some dramatic changes in the last 15 years, pointing out that he joined the quasi-governmental agency in 2010.
Gagnon, a Biddeford native, said he is especially troubled by the fact that so many kids who grew up in Biddeford can no longer afford to live here. “I see my friends’ kids and even my own children being forced to look elsewhere for housing,” Gagnon said.
“It used to be that Biddeford was the second, third, fourth or even fifth choice when people were looking for homes,” Gagnon said. “Today, however, Biddeford is the place to be. It’s the cool place. That’s great but it also poses problems.”
Gagnon said the city needs to be creative and willing to look at alternatives that include modular housing and mobile home parks.
“It may not be for everyone,” Gagnon said, “but it may be for some people. Biddeford should be the community that thinks outside of the box.”
Kevin Bunker of Developers Collaborative said the city needs to stay aware of what is happening at the Legislature, especially in regard to statewide housing policies and assistance for affordable housing development.
“Those resources are limited and the state is facing a challenging budget,” Bunker said. “You need to remember that they are also trying to keep up with a huge demand.”
John Laliberte, the CEO of Reveler Development, provided an overview of his company’s projects in Biddeford, including 73 apartments at Riverdam, Phases One and Two of The Levee project and the recently offered market-rate units at The Eddy on Barra Road.
“We have had a lot of success in Biddeford,” Laliberte said. “There is a big demand for this type of housing, but our main challenge remains being able to attract the private capital necessary to get these projects off the ground.”
A common theme throughout the evening was centered upon the need to make the development process more streamlined and efficient to reduce costs for both renters and buyers.
Although not members of the expert panel, local real estate developers Chico Potvin and Matt Chamberlain both spoke during the public comment period, detailing how hard it is to get a project from design to out of the gate development.
Potvin, 61, said he has been building “starter homes” in the Biddeford area since 1987.
He said the city’s shortage of available single-family homes is “forcing people into apartments and making it harder for people to find apartments. “It’s a vicious cycle,” he said.
Potvin said his biggest challenges include skyrocketing labor costs and a growing myriad of red tape that cause time delays and increases building costs.
“Every year, the regulations increase,” Potvin said, questioning why the council chose to fund needed city-wide sewer improvements on the backs of new homebuyers.
“Almost every day I get calls from friends and other people asking what I can do for them,” he said. “They don’t want to wait two years for a project to get approved. I feel bad. The city needs to buckle down and treat housing the same way as you treated land for industrial parks.”
Potvin also said he is nervous about all the high-end apartments being built in Biddeford. “It scares me,” he said. “I’m not sure if it’s sustainable.”
Cat Bates said he grew up in Kennebunk and moved to Biddeford almost five years ago. He said he would like to see the city do a better job in streamlining the approval process for Accessory Dwelling Units and said it should be easier to get bank financing for that type of development.
City Councilor Doris Ortiz previously chaired the council’s affordable housing task force, and said she would like to see the city be creative in its approach to creating housing, including co-ops and micro developments.
Hundreds of people flocked to downtown Biddeford on Saturday for the 13th annual Winterfest celebration. The giant sledding hill on Adams Street was once again a popular attraction, but there were also a lot of other things happening, including tours of the newly renovated City Hall clock tower, dancing and music.
The Adams Street sledding hill was again a big favorite during Biddeford’s Winterfest celebration (Seaver photo)
Volunteers from the New Life Church had several tables set up, giving away free donuts, hot chocolate and hats and mittens.
New Life Church volunteer Roland LaFlamme poses with a Winterfest mascot (his wife Maureen) Seaver photo
Children also had the opportunity to see the inside of a fire truck, city plow and the police department’s mobile Crime Scene Unit.
Outdoor temperatures remained above freezing, making this year’s celebration even more enjoyable.
Alannah, 11, gets her fingerprints made by Cpl. Matt Baldwin of the Biddeford Police Department inside the mobile crime scene unit (Seaver photo)
Larry Patoine, one of the event’s lead volunteers, said it will take less than four hours for volunteers to remove the giant sledding hill this evening before another winter storm descends on the city
This year’s hill was constructed with snow from the Five Points Shopping Center. Patoine says the snow from the hill will be disposed of near Rotary Park.
A long line of children anxiously await their chance to experience the giant sledding hill on Adams Street (Seaver photo)
Former mayor Alan Casavant, who helped organize the very first Winterfest (La Fete d’ Hiver) in 2012, said he was pleased to see the festival growing in popularity with each passing year.
“This is what community is all about,” Casavant said. “It’s fun just watching so many people having fun.”
Mayor Marty Grohman struts his stuff during Winterfest (Seaver photo)
A good turnout at this year’s Winterfest in Biddeford (Seaver photo)
Evelyn (left) and Zoe check out what it’s like to ride in a fire truck (Seaver photo)
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Hard to believe it’s been two weeks since our last newsletter. A big thank you to all of you who have decided to join us on this journey by subscribing and/or following and liking us on Facebook.
A quick review:
Things at the Biddeford Gazette have been moving quickly and there are exciting changes on the horizon, but let’s take a quick look back:
If housing is a concern of yours, the Biddeford City Council will host a special workshop meeting at City Hall on Tuesday, Feb. 11, beginning at 5:30 p.m. There will be an opportunity for public comment. You can choose to watch the meeting online. Click here for more info about that meeting
I have been doing this work off and on for decades. The hardest part of the job is interviewing people when they are grappling with crippling grief and loss.
My colleague Liz Gotthelf and I respectfully remained in a corner while we waited for Police Chief JoAnne Fisk to ask Sgt. Jacob Wolterbeek’s parents if they would be willing to speak with the media.
Even with their permission – and gratitude – it is still the hardest part of the job, and you want to do your very best to capture the story with precision, empathy and respect.
Many officers of the Biddeford Police Department are wearing wrist bands that honor the memory of Sgt. Jacob Wolterbeek (Seaver photo)
Community Feedback:
We have received some very good feedback, suggestions and guidance from the community. Not a day goes by when I don’t hear encouraging and supportive words from my neighbors, friends and others who care deeply about Biddeford.
One person suggested that we should change and darken the font on our site to make it more readable. Done. Another person suggested that we should add an events calendar to our site. We are working on that and hope to launch a dedicated page for community events by the end of the month.
Another person who I greatly respect, told me she is enjoying reading the Gazette but advised me to slow down a bit. She said I should consider taking a day off once in a while.
Another person suggested that we try to shorten some of our stories to make them more readable. I have now imposed a 750-word limit on myself.
However, the most popular part of the Biddeford Gazette is our weekly publishing of obituaries that are updated on our website daily. Unlike other publications, we provide this service at no charge to the families or funeral homes. We consider it a public service. With the combined resources of our social media partners, we have access to more than 35,000 readers.
It’s part of our mission, I explained. We are here to promote Biddeford news, regardless of where it comes from. We simply post a link to the other guys so that when you click on their stories, our Facebook page takes you directly to their site, not our site.
No other media outlet does that: promoting news stories from other media outlets. We do it to make it easier for you to stay on top of what’s happening from a wide variety of sources.
In just the last week, I have shared stories from Saco Bay News, the Biddeford-Saco Courier, WGME-TV and WMTW-TV. Make sure to like and follow the Biddeford Gazette on Facebook so that you stay completely up to date.
What’s ahead?
We have a lot of things in the works. After all, it’s been less than 30 days since we officially launched this site.
