UNE’s new dormitory plan approved

November 25, 2025 ~ Randy Seaver ~ 1 Comment

The Saco River Corridor Commission (SRCC) voted 9-2 Monday to approve a plan that will allow the University of New England to transform a former convent on the Saco River into a student dormitory.

The Biddeford convent was built in 1986 and features a 57-bed nursing home on a 21.4-acre parcel along the banks of the Saco River.

According to a university representative, only upper-class students will be housed at that site, which is roughly 1-1/2 miles northwest from UNE’s Biddeford campus. Their plan is to provide housing for 126 students.

*Andrew Philippe, UNE’s director of campus planning addresses members of the Saco River Corridor Commission on Monday (Seaver photo)*

According to the SRCC, the Pool Road facility is located within a Limited Residential District.

At least one property abutter has raised concerns about the plan, noting a likely increase in noise and traffic that would fundamentally alter the character of the area.

“The resulting noise, traffic and parking pressures would meaningfully alter the character of this quiet, residential and rural stretch of the corridor,” wrote Carla Ouellette in her objection to the plan.

Andrew Philippe, UNE’s director of campus planning, told commissioners Monday that the school will plant several trees along the river frontage to augment the vegetative buffer that is now somewhat sparse.

A prior review of the project last month resulted in commissioners voting to table the plan, asking university officials to provide more detailed information about the capacity of the existing septic system and a current lack of vegetation.

Commissioner Amy Safford raised concerns about erosion and noted that location includes swift river currents. “I see this as over-crowding and altering the character of the neighborhood. Putting that many people so close to the river is not a good idea. I am not convinced.”

Other commissioners asked questions about parking at the facility. The facility currently has 55 parking spaces, and Philippe said there is no plan to increase the parking footprint.

*The St. Joseph’s nursing facility in Biddeford could soon become student housing for UNE students near the banks of the Saco River (Seaver photo)*

Philippe said the school will provide a “shuttle” service between the complex and the university’s Biddeford campus in order to reduce traffic and the need for more parking.

Philippe told commissioners that on-campus housing is at capacity. He said the university was approached by the convent roughly two years ago.

Their operation, he said, was struggling to remain financially feasible.

In a prior interview with the Gazette, newly appointed Biddeford Commissioner Jim LaBelle described the project as a win-win scenario.

“We’re basically switching one housing facility to another housing facility,” LaBelle said.

LaBelle voted with the majority to approve the plan. Donald Furman, Biddeford’s other representative, was absent.

Saco representative Amy Safford was one of only two commissioners who voted against the proposal. Don Pilon, Saco’s other SRCC commissioner, was also absent.

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

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Candidates share concerns about UNE pier

October 18, 2025October 27, 2025 ~ Randy Seaver ~ 1 Comment

Amid the ongoing and intensifying controversy surrounding the University of New England’s plans to construct a large research pier on the Saco River, the two candidates who hope to represent that area on the city council say they are watching the issue closely.

Former city councilor Patricia Boston and political newcomer Jim LaBelle both say the issue has become “divisive” and lament “missed opportunities for mediation” during the two-year-long review process.

Boston, a Hills Beach resident, has been closely following the university’s ongoing expansion over the last two decades. She is hoping to make a return to the city council after a 14-year hiatus.

LaBelle recently retired after serving seven years as the executive director of the Biddeford-Saco Chamber of Commerce and lives in Biddeford Pool.

Although the Biddeford Planning Board narrowly voted in favor of UNE’s proposal in August, many coastal area residents and others say the city’s review process was deeply flawed.

Last month, a group of residents were able to collect enough signatures to trigger a special Citizens Grievance meeting about the pier proposal. That meeting is scheduled to take place on Thursday, Oct. 23 at City Hall.

Additionally, an appeal of the Planning Board’s decision has been filed with the city’s Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA), a review agency that has not met in more than a year.

Although the ZBA meeting has been scheduled for Nov. 13, attorneys representing both the university and the city said this week that the ZBA has “no standing” to reconsider the planning board’s Aug. 6 decision because those who filed the appeal are not “abutters” to the project and arguments regarding the lack of harbormaster approval are “irrelevant” to the planning board’s review.

“It’s become quite a mess,” said LaBelle. “A lot of people I talk to see UNE as a big asset to the city, but it does look like some things were missed during the review process.”

Specifically, LaBelle pointed to the recent news that the Saco River Corridor Commission failed to include a previous ruling when that agency reviewed the proposal last year.

