Tag: University of New England

NEWSLETTER | Amateur hour is over

~ Randy Seaver ~ Leave a comment

It’s been another busy week at the Biddeford Gazette, capped off by last weekend’s annual spring conference of the New England Newspaper & Press Association (NENPA).

NENPA is a professional organization supporting the work of more than 450 media outlets throughout New England, including daily and weekly print publications; radio and television stations and digital media outlets like the Gazette.

A NEW DAY FOR THE GAZETTE (Contributed photo by Barbara Pelletier of Biddeford)

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I have attended this annual conference many times in the past, but always while working for someone else or representing a different publication.

This year was much different. This was the first year I attended the conference as the co-owner of a non-profit media outlet dedicated to covering just one community.

I was warmly embraced and welcomed by many of my colleagues, and I learned a ton of stuff. It was a watershed moment of my professional career, and I will do my best to pass on the lessons I learned to benefit the Gazette’s readers, subscribers and supporters.

The Biddeford Gazette started more than a year ago as a snarky blog, fueled by frustration about what is happening in Biddeford.

Amateur hour is now over

You’ll be seeing some big and not so big changes in the days and weeks ahead.

No matter what, we are dedicated to the Biddeford community. We serve you. That is our responsibility, and we must –and will — take that responsibility seriously.

I’ll be discussing what I learned this weekend on my blog | Lessons in Mediocrity | Outlaw Journalist

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UPCOMING STORIES

CITY BUDGET | We will continue our ongoing coverage of the city’s annual budget process. The council is facing a daunting task. While a proposed increase of more than 12 percent seems frightening, it’s important to note that it is only a preliminary number subject to lots of debate and adjustment. We urge you to get involved. Go to meetings. Call your councilors.

MEMORY LANE | We had a blast last week meeting with Chuck Cote, the youngest child of legendary football coach and player Bob Cote. Today, Chuck is working to preserve and archive tons of the city’s political and sports memorabilia including an extensive collection of historical records from the former St. Louis High School in Biddeford.

RUNNING ON EMPTY | Gazette readers will be able to learn more this week about Biddeford’s Jessica Johnson, a deeply passionate community volunteer who will once again be running in the Boston Marathon to raise money for the Dana-Farber Cancer Research Institute.

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DID YOU MISS IT?

TIGER PRIDE SHINES IN SANFORD | The Biddeford Gazette was proud to offer our exclusive coverage of the thrilling, end-of-season UNIFIED basketball game between the Biddeford Tigers and Sanford Spartans last week.

You can find pictures, game highlights and even video clips here | Biddeford Tigers bring home another win

CITY CLERK PATTERSON caught many people off guard last week, announcing her upcoming resignation, April 10.

UNE PRESIDENT Dr. James Herbert ended his silence and publicly expressed his frustration regarding the controversy that now surrounds the university’s proposed research pier.

CITY HIRES CONSULTANT | The Biddeford City Council unanimously voted last week to approve hiring a temporary municipal consultant to help the city address several big issues that have been plaguing the community for several years, including overdue financial audits and the city’s comprehensive plan.

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UNE president expresses frustration

~ Randy Seaver ~ 1 Comment

By RANDY SEAVER | Editor

University of New England President Dr. James Herbert today released a formal statement to the Biddeford community regarding the school’s controversial research pier proposal.

Herbert’s statement was sent to area media outlets and city officials.

Herbert’s public statement is the first time he has publicly spoken about the research pier. Today’s statement follows increasing public frustration about the project, including a recent public hearing of the city’s newly formed Institutional Zone Review Committee.

Herbert was appointed to serve on that committee by Biddeford Mayor Liam LaFountain.

RELATED | Residents express frustration, anger regarding UNE development

In his statement, Herbert expressed frustration, writing that “the public discussion has also included anonymous attacks, misinformation, and reckless accusations circulating through social media and emails from untraceable and unresponsive sources.”

UNE also released its own timeline of events connected to the pier project (See Below)

The following statement was taken directly from a press release issued by the university earlier today.

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Dear Members of the Biddeford Community,

“In recent months there has been significant discussion about the University of New England’s proposed research pier on the Saco River. I understand that projects affecting our waterfront and local environment naturally generate strong interest and thoughtful questions from the community. 

I want to begin by acknowledging something directly. Despite our best efforts, UNE has clearly fallen short in our communication efforts. 

The extensive public meetings, project updates and community outreach efforts conducted with a goal of full transparency still left some residents with questions in the face of rumors and misinformation. For that reason, we are sharing the accompanying timeline so members of the community can better understand how this project evolved and the steps that have led us to this point. While the timeline is not inclusive of every action or conversation related to the project, it provides an overview of key milestones to date. 

The idea of a research pier at UNE’s Marine Science Center has been under study for many years. Marine engineers and environmental specialists evaluated multiple potential locations before identifying the site that best balanced safety, environmental protection, minimization of impacts to navigation, water depth, and operational needs.

Over time, the design has been refined to reduce its footprint and address concerns raised during the review process. The project has undergone extensive regulatory review and has received approvals from the appropriate federal, state, and local agencies. 

Throughout this process, many residents have participated in meetings and conversations with university representatives, and we appreciate the thoughtful engagement of those who have shared their perspectives and concerns in good faith. 

Unfortunately, the public discussion has also included anonymous attacks, misinformation, and reckless accusations circulating through social media and emails from untraceable and unresponsive sources. These communications do little to advance a constructive conversation and instead contribute to confusion, distrust, and an inaccurate understanding of the project. In some cases, that seems to be their intent. 

“The public discussion has also included anonymous attacks, misinformation, and reckless accusations circulating through social media and emails from untraceable and unresponsive sources

— UNE President Dr. James Herbert

UNE has been part of the Biddeford community for generations. Our students, faculty, and staff live, work, volunteer, and contribute to the vitality of this city. UNE is proud to be one of Biddeford’s largest employers and a major contributor to the economic, educational, and cultural life of the region. The proposed research pier is intended to support marine science research, education, and stewardship of the Saco River and the Gulf of Maine. 

Biddeford is our home, and we remain committed to being a good neighbor and a contributing member of this community. We will redouble our efforts to keep residents informed as this project moves forward and to provide clear, fact-based information about the project and its benefits. Please feel free to contact us directly with any questions you may have at researchpier@une.edu.

Sincerely, 

James D. Herbert, President 

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UNIVERSITY RESEARCH PIER TIMELINE

Pier TimelineDownload

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NEWSLETTER | Oh, the Places You’ll Go

~ Randy Seaver ~ 2 Comments

What a week!

Considering it was the first birthday I was dreading; it turned to be the best birthday week I can remember.

As we age, we are all reminded to focus on friends, family and doing what we love.

Because I love writing news about Biddeford, I was able to accomplish all three of those goals this week.

The Gazette featured some pretty interesting and exclusive content this week, including our in-depth examination about a so-called buffer zone that has found the city of Biddeford and the University of New England battling in York County Superior Court.

UNE President Dr, James Herbert and City Councilor Pat Boston listen to several angry residents who expressed frustration during Monday’s public hearing about development at UNE;s Biddeford campus (Seaver photo)

Our contributing writer Jim Krause also offered Gazette readers a carefully researched story that explains what you need to know when a door-to-door solicitor comes knocking on your door.

We were also very pleased to share the great news that the York/Biddeford/OOB boys’ hockey team won the state championship Saturday, edging Hampden Academy, 3-2 in a thrilling game at the Cross Arena in Portland. Way to go, guys!

Celebration photo by Eric Parent

As an added treat, we had a blast providing video and print reporting of the first Coffee With A Cop event that was held Wednesday at the Community Center in Biddeford. Nice work by the Biddeford Recreation Department in organizing the event!

Joy to sorrow

The very best part of my week was being invited back to the Biddeford Primary School to read to some second-grade students in Jillian Palladino’s class on Monday. The kids surprised me with a special rendition of Happy Birthday to celebrate both my birthday and that of Dr. Seuss (also Jon Bon Jovi and writer John Irving).

For obvious reasons, I chose to read Oh The Places You’ll Go to the kids.

But this week ended on a bittersweet note when I learned of Curtis Robinson’s passing while working on this week’s local obituaries.