Don’t forget that Valentine’s Day is right around the corner. In addition to chocolates and greeting cards, maybe you could throw a little love our way by subscribing to our site, and following us on Facebook.
Enjoy Winterfest this weekend!
As always, thank you so much for reading!
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Despite frigid outside temperatures, a layer of warmth blanketed the cities of Biddeford and Saco Wednesday night as people from both communities turned out to support the family of a fallen police officer.
Sgt. Jacob Wolterbeek, a veteran member of the Biddeford Police Department, was killed in a traffic accident in December.
Biddeford Mayor Marty Grohman organized Wednesday’s event in order to raise funds for Wolterbeek’s family, including his wife and three young children.
Nearly 20 Biddeford restaurants, taverns and shops participated in the four-hour ‘Mayor’s Night Out’ event. Many of the businesses donated a percentage of their proceeds to a fund in honor of Wolterbeek.
Many residents wandered from location to location, donating funds along the way.
Wolterbeek’s parents, Jacob and Ky, were surrounded by supporters at Or Nell’s Barbecue on Franklin Street shortly after the event started.
Left to right: Mayor Marty Grohman, Ky Wolterbeek, Deputy Biddeford Police Chief Steve Gorton, Jacob Volterbeek, senior and Police Chief JoAnne Fisk
Wolterbeek’s parents each held back tears as they shared stories about their son with well-wishers, city officials and reporters.
“We are grieving internally and externally,” Ky Wolterbeek said.
Jacob Wolterbeek, Sr. said he was “deeply touched by the stories he read on social media about his son, especially one in which a resident wrote that Jacob had literally saved his life by helping him overcome a troubled life.
“He loved this city,” the elder Wolterbeek said. “He was passionate about it, and he always said how much he loved the opportunity to work with some very fine people. The last time I was in Biddeford was last August during the ceremony when he was being sworn in as a sergeant.”
Those who participated in the event said they were happy to support Wolterbeek’s family because he had given so much back to the community.
Former Biddeford Mayor Bonita Pothier (center) chats with Ky Wolterbeek (right) during the Mayor’s Night Out
“Jacob was a cop’s cop. He always had a good word for everybody. He was just a great human being.”
— Juliet Angis
Jim Albert, a Saco native and the owner of Cowbell Burger on Main Street, said it was a “no-brainer” when he was asked if his restaurant would participate in the event.
Jim Albert, owner of Cowbell Burger, Saco Mayor Jodi MacPhail and Saco City Councilor Tricia Huot. (Seaver photo)
“It’s a great cause,” Albert said, recalling Wolterbeek’s trademark smile. “He was very personable and super friendly. It is so tragic what happened to him, leaving behind three little kids. We were more than glad to help.”
Biddeford Police Chief JoAnne Fisk accompanied Wolterbeek’s parents during the event.
“Jake was one of the kindest, most thoughtful people I have ever met. That’s what made him a great cop,” Fisk said, choking up a bit with her words.
“He had a way of dialing into people he encountered,” Fisk added. “He had this uncanny ability to see beneath the surface and see people where they really are.”
Biddeford State Rep. Marc Malon is joined by Dianne and Bob Cyr of the Biddeford Cultural and Heritage Center at Banded Brewing.during the Mayor’s Night Out event
Saco Mayor Jodi MacPhail said she was honored to participate in the event.
“In times like these, there are no boundaries. We are one community,” MacPhail said. “We celebrate together, and we grieve together.”
Wolterbeek’s fellow officers spoke highly of their deceased co-worker and friend.
“We miss him every day,” said Corporal Matthew Baldwin, a 27-year veteran of the Biddeford Police Department who helped train Wolterbeek. “it still almost doesn’t feel real that he is gone. He was definitely one of the good guys.”
Deputy Police Chief Steve Gorton described Wolterbeek as a dedicated family man. “That was the thing about Jake. His top priority, first and foremost, was his family.”
Kennebunk Police Officer Juliet Angis shows a bracelet that she any many other officers are wearing to honor the memory of Sgt. Jacob Wolterbeek
Larry Angis, who recently retired from the department, said he is still processing the grief of losing his friend and co-worker. “I’m not there yet. He was a good cop and a good friend.”
Angis’ wife, Juliet, is a police officer in Kennebunk. “Jacob was a cop’s cop,” she said. “He always had a good word for everybody. He was just a great human being.”
Ky Wolterbeek said her son was the second of nine children, six of whom were adopted. “He was our second child, but oldest son, and it leaves a big void.”
“This is truly a great community,” she added. “The outpouring of support has touched us deeply.”
Editor’s Note:If you would like to donate to Sgt. Wolterbeek’s family, please visit the Trooper Black Foundation at https://trooperblackfoundation.orgthrough February 15.
Checks may also be mailed to the Trooper Black Foundation (PO Box 104, Cape Neddick, Maine 03902) and should be marked as designated for the Wolterbeek family.
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With another winter storm looming on the horizon, members of the Biddeford City Council discussed the city’s policy regarding overnight parking bans.
At the tail end of Tuesday’s council meeting, Councilor Neva Gross – who represents much of the city’s downtown area — raised the issue to her fellow councilors, asking if there is more the city can do to announce parking bans in advance of a storm.
“I personally live down here [downtown area] so I am affected by this every time there is [a ban],” Gross said. “I received some emails over the last few days from some folks whose cars were towed during a ban because they didn’t know about it.”
Photo: City of Biddeford
Gross acknowledged that city routinely updates residents about pending parking bans in a variety of ways, including the city’s website, the city’s official Facebook page and the ability for residents to sign up for email or text notifications.
The city — — along with several other communities throughout southern Maine — also notifies television news stations about upcoming parking bans.
“Is there some kind of way that we could notify folks who are not on social media or looking at the city’s website,” Gross asked.
City Councilor Marc Lessard drew a round of laughter when he suggested that the city may want to consider using a “fire horn” to alert downtown residents of a pending parking ban.
“The bottom line is that if you park your vehicle on a public road, in the wintertime, and it’s going to snow; you have to assume that there is going to be a parking ban and try to figure out a way to find out about that.”
City Manager James Bennett
“I’m kind of being serious,” Lessard said, recalling that decades ago the city used a central fire horn to inform citizens of fires and served as a curfew notice.
City Manager James Bennett said “there is just no way for us to do it right” in reference to snow parking bans.
Bennett said the city of Lewiston had a policy prohibiting all overnight parking during the entire winter season.
“I’m glad to look at ways for us to enhance getting that information out,” Bennett said, pointing out that residents should make an effort to stay informed.
“This probably sounds cold, or not customer-friendly, but the bottom line is that if you park your vehicle on a public road, in the winter time, and it’s going to snow; you have to assume that there is going to be a parking ban and try to figure out a way to find out about that,” Bennett said.
Bennett also told the council that “snow clearing” parking bans represent an additional challenge in keeping residents informed about parking bans because those do not happen during a storm. “We really have to go overboard in alerting residents about those [parking bans].” Bennett said.
“If you live downtown, please help us by also doing what you can to find out about parking bans,” Bennett said.
Mayor Marty Grohman also said he heard from some friends whose vehicles were towed during a parking ban. “I think making the lots on Water and Washington streets available has been helpful,” he said.
The University of New England (UNE) is, apparently, refusing to provide information to the public and the media about a federal grant the university received to construct a new “research pier” on the banks of the Saco River.
