Tag: Doris Ortiz

OPINION: A change will do us good?

~ Randy Seaver ~ Leave a comment

On Tuesday, I sat in my usual seat in the Biddeford City Council Chamber — back row and closest to the door.

With my back against the wall, I can see and monitor almost everything happening in the room.

That perch also provides a quick exit in the event that the shit hits the fan.

I almost didn’t go to the meeting. I had a pretty bad headache, and Laura suggested that I could just stay home and watch the meeting online.

Nope, I said, reaching for my jacket. This would be the last meeting for this current group of city councilors.

It would also be the last council meeting for Biddeford Mayor Marty Grohman.

The last regular meeting of the 2023-2025 Biddeford City Council (Seaver photo)

Tuesday’s council meeting was yet another significant moment in our city’s history. The transition process has begun. A new administration will take over the reins in less than two weeks, during the Dec. 2 inauguration ceremony at City Theater.

I am excited about the change, but I am also feeling some trepidation and even some sadness.

Over the last two years, this current council has become akin to a favorite chair that is a tad worn, a bit stained — but always a good fit and comfortably familiar.

Yes, it’s time for a new chair. But I am going to miss this one.

Waiting for the meeting to start, I began pondering all the ups and downs that this council and mayor have faced over the last two years.

There were some high points and some low points. There was anger and there was laughter. I suppose the same could be said for any governing body, but you simply cannot deny that this council was battle-tested during the last two years.

You simply cannot deny that
this council was battle-tested
during the last two years.

Change is an unavoidable part of life. We have to let go of the familiar in order to discover new opportunities. That is often easier said than done.

You say hello, and I say goodbye

The mayor seemed somewhat somber during Tuesday’s council meeting. He smiled and laughed during some of the meeting’s light-hearted moments, but you could almost feel his sadness.

And who could blame him? Marty put his heart and soul into the job. When he took over the reins two years ago, he was brimming with ideas and energy.

He was a fresh voice following a 12-year run by his predecessor and mentor, Alan Casavant.

Mayor Marty Grohman (right) chairs the final city council meeting of his term while mayor-elect Liam LaFountain (left) reviews an agenda item during Tuesday’s meeting

Marty pledged to hit the ground running. And he made good on that promise. So, naturally, it’s easy to understand why his loss for a second term stings – and will probably sting for a long time to come.

When Marty took over, he inherited some challenges that were not his fault. Former city manager James Bennett was acting like a petulant overlord at City Hall, and he would treat city councilors like a group of adolescents learning how to French kiss.

There were other challenges: a skyrocketing unhoused population, a finance department in chaos and the hemorrhaging of city staff.

Marty rolled up his sleeves and jumped immediately into the deep end of the pool. He never checked the water temperature or whether there were other swimmers in his path.

You have to go back more than 30 years to find another mayor who only served one term in office. Talk about a lonely-hearts club.

During a break of Tuesday’s council meeting, Mayor Marty Grohman invited the public and city councilors to join him for a ceremonial piece of cake to mark the last meeting of the 2023-2025 Biddeford City Council (Seaver photo)

The perfect storm

Two years ago, the city’s elections could easily be described as a “sleeper” affair. Only two city council seats were being contested. Every sitting councilor sought another term.

By contrast, this year’s elections saw contests in five of the seven ward council seats and a three-way contest for the two at-large council seats.

Moreover, Councilors William Emhiser, Scott Whiting and Neva Gross decided to step down this year. Councilors Norman Belanger and Liam LaFountain gave up their seats to run for the mayor’s chair.

There was some excitement in the air this year. Six political newcomers decided to run for council and three of them won their respective campaigns (Abigail Woods, David Kurtz and Jake Pierson).

This last election also broke records in voter turnout for off-year, municipal elections.

What was behind that groundswell of interest in Biddeford’s municipal affairs?

The short answer is: a lot.

But I think the real reason is a bit nuanced and somewhat complex. There is no denying that there has been a cloud of discontent hanging over Biddeford for almost two years.

There was some
excitement in
the air this year.

What’s the frequency, Kenneth?

Almost out of the gate, Marty and the current council were knocked on their heels by back-to-back resignations. Both former Ward Four Councilor Bobby Mills and then — two weeks later – former Ward Five Councilor Julian Schlaver resigned, both citing “personal reasons.”

Dyland Doughty won a special election to take over Mills’ vacated seat; and Neva Gross was appointed to serve the remainder of Schlaver’s term.

Only a few weeks ago, former at-large councilor Doris Ortiz announced her resignation because she was moving to a new home outside of the city.

Three resignations in one term? That seems like a record to me.