I did not know Curtis. He was only a few years older than me, but he was a notable, old-school journalist who got to hang around with my idol Hunter S. Thompson.

‘One of the last great newspapermen” | Curtis Robinson (Aspen Daily News photo)

According to a recent feature story in the Aspen Daily News, Robinson was a journalist’s journalist: “dogged and irreverent kind of journalist — the type who wouldn’t take BS if it was served on a silver platter and knew a government meeting was good material if you could write about it with verve.”

Robinson’s sister lives in South Portland. Our condolences to his family and friends

And that’s a wrap for this week! Some good stuff on the horizon, so keep reading and checking back for the latest updates.

Better yet, subscribe to the Biddeford Gazette today! It’s free and certainly worth it.

CORRECTION | In the first photo caption above, one of our readers alerted us that we mistakenly identified Biddeford City Councilor Pat Boston as “Bat’ Boston. It was a typographical error, and we apologize for the mistake.

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Is the Gazette biased against UNE?

~ Randy Seaver ~ 2 Comments

By RANDY SEAVER, Editor

A former Biddeford resident who now lives in Ada, Mich., recently sent an email to the Gazette complaining that we have been “unfair and biased” toward the University of New England.

In his March 6 email, Bernard Roy – a 1971 Biddeford High School graduate – expressed disappointment regarding the Gazette’s coverage of issues connected to UNE.

Roy specifically raised concerns about our March 5 story | Was Sen. Collins misled by UNE?

Roy also expressed outrage that the Gazette “ignored” a letter-to-the-editor he sent to us on Feb. 28, somehow missing the fact that his letter was actually published by the Biddeford Gazette three days later, on March 2, 2026.  LETTER | City is Treating UNE Unfairly

Is the Gazette’s coverage of UNE biased?

The Gazette regularly and frequently publishes a high volume of news focused on the city of Biddeford. Thus, it is understandable how Roy could have missed seeing his letter published on our site.

The Gazette strongly encourages and promotes transparency and reader feedback regarding our coverage. Go here to submit your own letter

In the interests of transparency and full disclosure, the Gazette is sharing its unedited emailed response to Mr. Roy today, March 7.

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Dear Mr. Roy,

I would advise you to tread carefully before you accuse me and/or the Biddeford Gazette of any negative “bias” toward the University of New England.

1.) We did, in fact, publish your letter to the editor on Monday, March 2, which coincidentally was my birthday and a very busy news day. Here is the link to your piece in the Gazette: LETTER: City is treating UNE unfairly – BIDDEFORD GAZETTE

2.) I did feel compelled to attach an “editor’s note” to your submission. I know that you grew up in Biddeford and graduated from Biddeford High School (Class of 1971) so I was quite surprised that you would complain about how poorly your sister was treated by parking enforcement at Goose Rocks Beach. Most Biddeford folks know that Goose Rocks Beach is located in the town of Kennebunkport, not in the city of Biddeford. I also was left scratching my head, trying to figure how that particular incident has any bearing on the issue at hand.

Numerous Biddeford residents shared concerns about development at UNE during a March 2, public hearing, the same day that the Gazette published Mr. Roy’s letter to the editor.

3.) Not only did I publish your letter, I also published your sister’s letter — and another guest column from someone else who is equally upset about how “unfairly the city is handling issues connected to UNE.” If you visit the Gazette’s website and simply use the “Search” function, you will find everything we have ever published about the university.

No Apologies

4.) I make absolutely no apologies for being a reporter and for rigorously covering this issue, which has been almost virtually ignored by every other media outlet in southern Maine. In fact, I am often the only reporter covering meetings about UNE, including the very first meeting of the newly formed Institutional Zone Review Committee on February 19, coincidentally my mother’s birthday. New UNE oversight committee begins work – BIDDEFORD GAZETTE

UNE Is a Big Part of Biddeford

5.) Frankly, I do not understand why issues connected to UNE do not receive more attention from other media outlets, besides the Biddeford Gazette. As you, your sister and others have pointed out — the University is a major and vibrant part of the Biddeford community.

The university is one of the city’s largest employers and offers numerous and quite tangible economic benefits to its neighbors throughout the city. Development on UNE’s campus — most notably its proposed and controversial research pier — will have numerous impacts (positive and negative) on the community, from environmental impacts to public recreation on the Saco River and impacts to commercial fishermen who now lease moorings in proximity to the proposed pier. No one from the university has seen fit to return calls or answer questions from these mooring owners. They remain consistently ignored.

Criticism With a Familiar Theme

6.) Your recent letter has somewhat familiar fingerprints. The same recurring themes — and almost verbatim language — have been used repeatedly to criticize the city. It almost feels as if it’s part of a coordinated attack. You, your sister and others should relax. Despite being told repeatedly that the recent, temporary moratorium on development at UNE’s Biddeford campus has absolutely no bearing on the St. Joseph’s Convent — located roughly two miles away from the campus main entrance — that issue has become a red herring that you and others are trying to exploit. As a Catholic, I find such a move to be offensive.

City of Biddeford is Being Fair to UNE

7.) When he decided to establish a new committee to comprehensively review and evaluate potential changes to UNE’s master plan (last updated nearly a quarter century ago), Mayor Liam LaFountain took great pains to be fair. In fact, his first pick for the committee was Dr. James Herbert, the university’s president. All of the IZ Review meetings are held publicly, televised, and available to watch online. The media and all citizens have complete and unfettered access to the committee’s work and comments. Does this really strike you as unfair, or somehow nefarious?

The Gazette’s Real Relationship with UNE

UNE students help with dune grass restoration
UNE students help string downtown holiday lights

8.) It should be noted that I have a friendly, cordial and cooperative relationship with UNE, including its leadership team and members of its communications department including both Vice President Alan Thibeault and Sarah Delage, the university’s senior spokesperson. Over the past few weeks, the Gazette has published several “news releases” sent to us by the university, including a recent announcement about students helping to restore dune grass: COMMUNITY NEWS – BIDDEFORD GAZETTE

9.) I was recently invited to have lunch on UNE’s campus by Dr. Michael Cripps, a professor at UNE’s School of Arts and Humanities. Dr. Cripps and I had a thoroughly enjoyable discussion that culminated with a conversation about having UNE students who are interested in journalism and communications serve as unpaid interns with the Biddeford Gazette. Do you suppose Dr. Cripps was aware of my horrific bias toward the university when he bought me lunch? (In fairness, I only had a salad).

UNE President Dr. James Herbert was appointed by Mayor LaFountain to serve on a new committee tasked with reviewing development on the Biddeford campus

News, Not Public Relations

10.) Yes, I have covered UNE rigorously. There is absolutely no question that the Gazette has taken a leadership role in ensuring rigorous public conversation and overview of these important issues in our community. I am aware that my reporting has perhaps made some folks connected to UNE feel disquieted or otherwise uncomfortable. Tough cookies. I am a journalist, not a PR hack for the university. You may be interested to know that my reporting on these issues has earned accolades and praise from many of colleagues across the state of Maine.

Shoreline Buffer Concerns Are Not Random

Mayor Liam LaFountain is bending over backward to be fair to UNE

11.) Concerns about the “buffer” that will be impacted by the pier have been shared by Mayor LaFountain and each and every member of the Biddeford City Council who voted unanimously to seek relief on that issue in York County Superior Court, an argument supported by City Attorney Harry B. Center, esq. Hardly “random grievances” from one man, who happens to be the former chair of Biddeford’s Harbor Commission

As with everything I publish on the Biddeford Gazette website, I am completely comfortable with my fair, reasonable and dogged approach to covering important issues. If you have a problem with that, I invite you to send us another letter to the editor.

Cheers,

Randy Seaver, editor

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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

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UNE students will help plant dune grass

~ Randy Seaver ~ Leave a comment

By DEIRDRE STILES, UNE Communications Specialist

BIDDEFORD, Maine — For the second year in a row, University of New England students will help the Biddeford Pool Conservation Trust plant dune grass along a section of beach in Biddeford Pool to help make the beaches more climate resilient.