Over the last few weeks, John Schafer, a Hills Beach resident and former chair of Biddeford’s Harbor Commission, has repeatedly tried to get documents regarding a $3.5 million federal grant that the university received from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).
In previous interviews, the university says it is planning to use those funds to build a permanent pier on the Saco River that can accommodate its 60-foot marine research vessel.
Schafer says he and other residents simply want to see documents related to the grant. “I am a big believer in transparency and accountability,” he said. “I don’t understand why the university is unwilling to release details about a grant award of public funds. What are they hiding?”
The Biddeford Gazette attempted to contact both the university’s president James Herbert and Alan Thibeault, vice president of operations, for comment. Neither Herbert nor Thibeault returned our calls as of press time.
Sarah Delage, associate vice president of communications, replied to our inquiries with a one sentence response: “The University of New England has provided, and will continue to provide, all required and relevant documentation to the regulatory agencies and governmental bodies conducting the permitting process for our proposed research pier.”
After receiving that email from Delage, we sent another email inquiry to her, asking why the university is unwilling to simply share those documents with members of the public, especially those who live in close proximity to the school’s Biddeford campus.
Delage did not respond to our second email inquiry, as of press time.
The university formally submitted its plan for a new pier to the city of Biddeford in June last year. The grant application, however, was submitted several months prior.
UNE is still facing an arduous and likely lengthy review process for their proposal. In addition to the city of Biddeford, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Maine Department of Environmental Protection will need to review the proposed project.
Schafer said he has been bending over backward to be courteous and professional with his requests, but says he feels as if he is being stonewalled by the university.
Schafer, wrote Herbert on January 21, asking the university president to release a copy of the application the university submitted to NIST.
Herbert, Schafer says, did not reply.
According to a recent press release issued by Schafer, Alan Thibeault called Schafer and told him that he did not need to see the application, while also saying that the university is “not required” to release it.
“I don’t get it. Why are they being so stubborn? There are no national security issues here.”
— John Schafer
Thibeault did not respond to our request for comment.
Schafer says that Thibeault “reluctantly agreed to ask about permission to release the application and said he’d be back in touch.”
“I never heard back from him,” Schafer said. “At first, our conversation was very cordial, but it quickly became terse.”
Schafer says that Thibeault told him there was nothing in the grant application that wasn’t already given to various regulatory agencies.
Schafer then sent a second email to Hebert a few days later. Once again, Schafer asked to see the grant application, saying the documents should be available in the interest of transparency.
The university president has also not responded to Schafer’s second email request for disclosure.
“I don’t get it,” Schafer said. “Why are they being so stubborn? There are no national security issues here. These should be public documents. The public has a right to know how UNE presented their project to the federal government.”
Schafer commended both Biddeford City Manager James Bennett and Mayor Marty Grohman for informing UNE last year that the location of the proposed pier is not in any way approved by the city.
“The application filed with NIST could very well affect Biddeford’s regulatory process, but UNE doesn’t want it released to me, Biddeford or Saco. Luckily, freedom of information laws exist to deal with this type of obstruction,” Schafer said.
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This week at the Statehouse was front-loaded and compact. Many of my colleagues traveled on the biannual Maine Development Foundation tour across the state, learning about economic development particularly in Penobscot and Aroostook Counties from Wednesday through Friday. I’ve always wanted to attend, but it’s difficult to manage with family obligations. One of these days I will.
On Monday, the Veterans and Legal Affairs Committee met, adopted committee rules, held one public hearing and voted on two lines relevant to our work in the Governor’s supplemental budget. One of those lines appropriated money to the Secretary of State’s office to offset costs associated with the 2024 election which were higher than anticipated.
State Rep. Marc Malon
Funding our election systems is critical, and I voted to support this one-time appropriation. The other line was requested by the Secretary of State to cover their Maine IT costs, which were billed to them at a higher amount than expected. I was in the minority in voting Yes on this, but agreed with my colleagues that the Appropriations Committee should ask tough questions of the Department of Administrative and Financial Services for why they hiked their IT bill (to the tune of $19k).
Tuesday, we had a relatively uneventful session where we referred many bills to committees. I also announced to colleagues that the Franco American Caucus was going to begin its work and that folks should think of individuals in their communities who might deserve nominations for the Franco American Hall of Fame.
After Session, the Housing and Economic Development Committee met and listened to the report from HR&A Advisors on how to address the state’s 84,000-unit shortfall. The report was comprehensive and gave us significant food for thought. NewsCenter produced an excellent story on their presentation and published the full report here: https://www.newscentermaine.com/…/97-847e89d5-dd04-4678…
The speech, like any of these addresses, contained plenty to like and dislike. That’s normal. It’s a tough budget this year,
After committee, I attended a lecture at the Holocaust and Human Rights Center of Maine commemorating the 50th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz and Birkenau. The lecture, partly organized by my colleague Rep. Sam Zager, offered us a sobering look at how Hitler was able to quickly consolidate power and destroy German democracy, a necessary condition for him to further pursue his plans, including the planned extermination of Jews. There are serious lessons to learn from this history which I hope we will take to heart.
Following this presentation, we returned to the State House for Governor Mills’s State of the State Address. The speech, like any of these addresses, contained plenty to like and dislike. That’s normal. It’s a tough budget this year, and the Appropriations Committee will carefully review her budget proposals to see how they can be improved.
I liked that she stood strong in her commitment to funding MaineCare, which covers a significant percentage of Mainers, as well as 55% of the costs of public education, revenue sharing, and free school lunches. I did not like the stance she took against adopting red flag gun laws which would strengthen public safety. No one agrees 100 percent of the time. When I liked what she said, I stood and clapped. When I didn’t, I politely remained in my seat.
What was not helpful, however, is that one of my legislative colleagues recruited protesters to the State House to shout at and heckle the Governor, her family, and legislators from both parties. One of the hecklers I recognized as a former political candidate who believes the horrific Sandy Hook shootings were a hoax. People have the right to protest, and the right to be as rude to us as they want. That’s fine! But we have the right to not be persuaded by such antics, and I wasn’t.
Finally, I would be remiss if I did not note the impact that certain federal actions have on Maine. I would love for my posts to stay focused on state policy, but some actions are so impactful that I can’t avoid mentioning them.
The chaos and confusion caused by the federal OMB memo on Tuesday blocking the funding of all grants and federal funding to programs that Mainers rely on was unacceptable. Though the memo was rescinded after significant outcry, it put people’s livelihoods in question. These programs included LIHEAP, Meals on Wheels, and numerous initiatives at the University of Maine. That is no way to govern.
Just yesterday the Trump administration announced significant tariffs on imports from Canada, Mexico, and China. I am not a free trade fundamentalist, but these tariffs are ill-conceived and very harmful to Maine consumers. Canada is our largest trading partner and a trade war with them hurts Maine workers too.
Overall, these tariffs will raise prices on energy, heating, food, housing, and cars. This is not what we need, and I will add my voice to the chorus demanding that Trump walk this back.
State Rep. Marc Malon is a Democrat representing a portion of Biddeford in the Maine Legislature. He may be contacted at:Marc.Malon@legislature.maine.gov
The views and opinions presented here are solely those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Biddeford Gazette or its publisher.
The Gazette is always happy to consider reader-submitted commentary for the Community Voices section of the Biddeford Gazette. For more information, please email: biddefordgazette@gmail.com.