Ultimately, the Saco River Corridor Commission (SRCC) approved UNE’s application, but now says that a required 250-foot vegetative buffer zone would prohibit the construction of a necessary access road.

Donald Furman, Biddeford’s representative to the SRCC, abstained from the agency’s vote.

Other regulatory agencies, including the Maine Department of Environmental Protection and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, approved the project but without opportunity or consideration for public comment or feedback.

“It feels as if this thing has been on greased skids since the beginning,” said John Shafer, former chair of Biddeford’s Harbor Commission.

“It does look like
mistakes were made.”
— Jim LaBelle, Ward One candidate

Boston says it is “unfortunate” that the issue has become “so divisive.”

Boston also said she has concerns about how the city was able to remove the city’s harbormaster and assistant harbormaster from the review process last year.

“How did the city authorize or approve a private engineer to fill that position?” she asked.

Both Boston and LaBelle said they plan to attend the special Oct. 23 meeting at City Hall.

“I want to hear what everyone has to say,” Boston said.

“It does look like some mistakes were made,” LaBelle said, pointing out that the university will still need to get a building permit from the city.

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

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Candidates, residents meet during roundtable event

September 23, 2025October 2, 2025 ~ Randy Seaver ~ 3 Comments

Several city council hopefuls and one of the three candidates for mayor in Biddeford attended an event Tuesday that was billed as a “Community Roundtable” discussion between candidates and members of the public.

The forum was held in an ante room at Pizza By Alex and was attended by 18 members of the public. Delilah Poupore, executive director of the Heart of Biddeford, served as moderator of the 90-minute Q & A session.

The event was organized by Better Biddeford, a non-profit organization focused mainly on residential tenant rights. On its website, the group describes its mission as follows: “to connect, inform and empower the community through shared resources and civic engagement.”

*Moderator* *Delilah Poupore (far right) kicks off the candidate roundtable meeting*

Several candidates were not able to attend the forum. Those who did attend provided short answers to a wide range of topics and questions from the audience, including concerns about affordable housing, ICE enforcement actions, sustainable development and making Biddeford a more walkable community.

Each candidate was also allowed to make brief opening and closing remarks.

Although Mayor Marty Grohman stopped by shortly before the event began, he said he was unable to participate because of a Traffic Committee meeting at City Hall. Mayoral candidate Norm Belanger also did not attend the event, telling the Gazette last week that he will be out of town on vacation.

City Council President Liam LaFountain did attend the event and said he is hoping that candidates will have even more opportunities to connect with residents and talk about their priorities.

Of the three at-large candidates, only Nasreen A Sheikh-Yousef attended Tuesday’s forum. Neither Councilor Marc Lessard nor Lisa Vadnais attended the meeting. The two council candidates from Ward Six — Roger Hurtubise and Jake Pierson – also did not attend. And Ward Two candidate John McCurry said he had a prior engagement.

Ward Seven council candidate Brad Cote pointed out that all Biddeford residents are facing increasing costs for food, utilities and healthcare on top of skyrocketing housing costs.

*Council candidate Nasreen A Sheikh-Yousef answers a question while candidates Sam Pecor (left) and David Kurtz (right) listen.*

“Sometimes it’s easy to simply say we should spend more on various projects, but we have to balance and prioritize our wants and needs,” Cote said. “We need to be creative in searching for sources of revenue that are not just reaching into the pockets of taxpayers.”

On the topic of how to increase “environmentally sustainable” housing, Sam Pecor, the other Ward Seven candidate, pointed out that Biddeford’s current housing stock is among some of the oldest in the nation.

Pecor — who owns a rental property on May Street – said housing is one of the biggest issues facing the city. “We have to be creative,” he said. “We have to look at different options. This is a really complex puzzle.”

Many of the candidates said the city needs to improve how it communicates with residents.

“As councilors, we have a responsibility to help educate and organize people into action,” said Sheikh-Yousef. “Citizens need to know what is happening in their own community.”

On the topic of accessible public information,” LaFountain pointed to the plans last year to convert apartments into market-rate condominiums at the Pepperell Mill complex.

“What really disturbed me is that we councilors were kept in the dark about those plans,” LaFountain said. “None of us were told about it until the news was dropped on the tenants in that building.”