UNE students help with dune grass restoration

On Tuesday, March 10, from 11:30 to about 1:40 p.m. about 16 students from Assistant Professor Will Kochtitzky’s Geographic Information System (GIS) course will aid Biddeford Pool Conservation Trust President Lucie Fontein and around 10 volunteers from the nonprofit to plant dune grass in the three-day effort.

The same volunteer effort was taken last year to address the dune loss that resulted from the 2024 back-to-back January storms that caused an estimated $90 million in damages along the Maine coast, according to the state. This year, the Conservation Trust purchased 66% more dune grass: 20,000 stalks that will cover an estimated 20,000 square feet of beach.

The dune-grass initiative also will launch a new research project. This year dune grass stalks will be planted at both 18 inches and 12 inches apart, two different approaches that Kochtitzky’s classes will study in the years ahead using drone analysis and GPS surveys to determine the most effective method.

The Biddeford Pool Conservation Trust’s volunteer dune grass planting initiative is unique in that many nonprofits and coastal homeowners hire companies to plant dune grass to make beaches more resilient, but the Conservation Trust bought the dune grass independently and then recruited volunteers to assist in planting the grass.

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Frustrated residents share concerns about UNE

~ Randy Seaver ~ 3 Comments

By RANDY SEAVER, Editor

One by one, more than a dozen area residents approached the podium to offer comments and concerns about development at the University of New England’s Biddeford campus during a public hearing held by members of the newly created Institutional Zone Review Committee.

The committee, which includes UNE President Dr. James Herbert, listened carefully to some often-heated public testimony during the hour-long hearing.

UNE President Dr. James Herbert and IZ Review Committee Chair Pat Boston listen to public testimony during Monday’s public hearing regarding the city’s Institutional Zone (Seaver photo)

Several residents said they were not there to “bash the university,” but rather to urge the committee for a more thoughtful and deliberate review process when it comes to the city’s Institutional Zone residents.

Many residents expressed anger, frustration and concerns about recent development projects planned by the university.

Gary McMullen of Biddeford told the committee that he hopes they can “do something to improve the process” regarding how development at UNE’s campus is approved.

“I don’t have anything against UNE,” McMullen said. “It’s about the process.”

McMullen talked about how Paul Lariviere – the city’s harbormaster – was removed from the review process of a controversial, large-scale research pier the university is hoping to soon construct on the Saco River.

McMullen cautioned the committee from accepting a false narrative that Lariviere was opposed to the project, saying the harbormaster was only opposed to the exact location being proposed by UNE.

Bunny Wermenchuk of Biddeford told the committee that her family’s property – which they first purchased in the mid-1970s – was then located near the former St. Francis College.

Over the years – Wermenchuk said – her family’s home became surrounded by sprawling growth, after St. Francis College became the University of New England.

“I’m not here to bash the university,” Wermenchuk said. “I’m here to talk about our ordinances for development at the university.”

Wermenchuk remined the committee that it has been more than 25 years since the university’s master development plan has been updated and approved by the Biddeford Planning Board.

“Over the last 24 years, there has been a lot of growth at UNE,” she said. “I support that growth, but I want to make sure it is happening the right way.”

Wermenchuk said UNE’s waterfront location impacts many things that affect the community – from the environment and fisheries to the concerns of mooring owners in proximity to the campus.

Biddeford resident Kelly Mourmouras addresses the IZ Review Committee (Seaver photo)

Kelly Mourmouras told the committee that there is a long history of UNE doing things differently than what was told to Hills Beach residents.

Mourmouras — who graduated from UNE — said her husband served as vice president of the Hills Beach Neighborhood Association when the city’s first Institutional Zone Review Committee was formed in the mid-1990s.

“I want to thank Mayor [Liam] LaFountain for establishing this committee,” she said. “The transparency and honesty in the process are important. We had numerous meetings with the university, and it was always very challenging.”

Diane Doyle, a Saco resident, told the committee she was concerned about UNE’s plans to purchase the former St. Joseph’s convent property, which is located on the shores of the Saco River, roughly two miles west of UNE’s main campus.

Doyle said she and her neighbors across the river have now noticed many “bright lights” being erected on what was once a relatively quiet and hidden property.

“We are concerned about how UNE is going to develop that particular property,’” Doyle told the committee.

City Councilor Pat Boston – the committee’s chair – reminded the audience that the convent property is not located within the city’s Institutional Zone, and thus concerns about that specific property are not relevant to the committee’s work.

Does UNE benefit Biddeford?

Over the last few weeks, the Biddeford Gazette has received and published several letters to the editor and guest columns related to the University of New England and its numerous benefits to the community.

RELATED: UNE is a ‘major prize’ in Biddeford

But Biddeford resident Joe Emmons challenged many of those positive assumptions.

“How, exactly, do Biddeford residents benefit from what is happening at UNE?” Emmons asked rhetorically.

Lori Nerbonne described herself as a newer Biddeford resident and raised concerns about a property that the university recently purchased near her Red Oak Lane neighborhood.

Resident Paul Brady, a residential waterfront property owner said Biddeford needs a “watchdog” to monitor “all of us on the river.” He said he hopes communication between UNE and its neighbors can improve. (Seaver photo)

“There has always been a buffer between the university and our residential neighborhood via UNE’s access road’ (to the beach),” Nerbonne told the committee. “Now, there is no buffer because the property they purchased is a home inside the residential zone in our very small neighborhood.”

Shawn Tibbetts – one of seven mooring owners who could be impacted by the university’s pier – blasted the city for a lack of communication about ongoing development at the university campus.

Tibbetts, a commercial fisherman, said no one from the city or the university would even return his calls and emails about how the proposed pier could impact his livelihood.

“At no point, were local harbormasters involved in the review of the pier UNE wants to build, and that was a huge mistake,” Tibbetts told the committee. “This is the stuff UNE doesn’t want to talk about.”

Tom Hatch, another Biddeford mooring owner, said his concerns and questions last year about UNE’s proposed pier project were ignored by the city.

“I reached out to the former mayor, the former city manager and even Senator [Susan] Collins.” Hatch told the committee. “I got a grand total of zero response.

“As a taxpayer and a stakeholder, you expect—at least – to get some kind of response.”

Hatch told the committee he hopes to see a “dramatic improvement” in how the city and the university communicate with residents.

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“As a taxpayer and a stakeholder, you expect—at least – to get some kind of response.”

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Resident Paul Brady – a waterfront property owner – told the committee that “the city needs a watchdog to watch all of us on the river.”

Approximately 30 people attended Monday’s public hearing about development at UNE’s campus. (Seaver photo)

Following the hour-long public hearing, the committee opted to immediately go back to its ongoing review and examination of development issues within the Institutional Zone.

Boston reminded the audience and those watching online that additional comments and concerns can be sent to the committee via a group email at InstitutionalZoneReview@biddefordmaine.org

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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

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LETTER: City is treating UNE unfairly

~ Randy Seaver ~ 4 Comments

By BERNARD ROY, Special to the Gazette

I understand there is a moratorium on UNE initiated by the mayor and city council.  UNE is an institution that is a huge plus for Biddeford.  They hire professionals as professors, adjunct professors and administrators who live in our community.  More importantly, UNE educates young people from Maine who aspire to better themselves and get good paying jobs. 

In addition, UNE provides jobs for residents from Biddeford and surrounding areas to maintain the building, grounds and services.  UNE is not a burden to residents of Biddeford.

The Portland Press Herald had an article (Biddeford Committee plans public hearing, Feb. 24, 2026) about the moratorium, which revealed the hidden agenda for this moratorium.

It appears the Hills Beach residents want to constrain development and growth of UNE.  They are more interested in keeping people out and the coastline to themselves for nothing more than selfish reasons.

Biddeford has failed to provide public parking at every beach in Biddeford for all the residents.  When I drive through Biddeford Pool these days, I noticed all the places I had parked to go scuba diving when I was in high school are now blocked or have no parking signs, essentially keeping city residents out.

The Biddeford City Council recently enacted a six-month moratorium on continued development at the University of New England’s Biddeford campus to allow city officials and a new subcommittee time to review and recommend potential changes

 If you drive to Goose Rocks Beach, you are welcomed with a sign that says, “welcome to Goose Rocks Beach, no parking on any street any time”.  When you drive through, you can see a beautiful beach near the road. 