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If you look at the city of Biddeford’s website, you might note that the city has more than 30 different boards, commissions and committees.
That’s a lot of committees, all of which require city staff liaison members and printing agendas and schedules, not to mention meeting spaces and other city resources.
Sure, there are some obvious boards and commissions that are actually necessary, and could be found in almost any other community, such as the Planning Board, the School Committee and the Zoning Board of Appeals.
But Biddeford takes establishing committees to a whole new level of redundancy and inefficiency.
While I was scrolling through the list of the city’s boards, commissions and committees, I was half expecting to see a Citizen’s Advisory Committee Regarding Committees.
Consider this. Do we really need a Conservation Commission and a Sustainability Committee?
Do we really need a Downtown Development Commission when we are already funding the Heart of Biddeford and have a robust and active Chamber of Commerce?
We have the Biddeford Housing Authority and the Mayor’s Affordable Housing Task Force, which was created by former mayor Alan Casavant.
We have a Harbor Commission and a Shellfish Conservation Committee. Heck, we even have a committee to ensure that we have plenty of trees in the city limits: The Project Canopy Committee.
But when it comes to questionable need, the city’s longstanding Cable Television Committee takes the cake.
Yes, that’s actually a thing, and makes me wonder if we should maybe consider creating a committee to consider the pros and cons of bringing back 8-track tapes.
Enough!
Seriously, who watches cable television anymore?
Well, apparently there are at least three or four residents who still have cable television (me included).
God bless Mayor Marty Grohman who is looking at ways to make the city a bit more efficient. A little bit more 2025 and a little less 1975.
So, last week members of the Policy Committee – not to be confused with the Citizen’s Advisory Committee – tackled the weighty issue of whether to disband the Cable Television Committee.
That particular agenda item attracted some impassioned public commentary, including my own rambling remarks before the members of the Policy Committee.
If you have cable television, you might be able to find and watch that meeting on the city’s Public Access Channel.
Relax. If you don’t have cable television, you can still watch the meeting on the new-fangled internet thing, a world wide web of some sorts. Click here.
But the funniest thing about this particular committee is that it’s basically already dissolved. According to the city’s website, the committee only has two members, both of whom have terms that are expired.
In fact, Lucien Belanger’s term expired more than four years ago; and Richard Rhames’ term expired last December.
When former city councilor Roger Hurtubise heard about the possible disbanding of the Cable Television Committee, he called some friends and decided to lead the charge in preserving the committee for “the citizens of Biddeford.”
Theoretically, it [the public access channel] is a genuine, democratic media forum.”
— Richard Rhames
Hurtubise, Rhames and I all voiced concerns about the possibility of losing the city’s public access channel, which includes citizen programming as well as municipal meetings on Channels 3 and 85.
During his testimony, Hurtubise said he applied to rejoin the Cable Television Committee last year but never heard back from anyone in the city about his request. Hurtubise formally chaired the committee and was also an active producer of citizen programming.
“You would be surprised to learn who watches the public access channel,” Hurtubise said.
During a mid-January City Council meeting, City Councilors Roger Beaupre and Marc Lessard both bemoaned the city’s struggle to keep citizens informed about what is happening in the city.
Hurtubise said the public access channel is a “valuable resource” for keeping people updated regarding municipal news.
Rhames, an ardent supporter of public access television, told the Policy Committee that the city’s public access studios and equipment were hard fought for by those willing to spend “sweat equity” in building the channel.
“I’m not sure of what’s going on,” Rhames said. “Some of us have been involved in this issue locally since 1989. Theoretically, it [the public access channel] is a genuine, democratic media forum.”
Rhames told the committee that Biddeford is the only municipality in Maine that dedicates all of its franchise fee revenues from cable television companies to funding public access programming.
“That is a testament to the work we have done here,” Rhames said.
I gave the committee a suggestion to expand the role and scope of the committee and not dissolve it.
My idea centers upon the notion that the committee be renamed as the city’s External Communications Committee that would include oversight of all municipal communication efforts, including the city’s Facebook page, distribution of the weekly Biddeford Beat electronic newsletter and the city’s website.
City Councilor Norman Belanger, chair of the Policy Committee, reassured those who spoke at last week’s meeting that the Policy Committee is not supporting any plan to dissolve the Cable Television Committee or to end public access television programming.
The city has an inherent obligation to keep the public informed about city business. At the same time, good citizenship also includes the public’s responsibility to stay aware of what is happening.
Maybe we should create a new committee to review and analyze all of this stuff, or . . . maybe not.
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(This is the first of hopefully many more ‘Five Questions” interviews with a variety of people throughout the Biddeford Community)
For nearly 14 years, Delilah Poupore has been at the helm of the Heart of Biddeford, a non-profit organization with a mission to “foster a vibrant, inclusive and sustainable downtown for residents, businesses and visitors.”
Today, Poupore, 57, remains as excited and passionate about Biddeford as she was when she moved here from California to serve as the Heart of Biddeford’s executive director.
“Her enthusiasm is never ending,” said Joe McKenney, a Heart of Biddeford (HOB) board member. “She is the perfect fit for the role, and her passion for the city is infectious. We are very lucky to have her. We would not be where we are today without her.”
Examples of Poupore’s seemingly boundless energy can be seen and experienced throughout the downtown area and beyond, including a growing list of annual community events such as River Jam, Biddeford Oktoberfest, Winterfest and the I Heart Biddeford 5k Run/Walk race.
Delilah Poupore, Heart of Biddeford’s executive director
Poupore is constantly looking for new and creative ways to engage the community and to be a resource for a diversity of stakeholders, not just for downtown businesses.
The HOB’s umbrella includes small business owners, artists, musicians, entrepreneurs and those who may be struggling to be better connected to the community, including unhoused residents and new immigrants who are hoping to build a new life in the city.
The Heart of Biddeford had humble beginnings, but is constantly evolving, including recent news about the organization’s expansion.
Poupore describes creating the ‘Art of Biddeford’ as “adding another department” to HOB in order to meet the needs of the city’s growing arts community.
I fell in love with Biddeford because of the stories, the history of the city; the immigrants who came here and built so much of the infrastructure.”
— Delilah Poupore
The Art of Biddeford is designed to help fill the void that was created when board members of another Biddeford non-profit – ENGINE – decided to dissolve last year.
“ENGINE was such a powerhouse for the arts community,” Poupore said. “Although it’s quite understandable why they chose to dissolve, it’s also sad for me to acknowledge that organization is no longer here.”
In a recent press release, ENGINE’s former board president Sarah LaFortune said the Heart of Biddeford is “the ideal steward to continue the work that ENGINE started.”
Poupore described Tamsyn Bodwell — ENGINE’s primary founder – as someone who was tireless and a passionate supporter of Biddeford’s arts community. “We worked on a lot of projects over the years,” Poupore said. “I cannot think of anyone who was more committed to supporting local artists in Biddeford.
“The Art of Biddeford is standing on the shoulders of what ENGINE built in this community.”
You moved here from California and immediately immersed yourself in the community. Why are you so passionate about Biddeford?
“We have so many people – from all sorts of backgrounds – living here; and a thing in common with a lot of them is that they are people who really embrace a creative life.
“I grew up in a post-industrial town, in Duluth, Minnesota. It was full of bricks and history and people sort of wondering about the future and equality and things like that.