Two years ago, Councilor Liam LaFountain jockeyed to become council president, ousting Councilor Norm Belanger from that role in a 6-3 vote.

Affordable housing became the focus of the new administration.

Earlier this year, the council received a blistering report about its delayed financial audits from an outside accounting firm.

Wade Goldthwait addresses the city council during a citizens grievance meeting about the University of New England’s planned research pier

Former city manager James Bennett was finally ousted from his office and then filed a lawsuit against the city.

The city hired Truc Dever to become the new city manager.

A major sewer upgrade project along Elm Street drew the ire of residents and downtown business owners who were impacted by the seven-month construction project.

In the background – beyond the council’s purview – there was increasing tension and controversy brewing about a proposed pier that the University of New England hopes to build on the Saco River.

The city ramped up efforts to address the issues of homelessness, clearing out a large encampment near Mechanics Park.

Planning Board Member Roch Angers spoke at a city council meeting regarding his concerns about the UNE pier. The mayor then tried to have Angers removed from his position on the planning board.

Citizens circulated petitions and collected enough signatures to trigger a “citizens grievance” meeting about the UNE pier.

In July, residents saw one of the most heated and tense council meetings in recent memory, calling into question two major development projects on Pearl Street.

Of course, there were many other things that shaped this current council and Marty’s term as mayor but now it is time for us to turn and face the winds of change.

It’s time to recycle that old, comfortable recliner. Let’s see what the future brings.

________________

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

c.) 2025 All Rights Reserved

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OPINION: Councilors offer us a lesson about respect

~ Randy Seaver ~ Leave a comment

Something happened at last night’s Biddeford City Council meeting that should be a template for all of us.

In a time of seemingly unprecedented political tension on the national stage, two city councilors showed us all a valuable lesson about respect, collaboration and friendship – despite being almost polar opposites when it comes to political ideology.

Councilors Doris Ortiz and Marc Lessard are the city’s two at-large council members, and they about as different as you can get — but they both love Biddeford and that is what drives their friendship.

Councilor Doris Ortiz

Lessard has been a member of the council since the late 1990s. He is the longest serving council member.

Ortiz decided to run for council in 2019, saying she was inspired by my wife’s service on the council.

Like all new councilors, Ortiz recalled being nervous and feeling a little overwhelmed when she was sworn in and later attended her first meeting on the other side of the council dais.

Lessard was her seatmate on the council. He knew they would probably struggle to find consensus, but that didn’t matter. Lessard immediately took Ortiz under his wing. He coached her, advised her and reassured her that she was in the right place.

Councilor Marc Lessard

Though the city council is non-partisan, there is no denying that Ortiz and Lessard are fundamentally on different sides of the political spectrum.

That didn’t matter. They just worked together. They listened to one another and they even shared jokes and laughed together.

More than that, they often formed what was jokingly called an “unholy alliance.”

I have been watching their relationship for six years. There were times when you could almost see and feel the tension between them as they tackled a myriad of policy issues, from housing to budgets.

But they also found a lot of common ground; and they always acted with respect and civility.

Last night, Ortiz announced her resignation from the council because she is moving outside of the city.

It was an emotional announcement that encapsulated Ortiz’s philosophy and modus operandi: she was humble, authentic and grateful for the opportunity to serve.

At the end of her brief statement, it was Marc Lessard who was first on his feet to offer Ortiz a standing ovation. Everyone else in the council chamber quickly followed Lessard’s lead.

Lessard and Ortiz offered all of us a timely and relevant lesson.

No matter how discouraged we may feel about our nation’s political divisiveness, we can still choose to treat each other with civility and respect.

Godspeed, Councilor Ortiz. Thank you for your service and commitment to our city.

____________

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

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City gives non-union employees a modest pay increase

~ Randy Seaver ~ Leave a comment

The Biddeford City Council voted 6-1 Tuesday to give the city’s non-union employees a one-half percent pay increase.

Earlier this year, the council completed negotiations with union employees. Those negotiations resulted in a four percent cost-of-living raise. Meanwhile, during this year’s budget process, non-union employees were allocated a 3.5 percent increase.

All city employees — union and non-union are now on a level playing field when it comes to cost-of-living adjustments.

Those supporting the half percent increase said it was a matter of fairness, arguing that non-union employees should get the same increase given to union employees.

“All of our employees are facing the same inflationary pressures when it comes to housing food and utilities,” said Councilor Doris Ortiz. “Citizens want and demand services, and we have to acknowledge employee turnover. We’re not going to be able to recruit or retain employees if we ignore their challenges.”