Most of the time there are very few people on the beach.  But there is no public parking anywhere.  Instead, you find a pseudo security guard following you to make sure you leave. He essentially chases you out. 

My sister stopped there last year to show her daughter the beach and was rewarded very quickly with a parking ticket.  I thought, here I am a resident of Biddeford and could not go to one of our beaches. 

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Editor’s Note: Goose Rocks Beach is located in and controlled by the town of Kennebunkport, not Biddeford)

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Driving through, I noticed most of the license plates are from out of state.  Is this where Hills Beach is going to not provide any public parking?

 We see our coastline being bought up by many who are from out of state and moving to Maine to retire.  If you read the Portland Press Herald article on February 18, Maine has become the oldest state, where people over 65 outnumber the people under 18 in Maine. 

It is one thing to buy up the coastline, but another when these people do whatever they can to prevent Maine residents from accessing the beaches in order to keep the coastline to themselves.  I have 22 nieces and nephews and only two still reside in Maine.  The others all had to go out of state to find good paying professional jobs.

If you watch the video of the public hearing meeting just before the city council voted for the moratorium, you will see there was absolutely no interest of any city council member to listen to public inputs.  They were simply going through the motions and had their minds made up.

It will be interesting to see if the public hearing meeting (March 2) will be a repeat of that or whether anyone on the city council will listen to public inputs and take them into account.

 Council members should be representing all city residents, not just a handful in Hills Beach. 

When one sees the committee made up of three city council members who live in Hills Beach and Patricia Boston, a Hills Beach resident heading up the committee, there is little faith they will do their job of representing all residents of Biddeford, but more for their own benefit.  

I believe this committee is a serious conflict of interest and unethical.  I hope the mayor and other city council members choose to do that right and just thing and abandon this moratorium.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Bernard Roy is a former Biddeford resident, and 1971 graduated of Biddeford High School. Today, he resides in Ada, Michigan

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NOTE: The Biddeford Gazette strongly encourages reader feedback and public commentary regarding our coverage and issues directly related to the city of Biddeford. To submit a letter to the editor or guest column, please contact us at biddefordgazette@gmail.com

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NEWSLETTER | Paradise City

~ Randy Seaver ~ 2 Comments

It’s been an interesting, busy and somewhat exhausting week here at the Biddeford Gazette.

In fact, I was moving in some many directions that I forgot to send out this newsletter on Saturday.

My former boss David Flood always used to say there’s a lot more to running a newspaper than just writing and publishing news stories. I never appreciated that fact until I decided to launch my own publication.

Spreadsheets, meeting with our attorney, tracking expenses, insurance, content distribution, reviewing analytics and coordinating other people’s work.

It’s a lot. And I’m not getting any younger. More about that in a moment.

Running a news organization involves a lot more than writing news,

Beyond all the tedious business stuff (all of which is well outside of my comfort zone), our news and editorial content is growing by leaps and bounds.

Consider this: In February 2025 – about three months after the Gazette was created – we published 14 items on our website, not including our weekly obituaries.

Flash forward one year, and we have seen an increase of more than 300 percent! During the month of February 2026, we published 49 items on the Gazette’s site.

The good news is that nearly 40 percent of that material was generated by the community, not by us.

These community contributions include several letters to the editor, guest columns and high-quality news and feature pieces, such as last week’s story from Tammy Wells about a new partnership between the Catholic Church and the York County Jail, allowing inmates to celebrate weekly Mass.

When Rep. Ryan Fecteau – Speaker of the Maine House — wanted to share his thoughts about recent ICE enforcement efforts in Maine, he asked the Gazette to publish his column.

State Rep. Marc Malon and State Sen. Henry Ingweresen also publish their regular monthly columns in the Gazette. Former mayor Marty Grohman submitted his own op-ed last month in the Gazette.

We are honored that so many people in the community regard the Gazette as a reliable and trusted source for community news and information.

Getting older; Biddeford Primary School Fun

On a personal note, this is my last day of being 61, and tomorrow (March 2) will be the first birthday that I wanted to avoid.

Every Sunday morning for the past 14 months, I spend a few hours editing, formatting and publishing local obituary notifications.

With increasing frequency, I am posting the obituaries of people who were younger than me at the time of their passing.

Statistically speaking, the average life expectancy of an American man is 76 years.

That means I likely have only 14 years or fewer remaining — for the rest of my life.

I remember clearly where I was 14 years ago today. It goes by really fast. Really fast.

All the advice from my friends, family and the expert gurus suggests that you should live each day to its fullest and focus on the things that make you happy.

So, I am pleased to announce that I have once again been invited to read to students in Ms. Jillian Palladino’s second-grade class at Biddeford Primary School. It’s the one part of my upcoming birthday that I am actually excited about.

Coincidentally, March 2 is also the birthday of Theodore Geisel, more commonly known as Dr. Seuss . . . what a wonderful confluence of events!

Quick recap and preview

Ward Five City Councilor David Kurtz (Seaver photo)

My favorite story this week comes from my thoroughly enjoyable interview with City Councilor David Kurtz. I will be doing similar interviews with each member of the city council over the next few weeks. (Chatting with City Councilors)

Our goal is to peel back the perfunctory layers to give our readers some deeper context about the men and women running our city.

Our most popular story this week – by far –was our exclusive coverage and tour of the Adams Point Family Housing project that is scheduled to open in April. That story blew up our email and social media accounts, underscoring Biddeford’s pressing need for more affordable housing.

What’s coming up?

I will cap off my birthday celebration tomorrow (March 2) by attending the first public hearing for the Institutional Zone Review Committee, which will be making recommendations about ongoing development at the University of New England’s Biddeford campus.

That meeting begins at 6 p.m. in the Council Chamber at Biddeford City Hall.

Hope to see you there! Have a great week!

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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

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OPINION | Mayor explains new UNE committee

~ Randy Seaver ~ 2 Comments

By MAYOR LIAM LAFOUNTAIN, City of Biddeford

On Monday, March 2 at 6 p.m., the Institutional Zone Review Committee will hold its first public hearing at City Hall. The meeting begins the public input phase of a broader review of how Biddeford regulates institutional development.

For many residents, the term “Institutional Zone” may not be familiar. In practical terms, it is the zoning framework that governs development at the University of New England’s Biddeford campus.

UNE’s campus sits largely within an area that, under typical zoning rules, is generally limited to single-family houses.

In 2001, the city created a dedicated zoning district to allow the university to build and grow in ways that no other entity could within that setting. The ordinance established a structured process requiring a comprehensive Institutional Master Plan, a document outlining anticipated growth over five to ten years and analyzing impacts on traffic, parking, infrastructure, municipal services, and campus design standards.

Biddeford Mayor Liam LaFountain, City of Biddeford photo

The University of New England has long been an important part of Biddeford’s civic and economic fabric. It is one of the city’s largest employers and contributes to the local economy, research activity and cultural life.

Students, faculty, and staff are neighbors and active participants in Biddeford. The relationship between Biddeford and UNE has evolved over time, shaped by growth on both sides.

The City’s zoning has long provided a clear pathway for institutional growth. However, the Institutional Zone ordinance has not been comprehensively updated in nearly 25 years. As both the university and the city have evolved, it is reasonable to review whether that framework remains aligned with current conditions and future expectations.

In recent years, several development projects within the Institutional Zone have generated strong reactions. Often, disagreements have centered less on whether development should occur and more on how clearly the ordinance defines what is permitted, how impacts are evaluated, and how decisions are made. When expectations among the university, the city, and residents are not fully aligned, even well-intended projects can become contentious.

That context, in part, led the city council to establish the Institutional Zone Review Committee at the beginning of this council term.

The committee serves in an advisory capacity. It does not approve projects, determine property sales, or make final legislative decisions. Its responsibility is to review the ordinance, gather public input, and recommend whether revisions are warranted. Any proposed changes will proceed through the standard public legislative process before the Planning Board and City Council.

Formed through the regular public appointment process, the committee operates in open session under Maine’s Freedom of Access laws. All members are Biddeford residents. The membership includes two city councilors, the president of the University of New England, the president of the Hills Beach Neighborhood Association, a facilities manager who previously worked for UNE and is a UNE graduate, and a local real estate professional. Together, they reflect a range of civic, professional, and neighborhood perspectives within the city.