“I fell in love with Biddeford because of the stories, the history of the city, the immigrants who came here and built so much of the infrastructure.”
What do you see when you contemplate the Heart of Biddeford’s future?
“I see so many opportunities ahead for both the city and the Heart of Biddeford. I want to make sure that Biddeford’s continuing revitalization is for Biddeford people.
“I want Biddeford to be a community that figures out how to revitalize without losing the people who built the place.”
What is the importance of a thriving arts community?
“There are so many things. The arts can lead to building a foundation for a creative economy that attracts investment and new opportunities for the community.
“And a creative economy is a great way to bring different people – of different backgrounds and perspectives – together so that they are excited about sitting at the table and looking at the community as whole. The arts is a natural bridge that strengthens relationships.”
What do you think is driving the Heart of Biddeford’s success?
“I think if you start with the people, then they know that you value them, and that you want them involved in the process. You just create different things when you bring people around the table saying what they think is important.”
You bubble with enthusiasm, but do you ever get discouraged?
“I am kind of used to waves in this job. Sometimes, it feels like there is so much to do, and so many things I want to do. So yes, sometimes it feels like a lot, but then things settle down again.
“I think of this as the investment time. I think it’s important for people to see what is happening rather than just reading about it on piece of paper.”
A group of former mayors and Biddeford’s current mayor are all hoping to run into you at one of several downtown restaurants on Wednesday evening (Feb. 5)
The “Mayor’s Night Out” event will actually be a fundraiser to support the family of Sgt. Jacob Wolterbeek, an 18-year veteran of the Biddeford Police Department who was killed in a December traffic accident on his way home from work.
Wolterbeek left behind his wife Julie and three young children under the age of 5.
Mayor Marty Grohman said he has been thinking of different ways to help Wolterbeek’s family over the past few weeks.
“I can’t imagine how hard it has been for them to absorb this awful loss,” Grohman said during a recent interview.
Grohman said he decided to get other mayors and a number of local restaurants involved in the project.
During the event, Grohman and former mayors Alan Casavant and Donna Dion, and Saco Mayor Jodi MacPhail will join diners for conversation and connection by visiting participating Biddeford businesses throughout the evening.
Participants will have the opportunity to use a QR code on their smartphones at each location to make a donation to the Trooper Black Foundation, a non-profit organization that will direct the proceeds to the Wolterbeek family.
Some of the participating restaurants and businesses will also donate a portion of their sales during the event to support the Wolterbeek family, according to a press release from the city.
Saco Mayor Jodi MacPhail said she was happy to be part of the event. “The cities of Biddeford and Saco are essentially one community, and we’re always looking out for each other,” she said.
Participating business include Cowbell Burger, Sacred Profane, Fish & Whistle, Pizza By Alex, The Garden Bar, Apero, OG’s, Ore Nell’s Barbecue, Banded Brewing, Brickyard Hollow, Round Turn Distilling and the Super Sub Shop.
“Biddeford is a city that shows up for its own,” Grohman said. “This event will be a testament to the strength and compassion of our community. This event is about more than fundraising; it’s about honoring Jacob’s service and standing by his family in their time of need. I hope to see neighbors, friends, and families out for a great cause.”
Former mayor Alan Casavant agreed with Grohman.
“When something like this happens, we all wonder how we can help, how we can come together as a community,” Casavant said. “I like being downtown, so I was more than happy to be involved, and hoping to see a lot of people.”
Those who would like to support the Wolterbeek family but cannot participate in the event may direct donations to the Trooper Black Foundation at https://trooperblackfoundation.orgthrough February 15.
Checks may also be mailed to the Trooper Black Foundation (PO Box 104, Cape Neddick, Maine 03902) and should be marked as designated for the Wolterbeek family.
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There’s no denying it. This is not your father’s news industry anymore. That’s good news, but it’s also very bad news.
I’m writing this because there were three significant local changes in the news industry that happened in just the last two weeks.
More about that in just a moment.
Traditional, legacy media outlets are no longer the sole guardians of truth and justice, and that fact — like it or not – will impact you — and it might even hurt you.
For centuries, newspapers, (and then later) radio and television news operations kept an immeasurable amount of gravitas in their pants’ pocket, like so many nickels and dimes. The publishers, editors (and oftentimes the reporters) took your trust in them for granted.
Nearly 300 years ago, Edmund Burke, a member of British Parliament, reportedly coined the term “Fourth Estate” to describe the press, pointing out its obligations as a check in government oversight and its responsibility to frame political issues as well as to be an advocate for the general public.
Pretty big responsibility, eh?
The industry that was once the trusted and almost sole gatekeeper of vital public news and information is now scrambling, desperately trying to find a way to remain relevant or at least financially solvent.
So, what are the threats and challenges facing both you as a news consumer and traditional media outlets?
First and foremost, social media platforms are taking over the distribution of news and information. There are no more paperboys and even newsrooms are shifting away from brick-and-mortar structures.
In survey after survey; in poll after poll, one fact becomes abundantly clear. Consumers want their news on their schedule (on demand). Readers also try to skirt paywalls, no longer seeing the value of paid news subscriptions.
Readers today gravitate toward click-bait headlines and “news” websites that match their own political ideology.
Photo: The Death of the Newspaper Industry | John W. Hayes)
Never-ending competition, a 24-7 news cycle and the disturbing rise of AI (artificial intelligence) all remain as threats to established and not-so-established news outlets.
And to top it off, reader trust in traditional news outlets is plummeting faster than shares of K-Mart stock.
In his Nov. 29, 2022 opinion column, Boston Globe columnist Jeff Jacoby pointed to a recent Gallup report, which revealed that just one out of three Americans claimed to have a “great deal” or a “fair amount” of confidence in the media.
We could talk all day about the national news scene and the spiraling demise of legacy media, but let’s take a deeper look at the news on a local level, right here where it hurts the most.
Today, almost everyone is a journalist – or so they believe. All you need is a keyboard and an internet connection and its off to the races.
While I love certain aspects of “citizen journalism” it does sort of invite a Wild, Wild West approach in reporting news.
These citizens journalists typically do not have editors or the resources of an editorial board. They have no professional training. Ethics and objectivity are now electives, no longer requirements.
In other ways, however, these pesky citizen journalists and their social media followers do keep some much needed pressure on those Fourth Estate guys, the traditional legacy media outlets.
We’re not in Kansas anymore
Speaking of legacy, traditional media, the Bangor Daily News (BDN) – Maine’s preeminent source of political news – decided last week to shut down its editorial board. The paper will no longer have an Op-Ed (Opinion-Editorial) section.
I found that news strange. It struck me as counter-intuitive, especially since so many people are saying that readers are flocking toward opinion and away from objective news reporting.
While I love certain aspects of “citizen journalism” it does sort of invite a Wild, Wild West approach in reporting news.
In aJan. 24 column, the BDN described the move as “the end of an era.”
Susan Young, the paper’s opinion editor, said the news was “bittersweet.”
“Far too few people read opinion content, so we have to try different things,” Young told me during an online conversation, saying the decision was influenced by the paper’s digital analytics.
The BDN’s decision will also mean the end of rigorous and highly regarded opinion columns from people like Amy Fried on the political left to Matt Gagnon on the political right.
Still closer to home, the publishers of the Biddeford-Saco Courierannounced on Wednesday that they will now offer their subscribers a digital weekly update via email.