According to acting city manager Brian Phinney, the half-percent increase this year could be covered by a personnel reserve account in the city’s budget.

Phinney also said the modest increase would bring the city closer to salaries offered by other nearby communities

Phinney told the council that personnel reserve account has a balance of approximately $26,000.

Former city councilor Stephen St. Cyr, however, told the council that he could see no new information since the council finalized the city’s annual budget in June.

“Taxpayers are also facing inflationary pressures, and you have to look out for them too,” St. Cyr said.

Councilor Marc Lessard also raised concerns about the proposal, pointing out that the recent Consumer Price Index reporting showed only a 2.7 percent increase in June.

“When we were working on the budget – just a few weeks ago – we were hoping for and expected a 3.5 percent increase or less,” Lessard said. “How many times to do we go back to the budget just because we want to spend more money?”

“This is a never-ending story of us spending more than what we budgeted,” he added.

Mayor Marty Grohman reminded councilors and members of the public that the city already has the funds in reserve to cover the increase.

Councilors William Ehmiser and Dylan Doughty were absent from the meeting.

Lessard was the only councilor who voted against the increase.

The city’s non-union employees include department heads and some administrative positions, such as emergency dispatchers.

____________

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

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Biddeford’s political landscape is heating up

~ Randy Seaver ~ Leave a comment

By RANDY SEAVER, editor

A little more than 24 hours before nomination papers are available from the City’s Clerk’s office, and the landscape for this year’s municipal election in Biddeford is already taking shape.

As we first reported on July 11, Incumbent Marty Grohman is hoping for a second term but will face a challenge from Ward Six Councilor Norman Belanger, a former council president who says the city “needs strong leadership.”

Ward One Councilor William Emhiser told the Gazette that he will not seek a fourth term on the council.

Ward One City Councilor William Emhiser (City photo)

Emhiser said he is supporting former Chamber of Commerce executive director Jim LaBelle for the seat. Although the Gazette spoke to LaBelle last week, he has yet to confirm his decision to run.

“Jim is a terrific guy and the right person to take over my seat,” Emhiser said of LaBelle during a brief interview Tuesday. “Jim knows Biddeford, and he brings both passion and integrity to the table.”

LaBelle, a close friend of Mayor Grohman, said he would only run for the seat if Emhiser declined to seek a fourth term

.

Jim LaBelle, former director of the Biddeford + Saco Chamber of Commerce and Industry, is a likely candidate for Ward One

During the last council meeting, Grohman paused the meeting to express a sentiment of appreciation for LaBelle and “his hard work” during a seven-year tenure as the Chamber’s executive director.

Emhiser said he has enjoyed his six years on the council and had high praise for his fellow councilors. “We’re a diverse bunch, but we’ve always been willing to work together and pulling in the same direction.”

At-large Councilor Doris Ortiz told the Gazette last week that she will also not seek another term on the council. Ortiz has served on the council for three terms, beginning in 2019.

At-Large City Councilor Doris Ortiz will not seek reelection (City Photo)

Ward Five Councilor Neva Gross told the Gazette that she also will not seek a return to her seat. Gross was appointed to the council by the mayor after former councilor Julian Schlaver announced that he was resigning in April 2024.

Gross said that she and her partner are looking for real estate that will likely be outside of the Ward Five boundaries.

Abigail Woods, a former city employee, has said on social media that she is interested in the Ward Two council seat now occupied by Scott Whiting. There is no word on whether Whiting will seek reelection for a third term.

Abigail Woods announced on Facebook that she will seek the Ward Two Council seat

Former Ward Six City Councilor Roger Hurtubise told the Gazette that he will be running for the Ward Six seat being vacated by Belanger.

Hurtubise said he is especially concerned about city spending and back-to-back property tax hikes.

“This council needs people who are going to look out for the taxpayers,” Hurtubise said. “I watch all the meetings, and I shake my head at some of the stuff I see,” he said.

Roger Hurtubise is hoping to return to his former Ward Six Council seat

Other potential candidates have said they are watching the political landscape closely and still deciding whether to toss their hats into the ring, including both the mayor’s seat and council seats.

Nomination papers for all open positions will be available, beginning July 24, at the City Clerk’s office.

__________

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

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Joint budget workshop: ‘A Tough Pill to Swallow’

~ Randy Seaver ~ Leave a comment

With a “challenging” budget hanging over their heads, members of the Biddeford City Council and the Biddeford School Committee participated in a joint workshop meeting Monday to examine the proposed budget.

Monday’s joint meeting was a rare occurrence that has happened only once before over the past 10 years.