*Mayoral candidate Liam LaFountain (center) and Ward One council hopefuls Jim LaBelle and Pat Boston listen to a question from an audience member during Tuesday’s event.*

Ward Five candidate David Kurtz will be unopposed on the ballot. He used some of his speaking time to warn residents that things happening on the national stage could and will impact the city, including federal funding cutbacks.

Kurtz also said he would like to see the city “slow down” its push for housing developments. “We are in a much different position now than we were 20 years ago,” he said. “We no longer need to offer commercial and residential developers sweetheart deals.”

LaBelle reminded the small audience that the demand for all types of housing is quite high in Biddeford, and private sector employers are also struggling to find workers who can afford to live close to the city.

Former Ward Four Councilor Bob Mills said he has long been an advocate for rent stabilization programs but found little support for any kind of rent control from his peers during his prior service on the council.

“I am one of those people in Biddeford who is earning more than $100,000 and still feels poor,” Mills said.

On the issue of ICE enforcement actions, all of the candidates said they do not want the Biddeford Police Department to enter into agreements or cooperate with the federal agency’s enforcement activities.

Ward Two council candidate Abigail Woods was one of the organizers of Tuesday’s event, and said the council should always act with compassion, especially for its most vulnerable citizens.

Former Ward One Councilor Pat Boston talked about the difficult realities of serving on the council.

“We have to be fiscally responsible,” she said. “But the hard part is ‘the how.’ How do we balance the city’s needs without pushing taxpayers over the edge?”

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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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Biddeford’s political landscape is heating up

July 22, 2025July 22, 2025 ~ 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.

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

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Chamber director announces pending departure

March 13, 2025April 26, 2025 ~ Randy Seaver ~ Leave a comment

After nearly seven years at the helm, Jim LaBelle announced Thursday that he will be stepping down as executive director of the Biddeford-Saco Chamber of Commerce + Industry.

LaBelle, 60, said he plans to stay in place and help the Chamber with its transition to new leadership.

“It’s not an easy decision because I really enjoy what I am doing,” LaBelle said during a telephone interview. “I’m just at a point in my life where I want to take a step back and focus on my personal life and goals.”

LaBelle said he is proud of his accomplishments at the Chamber, most notably a significant increase in membership, from the mid-300s to more than 460 members today.

“We have held more than 100 ribbon cuttings, and this community has experienced unprecedented economic growth,” LaBelle said. “I live in this community. I love this community, and I will be forever rooting for this community.”

LaBelle said he believes the Chamber needs to be continually evolving in order to better serve its members and the overall business community.

“The next leader will need to be visionary,” LaBelle said. “Hopefully someone a bit younger with fresh ideas to make sure that the Chamber remains relevant well into the future.”

LaBelle, known for his trademark optimism, admits that he has always been a glass-half-full person. “It’s easy to be optimistic in this community,” he said.

“He’s basically working all alone, and yet he’s always ready to dig in.
Always looking for ways to help. It will not be easy to fill his shoes.”
— Mayor Marty Grohman

Biddeford Mayor Marty Grohman had nothing but praise for LaBelle and his performance as the Chamber’s executive director.

“Jim has been truly incredible,” Grohman said. “He makes it look easy, but he has done so many positive things for the community.”

A few years ago, Grohman served on the Chamber’s board of directors and today the mayor is an ex-officio member of the Chamber.

“From behind the scenes, I can tell you that Jim is one of those people. He’s the guy with the enthusiasm and the optimism. He’s basically working all alone, and yet he’s always ready to dig in. Always looking for ways to help. It will not be easy to fill his shoes.”

LaBelle said running the Chamber has not always been easy, pointing to the Covid pandemic. “You know, the Chamber is all about bringing people together, and we had to figure out how to do that without actually getting together in person,” he laughed.

LaBelle also looked for ways to capitalize on technology, and the use of social media to promote the community. During his tenure, a Chamber employee created what would become one of the area’s most prolific Facebook community groups. Today, the Biddeford+Saco Community page is no longer managed by the Chamber but has more than 18,000 members.

But for all of its benefits, social media proved to have its own pitfalls, continually requiring more time to moderate and manage the online forum.

For his part, LaBelle said he is looking forward to having some more down time. He’s not exactly sure what his future will look like, but says a change of pace will allow him the opportunity to take stock of where he is and where he wants to be.

“I have been really lucky so far,” he said. “Now, I’m just looking at the future as a blank page, but there is no doubt that I am going to miss the opportunity I had while working here.”

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