That “announcement” dropped exactly two weeks after I formally launched the Biddeford Gazette, a free digital newspaper dedicated to covering Biddeford news, opinion and events.
For more than 30 years, the Courier has relied upon free delivery of its print publication at newsstands or tossed into the driveways of private homes.
The Courier was founded and locally owned by David and Carolyn Flood. A few years ago, the paper was then sold to the owner of the now defunct Journal Tribune, a daily newspaper that was later acquired by the daily Portland Press Herald. Today, the Press Herald owners also contributor several weekly and daily publications throughout central and southern Maine.
Courier reporter Sydney Richelieu announced the “inaugural edition” of “Biddeford-Saco | Now” in an email sent to subscribers. The move, she said, is designed to offer readers another option in finding out what is happening in their community.
I have some unsolicited advice for Sydney and the Courier’s editors, please stop printing press releases and then labeling them with a byline of “Staff Reports.”
Otherwise, I am quite pleased that you guys finally want to step up your game in covering local news.
To be honest, I have a bit of an advantage over the other guys. I’m a Biddeford native and resident, and I have been covering Biddeford for nearly three decades. I have a stockpile of sources and lots of time on my hands.
Just a few days ago, a close friend of mine remarked that other local publications are now starting to pay more attention (deservedly so) to the city of Biddeford, since I launched the Gazette.
That’s actually really good news, especially for the people of Biddeford.
The other guys may not like the fact that I am now in the mix, but they should remember the folks at the Journal Tribune were none too happy when the Courier was launched in 1989; and the folks at the Courier were none too happy that Saco Bay Newscame along in 2019 and showed off the nimble advantages of being a digital publication.
Increased competition does not help the Courier, Saco Bay News or the Biddeford Gazette, but it does keep a fire lit under our asses; and that is good news for readers.
The people of Biddeford should not have to rely upon just one reporter for the news that matters to them.
Competition keeps reporters motivated, but more importantly – it keeps them in check.
The Biddeford Gazette is not trying to put anyone else out of business. In fact, the opposite is true.
The Biddeford Gazette uses its own social media pages on Facebook, BlueSky and X to round up and share local news stories from other media companies. No one else does that.
You read that right. We take the time to share news from the other guys on our social media pages. And when you click to read those stories, you are not directed to our website, instead all the postings will link automatically to whatever source produced the news, whether it’s Saco Bay News, the Courier or WGME-TV.
Please visit our new Facebook page and follow us to experience a new level of local news coverage.
Whenever or wherever news about Biddeford is published, we will be there to make sure you know about it.
That’s my mission. That’s my passion.
I value your trust.
I will not stop.
Editor’s Note: This is a corrected version of an earlier story. The Biddeford-Saco Courier was originally acquired by the publisher of the Journal Tribune, not the Portland Press Herald. We regret the error and apologize for any confusion it may have caused.
Wow! Just wow. When I started the Biddeford Gazette, I had no idea how well it would be received by the community.
It’s a new year; we have a new president, and I now have a new project that will keep me occupied for the foreseeable future. Thus, welcome to my first newsletter!
WHERE WE ARE:
I did a soft launch of the Biddeford Gazette back in November. But a couple of weeks ago, we decided to make it official and bought a website domain that is exclusive for the Biddeford Gazette.
Within just the first two hours of our mid-January launch, more than 175 people subscribed to the Gazette. 175 people in less than two hours? Holy Cow! The subscriptions continue to climb beyond my expectations.
Traditional print publications charge families hundreds of dollars to publish an obituary. We do it for free and consider it a community service. With our social media partners, we have access to more than 35,000 readers in the Biddeford-Saco area.
Created a social media page to share and promote Biddeford news from other media outlets in southern Maine, including Saco Bay News, the Biddeford-Saco Courier, MaineBiz and Portland television stations. All part of our mission to keep our readers informed about what is happening in the community.
WHERE ARE WE GOING?
The future certainly looks bright. Down the road, we hope to expand our operation.
Additional reporting: We have already been contacted by a few former journalists who are interested in freelance work and helping us with our mission of local news coverage;
High School Sports coverage: We are working to develop an internship for high school students interested about a career in journalism;
Improvements: We hope to improve our website design and functionality as we continue moving forward.;
Expanding community voices: We hope to provide an ongoing diversity of perspectives and experience on our pages. If you are interested in writing a column or submitting a press release, please contact us.
In-depth reporting: Next week will begin a three-part series that focuses on the issues of housing in the Biddeford area. This comprehensive project will include interviews with real estate agents, developers, local and state officials and homeless advocates and many others.
Creating an Advisory Council: We are looking for a few people who would be interested in providing guidance and ideas about our news coverage.
Thank you for the support, and please keep reading! With your support and input, we will continue our mission of reporting news and information about the city of Biddeford and its people.
Cheers!
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The Biddeford City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to fill the gap in funding for repairs and renovations to the Seeds of Hope Neighborhood Center, a private resource for the city’s unhoused residents.
The council’s move Tuesday is expected to solve lingering issues and questions about a shortfall of $255,000 of the $1.2 million project. (See Previous story)
Biddeford City Manager James Bennett reminded councilors and stressed the fact that the renovations at Seeds of Hope was never a city project. Instead, the city decided last year to award the non-profit agency with funding that would come from federal grants.
When the project was first proposed last year, the council voted to direct federal funds the city receives from Community Development Block Grants (CDBG).
Shortly after the renovation project started, the city learned that certain parts of the project did not meet the some of the criteria required for federal funds.
“I wasn’t happy with this from day one. The mechanics of this process were ugly from the start”
–– Councilor Marc Lessard
Jim Godbout – a well-known plumber and community volunteer – was chosen by Seeds of Hope to lead the renovation project.
Despite the fact that funding for the two-phase project was now uncertain, Godbout and Seeds opted to press forward with the work so that it would done before the start of winter.
Awarding money to the Seeds of Hope, gave the city additional leverage and options for dealing with problematic homeless encampments throughout the city.
When the city of Biddeford decided to clean-out an encampment located near Mechanic’s Park last summer, the U.S. Supreme Court had yet to rule on a case filed by homeless advocates. That pending lawsuit required municipal governments to provide an alternative if they would not allow unhoused encampments.
In July, the city decided to direct federal funds to Seeds of Hope as a way to move forward with cleaning out the encampments.
The former homeless encampment on Water Street in Biddeford
During Tuesday’s council meeting, Bennett told the council the city could “just swap some funding around” so that Seeds of Hope, Godbout and his team would not be left hanging for work already performed.
The city council unanimously voted to follow Bennett’s recommendation of pulling $255,000 from the city’s contingency account.
Councilor Marc Lessard said using the contingency funds was “the right thing to do,” but harshly criticized the process to help fund the renovations for a non-profit organization.
“I wasn’t happy with this from day one,” Lessard said. “The mechanics of this process were ugly, but we do have an obligation to make things right.”
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Despite spending a little more than $45,000 last year on upgrades and consulting services, the city of Biddeford is still wrestling to improve its external communication platforms.
During almost every public meeting, the city struggles and stumbles as it attempts to allow people to remotely watch or participate in meetings at City Hall. As a result, many meetings begin late.
There are often sound issues and other glitches, especially when the council is hearing a presentation and trying to load third-party information onto its streaming platform.
Many residents also complain that remotely watching meetings is confusing, including poor sound issues and saying online public participation is often arduous
“It has gotten a bit ridiculous,” Biddeford Mayor Marty Grohman said during a recent interview with the Biddeford Gazette.