Meetings are open to the public, materials are posted online, and the process is structured to ensure transparency, accountability, and broad participation before any ordinance changes are considered.

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The process is structured to ensure transparency, accountability,

and broad participation before any ordinance changes are considered.

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Residents may attend meetings in person or communicate directly with the committee via its group email account at InstitutionalZoneReview@biddefordmaine.org

As part of this review, the City Council adopted a temporary six-month moratorium on new institutional development and university uses. The pause is not directed at any single proposal and does not prohibit the purchase or sale of property within the Institutional Zone, nor does it prevent any property owner, including the University of New England, from entering into a real estate transaction.

It applies only to new development activity or changes of use during the review period, allowing the city to evaluate and, if necessary, update the ordinance before additional projects proceed under standards that may soon change.

Zoning ordinances shape municipalities for decades, influencing infrastructure investments, traffic patterns, public safety demands and neighborhood character.

Recent institutional projects have underscored the need for clearer expectations and a more consistent and transparent framework. As public interest has grown, so too has the expectation that development decisions be predictable and participatory. Reviewing the ordinance openly and deliberately is a responsible step toward that goal.

Public comment from Biddeford residents on March 2 and in the months ahead will help inform this work and strengthen the final recommendations. The objective is a regulatory framework that provides clarity, consistency, and confidence as institutional growth continues in Biddeford.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Liam LaFountain is serving his first term as Mayor of Biddeford and previously served two terms on the Biddeford City Council. He welcomes questions, comments, and ideas and can be contacted directly at liam.lafountain@biddefordmaine.org. The views and opinions herein are solely those of the author.

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LETTER | Let’s focus on collaboration, not division

~ Randy Seaver ~ Leave a comment

City is on the right track in its thoughtful, measured review of UNE development plans

I read the recent letter regarding the University of New England review committee with concern, but also with a sense that the issue deserves a more balanced perspective.

What was city thinking? Biddeford Gazette, Feb. 28, 2026

It is important to remember that residency alone does not disqualify someone from serving fairly or objectively. Hills Beach residents are citizens of Biddeford, just as much as anyone living downtown, in the mills district, or elsewhere in the city. Suggesting that they are inherently incapable of acting in the broader public interest risks dividing our community rather than strengthening it.

The committee’s role is to review plans and gather input — including through a public hearing — not to act as “plaintiffs” or to obstruct progress. The public hearing itself is evidence of a transparent process that invites participation from the entire community.

The University of New England is indeed an asset to Biddeford. Its educational, economic, and cultural contributions are significant. At the same time, thoughtful review of development proposals is not the same as impeding progress. Responsible growth benefits from careful consideration of environmental impact, neighborhood character, traffic, infrastructure, and long-term planning. That is not obstruction — that is governance.

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“Thoughtful review of development proposals

is not the same as impeding progress.”

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If residents are concerned about representation, the solution is engagement. Attend the hearing. Submit comments. Volunteer for boards and committees. Run for office. Democracy functions best when more voices participate — not when we question the legitimacy of neighbors simply because of where they live.

Biddeford is stronger when we work together — university community, beach residents, mill district entrepreneurs, and long-time families alike. Let’s focus on collaboration rather than division.

Mark Poirier, Biddeford

NOTE: The Biddeford Gazette strongly encourages reader feedback and public commentary regarding our coverage and issues directly related to the city of Biddeford. To submit a letter to the editor or guest column, please contact us at biddefordgazette@gmail.com

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READER OPINION | What was city thinking?

~ Randy Seaver ~ 2 Comments

Weighted UNE committee is appalling and patently unfair to UNE

By DIANE SNOW, Special to the Gazette

A recent Portland Press Herald story regarding the committee set up to review the plans for University of New England [Biddeford Committee plans public hearing, Feb. 24, 2026] left me appalled because the committee is comprised primarily by Hills Beach residents.

That the chairman of the committee [Councilor Patricia Boston] is a Hills Beach resident was surprising enough.  Now to find out that three of the six committee members are Hills Beach residents, was not just surprising, it was shocking. 

How can anyone expect an honest and objective assessment when the “plaintiffs” have become the “jury”?

This issue affects not just the residents of Hills Beach; it affects the entire community. 

RELATED: UNE Oversight Committee begins work

The university is a major prize in Biddeford. Most cities would give their right arm for this privilege.

A more disturbing question: Whose welfare do our elected officials represent?  The wealthy beachfront residents or the community at large? 

Members of the newly former Institutional Zone Review Committee held their first meeting on Feb. 19, 2026. The committee’s first public hearing will be held on Monday, March 2, beginning at 6 p.m., at City Hall in Biddeford (Gazette photo)

That the Hills Beach residents wield outsized power is clear.  How long has this been going on? Do we need to remind city officials that the taxes in the city are paid by all property owners, not just the beachfront owners? 

There is plenty of real estate in vacant mills that need interested entrepreneurs willing to establish flourishing businesses.  A university, with its educational and cultural benefits, is a major attraction. 

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The university is a major prize in Biddeford. Most cities would give their right arm for this privilege.

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Impeding the progress of UNE is harmful to Biddeford.  This outsized influence of a small, privileged group has also clarified the means by which beach access has become so restrictive. 

Has anyone noticed how difficult it is to access our beaches?  I once received a parking ticket at Goose Rocks beach when I stopped there to give a young girl from New York City — who was staying with us through the Fresh Air Fund — a chance to put her feet in the ocean for the first time. 

The beauty of the world does not only belong to a select privileged group.

The mayor and city councilors were elected to represent the interests of the entire community, not just a single group. 

It is time to address this travesty.  Citizens of Biddeford, know whose interests your elected officials represent.  Let them know of your concerns, and above all, think carefully next time you are at the polls.

Diane Snow was born and raised in Biddeford. Today, she lives in Cumberland, Maine

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NOTE: The Biddeford Gazette strongly encourages reader feedback and public commentary regarding our coverage and issues directly related to the city of Biddeford. To submit a letter to the editor or guest column, please contact us at biddefordgazette@gmail.com

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NEWSLETTER: ‘Looking for a place to happen’

~ Randy Seaver ~ 1 Comment

New partnerships, expanding technology will help the Gazette stay connected to you

I don’t believe this could have been a better week for the Biddeford Gazette.

I am especially excited about several new partnerships that will allow us to give you more news and information about your community.

Earlier this week, I was invited to a meeting at the University of New England, where I enjoyed a really nice lunch with Michael Cripps, a professor and director of UNE’s School of Arts and Humanities and the College of Arts and Sciences.

Dr. Cripps and I had a fascinating and free-wheeling conversation about the state of today’s media landscape and some of the challenges he faces in working to provide his students with real life experiences to support their education outside of the traditional classroom.

Bottom line: Dr. Cripps and I began laying the groundwork of a partnership that will allow his students who are pursuing careers in journalism and communications to work as interns with the Biddeford Gazette.

It has the potential to be a dynamic relationship, one that will allow us an opportunity to expand our coverage and learn the valuable perspective of students attending classes in Biddeford.

But wait, that’s not all . . .

Cy Cyr of Biddeford (Courtesy photo)

If you don’t know Cy Cyr of Biddeford, you’re really missing out. A Biddeford native, Cy recently launched Brick + Tides, a digital magazine that features his photography and some very compelling document-style storytelling about the people shaping southern Maine today.

I am a huge fan of Cy’s work, and I am ecstatic that he and I will be working together to promote and share his work on the Biddeford Gazette’s site.

We’ll be posting our first story from Brick + Tides on Monday in which Cy does an in-depth interview with Heather Paquette, another Biddeford native who is the president of Good Shepherd Food Bank of Maine.

But wait, there’s more . . .

As you can see from a story we posted yesterday, the Biddeford Gazette is continuing its ongoing media partnership with The Maine Monitor, a nonpartisan, independent publication of the Maine Center for Public Interest Reporting.

The Maine Monitor – another digital only publication — has earned an outstanding reputation across the state, providing readers with in-depth, comprehensive reporting on the issues that affect Maine people on a daily basis.