“This is an unusual opportunity,” said Mayor Marty Grohman during his opening remarks. “We all share the same goals.”

School Superintendent Jeremy Ray said both the council and the committee are all in a “difficult situation, but we are being very conservative.”

In its current form, the proposed budget for next year shows an increase of 0.53 percent for the city; a 5.10 percent increase in school funding and an 0.08 percent increase in county taxes.

According to Acting City Manager Brian Phinney, every $100,000 of spending requires 2.3 cents on the tax rate.

As it stands now, the proposed budget would require an increase in the mil rate, from $14.22 last year to $15.03 this year.

Members of the Biddeford City Council and Biddeford School Committee discuss the proposed budget for next year. (Seaver photo)

Grohman said Monday’s evening was designed to bring both groups together under one roof so that they could each share their concerns and collaborate with one another about ways to soften the impact on taxpayers.

School Committee member Marie Potvin is a retired teacher who spent many years working in Biddeford schools.

“I was born and raised here,” Potvin said. “Our demographics have been changing significantly, and I am feeling somewhat anxious about all the things happening outside of the city that is creating so much uncertainty.”

School Committee member Megan Desjardins is a social worker. “Every single decision we make is in the best interest of our students,” she said. “Every day, we are being asked to do more for less.”

John McCurry, a former city councilor and current school committee member, described the budget as “quite high” McCurry said the city’s schools are always seeking ways to drive down costs, but he is worried about public perception.

“How do we get citizens involved?” McCurry asked, recalling previous budget debates when members of the public filled the council chamber, spilling out into the hallway.

Almost everyone at Monday’s meeting agreed that an 11.5 percent increase in the overall school budget is going to be a hard sell to voters.

“People just react to the numbers,” said School Committee member Chad Barrs. “There’s often a stark difference between perception and reality. It is much more complicated than it looks on paper.”

“Every day, we are being asked
to do more for less.”

— Megan Desjardins, School Committee member

City Councilor Marc Lessard said the council needs to make some “painful decisions,” reminding the group that Biddeford taxpayers have seen a 20 percent increase over the last three years.

“If everyone here is okay with a 5.7 percent increase, then let’s just go home,” Lessard said. “Our work is done,” adding that he will not support a 5.7 percent increase.

“Do we take money away from kids who need funding or do we take it from McArthur Library and the Heart of Biddeford?” Lessard asked rhetorically, suggesting that the city could slash all of its funding for social services requests.

Councilor Doris Ortiz rebuked Lessard. “A lot of those social service agencies help our kids,” she said.

Councilor Norman Belanger said the council should avoid creating an “us versus them mentality.”

What’s driving the school budget?

School Supt. Jeremy Ray pointed to what he described as a “seriously flawed” school funding formula that is used for determining state subsidy amounts.

During his presentation, Ray walked through several charts and spreadsheets that demonstrate how increasing valuations hurts the city’s schools.

One of those spreadsheets shows Biddeford being well behind many other communities when it comes to per pupil cost for education.

Biddeford’s per pupil cost last year was $9,904.76, compared to $16,085.68 in the town of Falmouth or $15, 936.72 in South Portland.

“Our focus is always about what our students deserve,” Ray said. “A child in Biddeford doesn’t deserve less than a kid in Cape Elizabeth. We have a tough population, but people still want excellence.”

Ray also provided an 11-year comparison for Biddeford’s school budget, which shows an average expenditure increase of 3.82 percent.

Last year, the school budget came in with a 6.1 percent increase in expenditures. This year’s requested increase is 5.39 percent.

City Council President Liam LaFountain said there is still a long road ahead in what the final budget will look like, including public hearings and additional council review.

“Some of this feels premature,” LaFountain said. “I want to make sure that we’re not just thinking about the short term, but are also considering a lot of long-term impacts.”

Councilor Dylan Doughty said “everyone is being asked to do more with less” on both the city and school side of the budget.

Barrs said the proposed budget is going to be a “tough pill to swallow” for taxpayers and voters who will ultimately decide on whether to approve the school budget in June.

Click on the link below to view/download a copy of the Biddeford School Budget Presentation

School budgetDownload

Randy Seaver is the editor of the Biddeford Gazette. He can be contacted at randy@randyseaver.com

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Biddeford’s Housing Crisis: The experts speak

~ Randy Seaver ~ 4 Comments

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.”

RELATED: Biddeford grapples with housing crisis (Part One)

“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.

Editor’s Note: The city has created an open portal for public comment and questions on the city’s website, where you can also find more information and documents about the housing workshop meeting.

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Biddeford struggles with communication

~ Randy Seaver ~ 1 Comment

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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