Unlike the city of Saco, Biddeford uses the ZOOM technology platform to both broadcast and archive past meetings of the city council, school committee, planning board and other government committee meetings.
Saco, on the other hand, uses more user-friendly technology including Facebook and YouTube.
Biddeford City Councilor Roger Beaupre said many senior citizens feel somewhat disenfranchised because the city is not doing a good enough job in getting news and information out through more traditional methods, including public access television and print media such as the Biddeford-Saco Courier and the Portland Press Herald.
“All this push to online communication is fine and dandy, but many seniors are not comfortable with using websites to get information about what is happening in the city,” Beaupre said.
During the tail end of a city council meeting earlier this month, Beaupre shared his frustration about the issue with his fellow councilors, suggesting that the city should focus on more traditional media platforms.
The city now offers a weekly newsletter that is available by email from the city.
I think we need to do a better job in making sure that the public is getting the news and information they need.”
— Councilor Marc Lessard
Anyone with an internet connection can access and receive the Biddeford Beat newsletter. Updates are then automatically sent out weekly by email to subscribers.
Beaupre suggested that the council should also consider having the Biddeford Beat or something similar published in the weekly Biddeford-Saco Courier, a free newspaper that is distributed to every household in Biddeford, Saco and Old Orchard Beach.
For those who don’t receive the Courier in their driveway, the paper is also available at area newsstands.
Councilor Marc Lessard emphatically agreed with Beaupre’s idea.
“We don’t want to leave anyone in the dark, and we want to be open and transparent,” Lessard said. “But I think we need to do a better job in making sure that the public is getting the news and information they need.”
Grohman — who was elected as mayor a little more than a year ago — said he is also frustrated by the situation, an issue that has plagued almost every meeting he has chaired.
“Almost every meeting experiences some kind of technology glitch,” Grohman said. “We are striving to be open and inclusive, but we have to do better in getting information out to the public.”
Grohman had high praise for the city’s communications director, Danica Lamontagne.
“I think Danica does a really good job of putting the Biddeford Beat together every week,” Grohman. “The trick now is how do we make sure that everyone is able to see that information.”
Councilor Doris Ortiz said it’s the consensus of the council to solve the problems associated with broadcasting public meetings. She also said that many older people feel more comfortable with popular platforms such as Facebook, pointing out that city of Saco livestreams its meetings on the popular social media site rather than using ZOOM.
Although Saco seems to have a more user-friendly approach, there is no opportunity for remote public comment. Those who want to comment during a Saco meeting must attend the meeting in person, according to the city’s website.
City Council President Liam LaFountain sends out his own weekly newsletter for his constituents who use Facebook.
LaFountain uses the Biddeford -Ward 7 Facebook page to keep his constituents informed about what is happening in the city and to offer previews about upcoming issues that the council will face.
“A lot of people like that I do that,” LaFountain said. “But I have also heard complaints from people regarding how we currently stream live meetings.
“We want to use technology to increase efficiency and promote public participation, but we also have to make sure that our methods are user-friendly.
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This is a story where community crosses all kinds of lines and partnerships are formed to benefit the greater good; a story that could only take place in New England, which often feels like a small town itself.
Biddeford resident Jessica Johnson has been continuing her mother Dorothy’s legacy and honoring her wishes since 2002. When Dorothy Garnett passed away from cancer, she told Jessica to “go out and do something good in the world.”
Jessica took those words to heart, and since that time, she has been an active force in the community, volunteering and helping in a multitude of ways, from assisting with organizing Biddeford’s marching band, to making color guard flags. During the pandemic, Jessica took up running as a new passion, trained hard, and ran two marathons in 2022. She has since run the Boston Marathon to raise money for both the Museum of Science, and most recently, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.
This year, Jessica will run in the Boston Marathon again for Dana-Farber, where she will continue to be part of the New England Honda Dealers team.
In another arena of sports, Dale Arnold is best known for his on-air presence and expertise as a Bruins broadcaster and NESN host. Jessica has known Dale since meeting him last year at a local fundraising event she coordinated.
Arnold’s voice is very familiar to hockey fans throughout New England. What some may not realize is that Dale has also authored three books, the latest of which is titled Tough Guys. Dale has done celebrity book signings for several of his titles in the past at a book store in Massachusetts, and his latest signing will be in Biddeford at McArthur Library (270 Main Street).
The event will be held on Saturday, February 15 at 1 pm, and will benefit Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Pre-registration is required for the event. Attendance is free, but donations are encouraged and suggested at $20 per attendee.
To reserve your spot at the book signing and to donate to Jessica’s important cause, visit the signing’s Eventbrite link. You can make donations through Eventbrite or on site at the event.
When Jessica approached Dale to see if he would be willing to collaborate on this event to raise funds for Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, he welcomed the opportunity. Jessica’s hope was to have the event hosted by McArthur Library, a library she grew up visiting. McArthur’s Adult Services Supervisor Nicole Clark and Library Director Jeff Cabral were excited to be approached to host this very special program.
Johnson said that Arnold will be selling and autographing Tough Guys, which highlights the gritty world of professional hockey, a game that has long held a place for two willing combatants. Off the ice, the men who step into these brutish roles are often the kindest, gentlest and most popular players on a team, not to mention some of the best storytellers to ever lace up skates.
Arnold’s book honors the experiences of these NHL enforcers throughout history, profiling fighters across eras, sharing their journeys, struggles, and moments of glory.
Donations support the mission of an organization devoted to a fight at another level altogether. Since its founding in 1947, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, Massachusetts has been committed to providing adults and children with cancer with the best treatment available today while developing tomorrow’s cures through cutting-edge research.
Johnson says she is still driven by her mother’s words all these years later. “This means so much to me,” Johnson said of her prep work to qualify.
Jeff Cabral is the executive director of the McArthur Library in Biddeford. He can be contacted at jcabral@mcarthurlibrary.org
If you would like to contribute an op-ed or column regarding local interests, please send an email to biddefordgazette@gmail.com
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I usually arrive for my shift at the Seeds of Hope Neighborhood Center a little before 9 a.m. to get coffee going, but on this Monday, I am also delivering a large pan of American Chop Suey. Since I am not a native Mainer, I have no idea why this is the name for what is essentially a noodle casserole, but it’s good and eagerly awaited. Several more pans arrive just after me, and what passes for a kitchen is a bit chaotic as we volunteers get ready to start serving.
The neighbors — (how Seeds of Hope describes the people we serve) some of whom have spent the night upstairs — are already in place at tables scattered throughout the dining room. All 36 seats are filled, and more people come through the front door as 9 a.m. It’s all ages, all backgrounds and races, and a mix of people who are staying upstairs, a few still living rough and those who live nearby and come for the meals and for the companionship.
A community gathers/ Photo courtesy Seeds of Hope
While waiting outside for one of the pans to arrive, I am approached by a young woman who wants to know if she can come inside. I tell her it’s not up to me and ask her why she wouldn’t be allowed. Turns out that last night she had smoked a blunt with some other stuff in it and ended up on the emergency room after causing a ruckus. She’ll need to sit down with staff before being let back in.
As the clock hits 9 a.m. we get busy getting out coffee, juice, milk, cereal, and taking orders for toast, waffles or English muffins. Then the bowls of Chop Suey go around and the room gets quieter for a bit.