Our partnership with The Maine Monitor is especially valuable as we approach the upcoming election season in which Maine voters will choose a new governor, a U.S. senator, Congressional representatives, not to mention numerous state legislative and county races.

The party primaries are now less than 90 days away. We look forward to sharing more stories from The Maine Monitor in the days and weeks ahead,

A busy week in our own newsroom.

Neva and Samanntha Lance speak in favor of funding for the city’s skatepark during Tuesday’s Biddeford City Council meeting (Seaver photo)

As a reporter, I had a new experience this week.

A local politician voluntarily told me that he was partly to blame for some financial issues that are now plaguing the city of Biddeford.

I don’t recall ever hearing a politician accept responsibility for a problem. Gotta say, it was refreshing to hear City Councilor Marc Lessard talk about his own role in a mess the city is still working through. “You can spread the blame like peanut butter,” Lessard told me. We thought that quote made a perfect headline.

On Thursday, I was the only reporter in attendance during the first meeting of the revised Institutional Zone Review Committee.

Hopefully, other reporters were watching the meeting remotely on-line. It’s convenient for me to be the only reporter in the room, but it’s bad for you, as I explain in this week’s upcoming editorial: Life During Wartime.

We covered several other stories this week. UNE is considering extending a natural gas line from downtown to its Biddeford campus; and several residents spoke in favor of reopening the city’s skatepark during Tuesday’s council meeting.

Video killed the radio star

On a final note, we began experimenting this week with using video and other technology to expand our news and commentary. It’s in a very rudimentary, early stage and well-beyond my experience as a print journalist, but it is fun and somewhat exciting.

The move was inspired by my conversation with Dr. Cripps this week. For younger news consumers, it’s all about video. You can find that video in our new section: Video Commentary & Reporting.

A close friend of mine – a media expert – tried to be as supportive as possible.

“You know,” he said. “You could always do a second take.”

And that, my friends, is the beauty of being a digital publication.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Randy Seaver is the editor and founder of the Biddeford Gazette. He is a Biddeford native who has been covering Biddeford news and politics for nearly three decades. He may be reached by email: randy@randyseaver.com

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UNE considers gas line extension project

~ Randy Seaver ~ 1 Comment

From staff reports

Representatives from the University of New England say they are now in “early conversations” with Biddeford city officials about the possibility of extending a natural gas line from the city’s downtown area, along the Rte. 9 corridor, to the school’s Biddeford campus.

A UNE spokesperson said the potential infrastructure project could bring significant benefits to the broader Biddeford community.

A Unitil employee checks some of the company’s infrastructure. (Courtesy photo)

According to Sarah Delage, associate vice president of communications at UNE, the university is now “exploring the possibility” of partnering with Unitil – an industrial, commercial and residential provider of natural gas — to extend the natural gas main from downtown to the UNE campus.

The potential project first came to light during Tuesday’s city council meeting when City Manager Truc Dever mentioned the potential project during her regular update report to the council.

In a recent press release, Delage said the university is proactively sharing information with city officials and the media at the outset of the project to ensure transparency and to explore opportunities for collaboration.

Delage said the project supports UNE’s long-term goals of reducing its carbon footprint and improving operational sustainability.

She also said the potential community benefits are “equally compelling.”

“Extending the natural gas line along Route 9 would meaningfully reduce heavy fuel delivery truck traffic through the corridor,” Delage wrote in a statement issued to local media outlets earlier this week.

Delage said the natural gas line extension could be made available for homes and businesses along Rte. 9 — potentially expanding access to natural gas service for the surrounding community.

“We look forward to continued conversations and potential collaboration on this project,” Delage said.

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New UNE oversight committee begins work

~ Randy Seaver ~ 3 Comments

By RANDY SEAVER, Editor

The first meeting of Biddeford’s revived Institutional Zone Review (IZR) Committee was held Thursday evening, giving members a chance to introduce themselves and to complete several organizational and administrative tasks, including scheduling their first public hearing.

The committee was launched earlier this year, at the direction of Biddeford Mayor Liam LaFountain who attended Thursday’s meeting as an observer.

Members of the newly formed Institutional Zone Review Committee begin their work during their first meeting Thursday. Left to right: Betsy Martin, Christine Stone, Matt Haas, Dr. James Herbert, Chair Patricia Boston and Code Enforcement Officer Roby Fecteau (Seaver photo)

The mission of the committee is to review planning documents that have been submitted by the University of New England over the last 20 years; to seek public input and make recommendations regarding future growth at the school’s Biddeford campus.

RELATED: New committee will oversee UNE development

From the public podium, LaFountain spoke only briefly to welcome and thank the committee members for their willingness to “dig deep” into issues that will likely impact the city and the University of New England.

“You have taken on an ambitious timeline,” LaFountain told the committee, reminding them that the city hopes to receive their preliminary recommendations in May for city council review and input.

The final recommendations are expected for a public hearing in July, LaFountain said.

“The council will rely upon your diligence and judgment,” LaFountain told the committee. “What matters most is that you approach this work respectfully and thoughtfully and encourage public input and feedback.”

On that note – following a rather arduous process of coordinating various schedules and available meeting times at City Hall – the new committee tentatively scheduled its first public hearing for Monday, March 2, at 6 p.m.

The committee is scheduled to have at least two more meetings before the first public hearing.

Nearly a quarter-century ago, a previous IZR committee was tasked with similar objectives.

City Councilor Pat Boston, a Hills Beach resident, is serving as chair of the current committee. She recalled serving on the first IZR Committee in 2001.

“I recently came across a note from [former mayor] Donna Dion, thanking us for our service,” Boston laughed.

Thursday’s meeting was sparsely attended by members of the public.

John Shafer – an outspoken critic of the university’s controversial pier proposal – sat in the back of the room, carefully watching the meeting. UNE vice president Alan Thibault also attended the meeting along with City Planner David Galbraith and City Manager Truc Dever.

For more information about the Institutional Zone Review Committee, you may visit the committee’s webpage, which is a section of the city’s larger website.

The link to the committee’s page: https://www.biddefordmaine.org/5839/Institutional-Zone-Review-Committee

In addition to Councilor Boston, other committee members include City Councilor Marc Lessard; Dr. James Herbert, the university’s president; Matt Haas, a former UNE employee and graduate; Christina Stone, a real estate agent and Hills Beach resident; and Associate member Elizabeth Martin of Biddeford.

Lessard did not attend Thursday’s meeting.

Code Enforcement Officer Roby Fecteau will serve as the committee’s staff liaison.

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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

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Angers considers run for county commission

~ Randy Seaver ~ Leave a comment

A longtime fixture at City Hall, Roch Angers tells the Gazette he wants to follow in Richard Dutremble’s footsteps at the county level

By RANDY SEAVER, Editor

Roch Angers – a longtime former Biddeford city councilor and a current planning board member – told the Gazette Sunday that he is seriously considering a run for the District Two seat on the York County Board of Commissioners.

The county’s District Two seat is being vacated this year by Richard Dutremble of Biddeford who announced in January that he will not seek reelection after 20 years of service on the board.

Last week, former Biddeford City Councilor Doris Ortiz formally announced that she is hoping to replace Dutremble as the county commissioner representing Biddeford.

RELATED: Ortiz announces run for York County Commission

Angers, 73, is a well-known politician in the city of Biddeford. For many years, his family ran a small grocery store on South Street. He attended St. Louis High School and then graduated from Biddeford High School in 1971.

Angers has been a fixture at City Hall for more than three decades. His brother Luc was Biddeford’s city clerk in the 1980s.

Former Biddeford City Councilor Roch Angers (Contributed photo)

Roch Angers has served on the Biddeford City Council under four different mayors, including Lucien “Babe” Dutremble, Roger Normand, Donna Dion and Alan Casavant.

“I guess you could say that I have been around for quite a while,” he laughed during a telephone interview. “I still enjoy public service.”

Angers, a self-described moderate and fiscal conservative, said he wants to follow in Dutremble’s footsteps.

“I think he [Dutremble] is an outstanding commissioner,” Angers said. “When I learned he was stepping down, I picked up the phone and begged him to stay in the seat.”

Angers has served nearly a decade on the Biddeford Planning Board, and he became the center of controversy last year when he personally appeared before the Biddeford City Council to express his concerns about a controversial research pier being proposed by the University of New England.

In August – only days before the planning board narrowly voted 3-2 to approve the project — Angers told the council he was troubled by the review process.

“Something about this seems fishy,” Angers told the council. He was one of two planning board members who later voted against the proposal.

RELATED: Planning board member tells council UNE plan seems fishy

Planning Board member Roch Angers shares his concerns about UNE’s controversial plan to build a research pier on the Saco River during an August 5, 2025 council meeting. “Something about this feels fishy,” he said. (Seaver photo)

Former Mayor Marty Grohman was incensed by Angers’ move to speak publicly about the project while also serving as a member of the planning board.

Grohman later attempted to remove Angers from the planning board but got almost no support for that effort from the city council.

When Grohman brought the issue forward, the council remained silent and stone-faced. No one would second a motion offered by former Ward One City Councilor William Emhiser.

After several seconds of silence from the other eight councilors, City Attorney Harry Center advised the mayor that the issue was dead on arrival.

Grohman later told the Gazette that he would continue his efforts to remove Angers from the planning board. That never happened.

Today, Angers is enjoying his retirement after working many years in various management positions for Shaw’s supermarkets across Maine.

“I think I have something to offer,” Angers said, pointing out that he is concerned about the growing county budget and its impact on Biddeford and the city’s neighboring communities of Arundel, Kennebunk and Kennebunkport.

Angers said he hopes to make a final decision about running in the next few days. He said he has been calling several people throughout the community.

“Many people have told me that they would support me,” Angers said. “I am honored and truly appreciative of that support, but I want to make sure that I dot my I’s and cross my T’s,” he laughed.

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CORRECTION: This story contained an error, stating that Angers retired as a butcher from the Shaw’s supermarket in Saco. In fact, Angers retired from Shaw’s after many years of working in various management positions for Shaw’s supermarkets across the state. We have corrected the story, and apologize for the error.

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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

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OPINION: City showed no compassion for the sisters who have supported Biddeford

~ Randy Seaver ~ Leave a comment

Dear Editor:

The moratorium on the sale of St Joseph’s convent by the city council took me by surprise.

It is not just that the city council appears so unwelcoming to the university, but it is their callous disregard for the plight of the nuns who so crucially need the income for their continued maintenance. Council unanimously halts UNE development

Have the members of the city council forgotten that these nuns spent their lifetimes giving the children of the city an exceptional education, permitted many of them to go on to graduate and postgraduate educations and professional lives? How many on the city council had their parents, themselves, or their children taught by the nuns?

The University of New England has expressed interest in purchasing the former St. Joseph’s Convent on Pool Road in Biddeford to be used for additional student housing (File Photo)

Do the city council members not realize that the plight of the nuns results from the fact that they worked without salary and do not receive social security benefits as the rest of the community which they taught?

You would think that there would be an outpouring of gratitude for the immense benefit to the community provided by these sisters. Instead total ingratitude and disregard.

I cannot believe the citizens of Biddeford who I grew up with would support this callousness. It leads me to wonder how representative of the community the city council is.

A second issue:  Most communities welcome a university campus in their city.  The professional management, teaching, and research staff enhance the economic, social, and cultural fabric of the community, not to mention the educational benefits available locally.  Many people looking for a community to relocate will consider a local university as a major benefit.

I also find it surprising that someone would bring up the value of the land the school sits on.  You can be land rich and finances poor.   

I myself had to go out of state to medical school because Maine was one of the few states with no in-state medical school at that time.  I’m also convinced that my education at St Joseph’s Gramnar and High School were a major factor ability in my admission to that most competitive of professions.  I also know how to be grateful. 

This brings up another question. Who are these people whose complaints have such an outsized influence on the council?

Are they on the council themselves? What is their relationship to the council members?  Who is the council representing?  Certainly not the community, and certainly not its most deserving and vulnerable members, women in their 80s and 90s who taught generations of children without pay.

The ingratitude shown by the city council cannot possibly represent the sentiments of the community and the entire process should be investigated and reviewed.

Shirley Roy, Biddeford

Editor’s Note: The city’s six-month moratorium on development at UNE’s Biddeford campus, does NOTHING to prevent the university from moving forward with its planned purchase of the St. Joseph’s Convent. The moratorium also does not apply to St. Joseph’s Convent, which is located nearly two miles west of UNE’s Biddeford campus.

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The Biddeford Gazette encourages robust community conversations and welcomes letters to the editor and guest columns submitted by our readers. For more information about submitting a letter or column, please click this link. CONNECT WITH US

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It’s all about the smiles: UNE and Rep. Fecteau both focus on Maine kids

~ Randy Seaver ~ 1 Comment

UNE dental students again provided free care to local students; Rep. Ryan Fecteau introduced a bill to expand dental coverage for Maine children.

Contributed stories

Students from the University of New England’s College of Dental Medicine and Department of Dental Hygiene welcomed 85 elementary students from Old Orchard Beach to the university’s Oral Health Center on Friday, Feb. 6, for UNE’s fifth annual “Give Kids a Smile” event.

According to organizers, the Old Orchard Beach students received a full slate of preventive dental services at no cost, including cleanings, fluoride treatments, protective sealants, and oral health education.

Students from the University of New England’s dental school provided cleaning and other dental services to 85 Old Orchard Beach elementary school students. This is the fifth year that UNE has participated in the annual cleaning Give Kids A Smile event. (Contributed photo)

The services were delivered by UNE dental medicine and dental hygiene students working together in clinical teams. Each child also received a take-home oral care kit with a toothbrush, toothpaste, floss and educational materials to support healthy habits beyond the visit.

The one-day event provided more than $14,000 in free dental care, helping remove barriers to access while introducing families to ongoing resources available through UNE’s Oral Health Center, located on UNE’s Portland Campus for the Health Sciences — the only fully integrated health sciences campus of its kind in New England.

“Untreated dental disease can lead to severe pain that impacts a child’s ability to eat and drink properly, disrupts their sleep patterns, affects their concentration, and contributes to changes in behavior,” said Nicole Kimmes, D.D.S., dean of the UNE College of Dental Medicine. “By hosting events like Give Kids a Smile, we improve access and education for the children of Maine and decrease the number impacted by these conditions right in our home communities.”

The now-annual event is part of a national Give Kids a Smile initiative coordinated by the American Dental Association, during which dentists and dental students across the country provide care to underserved children.

At UNE, the program has grown steadily since its launch in 2020 and continues to reflect the University’s commitment to improving community health while preparing future providers through hands-on, team-based learning.

“This experience, with dental hygiene and dental students working together to deliver care to children, enhances communication and delivers more comprehensive oral health education to the children coming to visit the OHC today,” said Dianne Smallidge, RDH, Ed.D., director of the undergraduate Department of Dental Hygiene at UNE.

Alexander Dyke, a UNE student who is scheduled to graduate later this year, is planning to pursue a pediatric residency. He said events like Give Kids a Smile benefit both families and students.

“The work we’re doing today is extremely important in providing underserved populations get the care they otherwise wouldn’t have,” Dyke said. “It also means that I get experience, and it means other students get experience. “We get to work with faculty and see their input on the type of ways they would go about doing that — it broadens my horizons and increases the tools in my toolbox.”

Fecteau introduces bill to expand access to dental care

Earlier this week, State Rep. Ryan Fecteau (D-Biddeford) introduced a bill to improve dental access care for children.

Fecteau’s bill – LD 2123 — seeks to modify the MaineCare Reimbursement Methodology for the provision of anesthesia for certain dental services.

Fecteau – who is currently serving as Speaker of the House – says his bill will hopefully address a growing backlog of children awaiting care for dental issues.

The legislation proposes a targeted increase to MaineCare reimbursement rates for anesthesia services provided to children at ambulatory surgery centers treating at least 50 percent for MaineCare patients. As a result, Fecteau said these centers will be able to continue their operations, increase capacity, and reduce wait times.

“Access to care is critical. Too many Maine children are suffering with tooth pain because of the limited options for care,” Fecteau said. “This bill is a key step that will help ease just a little bit of that suffering and make it more feasible for other ambulatory surgery centers to expand services for MaineCare patients.”