We expect to serve about 50 people in the first 45 minutes, so it’s a hustle. There are usually four or five us serving food, including regulars Lee on the toaster and Carmelita Alison making and dishing out hot food, soup or sandwiches and a volunteer running for supplies and keeping trays filled. We are all volunteers, with the staff (Sylvia, Amanda and Jackie) stepping in as needed.
Today there is also one of the overnight staff who has stayed on to help out. At this point, we all know our jobs very well and know each other quite well too. As the morning goes on there is time to catch up and learn more about each other.
Because the new kitchen is not finished, what passes for a kitchen right now is all crammed into one end of the dining room. There is a table for cereal and condiments, a refrigerator, a coffeemaker, a sink, a stove and an industrial toaster. People are learning the dance of working together in very close quarter and even a minor spill is quite rare. But we do look forward to what a real kitchen will bring. The appliances are on order, I am told.
I see most of the same faces at the tables week after week, and many of the same groupings of families and friends who sit together and pass the time after eating. Today there is one family with two kids playing with new Christmas toys. A young woman is rotating the fishing game because the batteries have died.
At another table, a young man who keeps to himself is three-quarters through a jigsaw puzzle. People are giving the puzzle master a respectful space but still keeping an eye on his progress. On another Monday morning I watch a young man practicing card tricks. Pretty good but needs more practice.
Seeds of Hope occupies an old church building. It’s only in the last year that funding has come in to start renovations, and much of the lower level is pretty much in its original state. It’s tight.
Of course, in any environment where people are close together there is drama, but it’s not always evident to us volunteers.
Now that people are sleeping upstairs, there is even more compressed togetherness. That works for some people better than others. We know that there are still people sleeping outdoors, but now they are in out-of-the-way places. I serve one man who keeps ordering food because he’s famished having spent the night in our bitter cold. He says he’s not yet ready to go inside.
Public support for the homeless in Biddeford continues to evolve and expand as more people and organizations figure out how they can be effective.
I don’t often have time to sit and chat, but today my knee is bothering me, and I sit with people I don’t know well. The man opposite me works at Domino’s and is sleeping upstairs. We talk a bit about employment in Biddeford. I know of several others who come in after night jobs, and a few who head to work after eating. I am noticing one grouping of younger people and wonder about jobs and training for them.
Joe (I’ll call him), a gregarious regular who has made a life for himself sleeping in his car, is sitting glumly by himself. His car heater exploded over Christmas week and the car is a total wreck, without windows and doors and is currently being inundated by the rain.
“I don’t know what happened,” he says, one minute he’s looking at his phone and then there is a big flash and boom. He has scabs on his face and hands and feels lucky to get out alive, but all his possessions are in that car. And it’s raining.
Joe is not unusual at Seeds in that he has enough income for gas and food, but nowhere near enough to get a place to live unless he can find subsidized housing. Now he is staying at Seeds and is not happy with the “gravity chairs” that substitute for beds (because of state regulations).
One bright spot is that in order to stay at Seeds Joe was required to register with the city of Biddeford’s General Assistance (GA) Department. The GA department is now directed by a former outreach worker for the police department, Jake Hammer. Jake is now the central intake point for a variety of services, including programs that can help place people in affordable housing.
More to the point, some of those who go through GA also give permission to be part of the brainstorming sessions held on Monday mornings. These “huddle” meetings include city officials, representatives from the Biddeford Police Department, the Biddeford Housing Authority and various service providers. Mayor Marty Grohman is a regular attendee.
The goal of the “huddle” meetings is to get unhoused people into some form of housing as quickly as possible, and also to link them with service providers who can assist with health, addiction and mental health issues.
We’ll see. It’s slow going because there is so little affordable housing available in Biddeford. Everybody is keeping an eye on Washington D.C. and the new Administration to see what happens to federal programs, including funding for Section 8 vouchers and Community Development Block grants.
The huddle group is succeeding in finding housing for an average of one person per week.
“Housing may look different than what we would expect,” says Seeds of Hope’s executive director, Vassie Fowler.
“Traditional housing isn’t always the best fit for neighbors who experience chronic homelessness,” Fowler explains. “Group homes, sober living houses, single room occupancies are all viable options for getting people successfully housed.”
The people doing this work are treating it as a learning experience, constantly thinking about who else needs to be in the room. They are also thinking about how to reach those few neighbors who remain outside in this bitter weather. (A new issue for Biddeford is that as services here become more well known, other municipalities and over-stressed providers are sending their overflow here.)
The cities of Waterville and Biddeford are featured in a newly released ”White Paper” from the Maine Statewide Homeless Council titled Ending Homeless Encampments in Maine. The paper notes the extremely difficult problem Maine faces with a huge gap in affordable housing.
Public support for the homeless in Biddeford continues to evolve and expand as more people and organizations figure out how they can be effective.
This morning, there is a group of ladies camped in the still-unfinished kitchen offering basic first aid and a few supplies like socks and nail care. They are from a variety of churches in the Kennebunk area and come to Seeds several times each month.
There is also a line of people waiting for clothing, which is another service Seeds provides.
The meals that came in today are from a church in Biddeford Pool, which does this once a month. More home-cooked food seems to arrive daily. Another new development is that New Life Church has acquired a building off Alfred Street near the post office that is designed to serve as a faith-based outreach and service center for unhoused people and people at risk.
But the reality is that since closure of the encampment at Mechanics Park last summer, the old church building that Seeds of Hope currently occupies is close to capacity.
Staff and volunteers from Second Congregational Church across the street are frequent visitors. They also host the Bon Appetit evening meal, so there is a lot of familiarity with the same set of people and a lot of informal communications between the two organizations.
Second Congregational is an active church, which makes it difficult for it to dedicate more space than it already does for community services, or to get federal and state money to do what they do now for free.
As volunteers, we get to know some of the neighborspretty well, with relationships that vary from casual to pretty serious. Seeds is the kind of place where some locals get quite involved in the lives of individuals, but for the most part that’s not us volunteers. The staff, on the other hand, have a very hands-on relationship as they tackle individual problems or opportunities and pass problems on to appropriate partners.
Today was clean-out day, which had been advertised for months in every possible way so folks were forewarned. Stuff that people have left behind that they had hoped to retrieve later but never did. It now overflows a back-room that serves as both storage and laundry room. A couple of volunteers fill bins and cart them out to the street and into a dumpster that has just been delivered.
This is not a happy task. Even though these items were clearly abandoned there are always people who hate to see personal stuff go, and others who hate the idea of not recycling stuff that seems perfectly good.
Seeds does have some very limited storage space, but is otherwise bursting at the seams.
Each neighbor staying in the newly refurbished upstairs has their own tote basket so they can leave their valuables there with confidence they will be safe. They also have access to new bathrooms with showers, as well as the plentiful food, an unending supply of clothes, and as the weather gets colder, a safe place to keep warm.
Seeds of Hope Neighborhood Center is a place that emphasizes community and caring.
“We can’t meet all of the needs,” Fowler said, “but we are doing our best.”
Thomas McPheeters is community volunteer at the Seeds of Hope Neighborhood Resource Center on South Street. He is a former journalist and a Biddeford resident. He can be reached at tommcp@me.com
If you would like to contribute an op-ed or column regarding local interests, please send an email to biddefordgazette@gmail.com
Editor’s note: The views expressed here are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the Biddeford Gazette.
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