According to Fecteau, many children receiving MaineCare lack a “dental home,” meaning they do not have a dentist they see regularly for cleanings and other preventative care. Without this routine maintenance, curable issues – things like cavities – turn into surgical events, with long waits for care.

“No child should have to suffer in pain because of their insurance status when treatment is available,” said Becca Matusovich, Executive Director of the Children’s Oral Health Network of Maine. “LD 2123 is one important element of a comprehensive strategy to address dental disease among Maine children who have been unable to access dental care.”

The Health and Human Services Committee is scheduled to consider Fecteau’s bill in the coming weeks.

Note: This story was updated with a correction: The UNE event in Portland took place on Friday, Feb. 6, not Thursday. We apologize for the error.

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Alan Bennett, Assistant Director of Communications at the University of New England, contributed to this story

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NEWSLETTER: Help us with a tagline, score some goodies from Reilly’s Bakery

~ Randy Seaver ~ 10 Comments

According to blogger Mat Zucker, it is becoming more and more important for news outlets to have a pithy, clever tagline that differentiates them from an overflowing pot of news sources and media sites.

“The motto of a news organization is more than just marketing,” Zucker writes. “It’s a declaration of journalistic purpose. These short phrases encapsulate an outlet’s mission, values, and unique approach to reporting.”

Help the Gazette create a tagline, get a gift certificate to Reilly’s Bakery File photo

As the Biddeford Gazette begins its second year, I’m asking our readers for suggestions and ideas about a possible tagline for our humble, hyper-local organization.

To get your creative juices flowing, here are a couple of ideas that have been rattling around in my mind.

We could co-opt the New York Times famous tagline: “All the news that’s fit to print,” how about this? 

The Biddeford Gazette — All the Biddeford news that’s fit to publish on the internet.

Or maybe we could bend this oft-mentioned piece of writing advice:

Biddeford Gazette — An economy of words; a wealth of Biddeford information

One of my favorite potential taglines came to me last year while talking with former mayor Marty Grohman:

The Biddeford Gazette — We’re free, and we’re worth it!

Of course, we could always take the serious and boring route:

The Biddeford Gazette — Your trusted source for Biddeford news and information;

According to the experts, your tagline should really describe your brand and reputation. So, how about:

The Biddeford Gazette — There’s no such thing as a day off in our newsroom?

But my all-time favorite has to be this one from a former colleague who wished to remain anonymous:

The Biddeford Gazette — Where cranky, old-school journalists go to die in southern Maine.

What do you think should be our motto? Send your suggestions to biddefordgazette@gmail.com

If we pick your original suggestion, you get a $20 gift certificate to Reilly’s Bakery. Yum!

A busy week!

It’s been a busy week here in the Biddeford Gazette’s newsroom.

We started off the week with a rather interesting story featuring local author Susan Graham’s new book about the “Great Fires of 1947” and how that disaster impacted several Biddeford neighborhoods.

That story was one of the most popular pieces we have published. Dozens of people emailed me their own recollections and the stories that were passed down from generation to generation.

Speaking of fires, we also published an exclusive interview with Biddeford Fire Chief Lawrence Best about the city’s ongoing discussions about a potential substation that would be located in the eastern part of the city.

Of course, we updated a story we first published last year about more than $500,00 of fines the city of Biddeford is facing in IRS penalties for failing to submit employee health insurance records in 2021.

Our original story about the city’s financial problems – including the city’s IRS exposure — was first published in the Biddeford Gazette on March 10, 2025.

All I can say is that I am happy that we now have a new city manager, a new finance director, a new mayor and a relatively new city council.

Our exclusive reporting continued this week on an updated story about a complaint the city filed against the University of New England in York County Superior Court.

Finally, we received a press release a couple of weeks ago from State Rep. Marc Malon of Biddeford about a new bill he introduced.

We could have just copied and pasted Malon’s press release, but we decided to dig a little deeper about his proposal to prohibit the use of credit cards for online sports gambling.

At first blush, I considered Malon’s proposal to be yet another example of government overreach into private affairs, but he convinced me otherwise.

In closing, a funny story about the power and benefit of local news, the flexibility of the internet and accessible reporters. Malon really liked the story, but he was a bit uncomfortable with our original headline: “Online gambling addiction troubles Biddeford lawmaker.”

When Malon texted me to ask if we could change the headline, I was more than happy to oblige. Some people were inferring that Malon was having personal problems with a gambling addiction.

One of my old editors – Harry Foote – was likely rolling in his grave. I had forgotten the most basic fundamentals of headline writing: Short, clear in subject-verb-object order.

And that’s a wrap! Stay warm and be safe!

P.S. Oh, yeah. . . . almost forgot to mention: The Biddeford Gazette is now a registered and incorporated as a non-profit entity in the state of Maine!

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

c.) 2026 All Rights Reserved, Biddeford Gazette, Inc.

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Council unanimously halts UNE development

~ Randy Seaver ~ 2 Comments

By RANDY SEAVER, Editor

Despite the impassioned pleas of some nuns from the St. Joseph’s Convent, the Biddeford City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to enact a temporary development moratorium on the University of New England’s Biddeford campus.

As previously reported in the Gazette, Mayor Liam LaFountain proposed the moratorium and the creation of an ad-hoc committee in order to give the city time and flexibility to review and consider several significant developments planned by the university.

RELATED: Mayor proposes development halt at UNE

Although not located on their campus, it was recently revealed that the university had ongoing plans to purchase the St. Joseph’s Convent in order to redevelop that property into additional student housing. The convent is located approximately two miles west of UNE’s main campus.

Representatives from the Good Sheperd Sisters of Quebec – the current convent owners — attended Tuesday’s meeting, saying the proposed moratorium would quash their planned sale of the convent to UNE. That sale, according to the Sisters, has been in consideration since 2017 and was scheduled to be finalized next month.

The Sisters said they can no longer afford to operate the convent. They said the moratorium would be “devastating psychologically, physically and spiritually.”

During their discussion of the issue, Councilor Jake Pierson pointed out that the moratorium would do “nothing to prevent the sale of that property.” The moratorium, he said, would only pause the university’s planned redevelopment of the property.

Although the university does not yet own the St. Joseph’s parcel, they already received approval of their reconversion plan from the Saco River Corridor Commission in November.

The St, Joseph’s Convent in Biddeford is slated to become more student housing for UNE

RELATED: University’s new dormitory plan approved

Former city councilor Kyle Noble told the council that UNE is pushing for projects that would be “once in a lifetime, forever decisions” that warrant careful review.

“I find it offensive that this real estate transaction has been known since 2017, and we’re just finding out about it now,” Noble said.

Councilor Dylan Doughty also expressed surprise that the university was able to get approval of their plan from the Saco River Corridor Commission before they actually owned the property.

Alan Thibeault, vice president of operations at UNE, said the city’s proposed moratorium took school officials “by surprise.”

Thibeault told the council that UNE has not built a new building on its campus since 2018. He made no mention of the controversial, large-scale pier that the university is planning to construct on the Saco River. He also did not talk about the school’s plan to add new student housing at the St. Joseph’s convent.

Instead, Thibeault reminded the council that UNE is “a major employer and economic driver” in Biddeford. “We do not believe that we have been a burden on the city,” Thibeault said, pointing out that UNE has its own wastewater treatment facility.

Furthermore, Thibeault said the university has significantly decreased its impact on the city by its decision three years ago to move roughly 360 students and 120 staffers to the school’s Portland campus that now houses UNE’s medical school programs. That move, he said, significantly reduced traffic and other impacts at the Biddeford campus.

Thibeault said the moratorium could place the university at financial risk. He said colleges and universities across the country are closing at a rate of one per month because of changing demographics.

Councilor Brad Cote, however, balked at Thibeault’s concerns about the economic impacts of the moratorium.

“I find it a little offensive that the university would come to us and express financial worries,” Cote said. “Let’s remember that their campus in Biddeford sits on land that has an assessed value of roughly $82 million.”

Thibeault said UNE appreciated that its president – James Hebert – was appointed to the city’s newly created ad-hoc committee.

“We welcome a genuine relationship with the city,” Thibeault told the council.

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

c.) 2026 All Rights Reserved

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