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

January 31, 2026February 1, 2026 ~ Randy Seaver ~ 7 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

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Council unanimously halts UNE development

January 21, 2026January 21, 2026 ~ Randy Seaver ~ 1 Comment

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.

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*

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

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Mayor proposes moratorium on UNE development

January 15, 2026January 15, 2026 ~ Randy Seaver ~ 1 Comment

By RANDY SEAVER, Editor

Biddeford Mayor Liam LaFountain is proposing a temporary moratorium on all development projects at the University of New England’s Biddeford campus.

LaFountain is also scheduled to nominate UNE president James Hebert to serve on an ad-hoc committee that will focus on development at the school’s Biddeford campus.

During an interview with the Gazette on Thursday, LaFountain said a temporary moratorium will allow the city to examine and evaluate the rapidly increasing pace and scale of development within the Institutional Zone (IZ).

In December, the city council voted unanimously to create an ad-hoc committee that will review and make recommendations about current and future development on UNE’s campus.

“I want that review committee able to hit the ground running,” LaFountain said, pointing out that the IZ has not been amended or updated for more than 20 years. “We need just a short pause in order to catch our breath. The current language is somewhat vague and needs to be updated.”

Recent projects have highlighted the need for the committee, LaFountain said, pointing to the university’s controversial pier project, plans to develop a fire substation near the campus and a plan to convert a former convalescent home into new dormitories for the university.

LaFountain said he believes that university development will continue to play an important role in the city’s future.

“The question before the council is not whether such development should occur, but whether it should proceed under a regulatory framework that has not been comprehensively examined in more than twenty years,” the mayor said.

UNE President James Hebert is being appointed by Biddeford’s mayor to serve on an ad-hoc committee that will review ongoing and planned development within the city’s Institutional Zone (Photo: LinkedIn

The city needs the time necessary to complete that examination responsibly and to ensure that future decisions are guided by clear standards, shared expectations, and the long-term interests of the city as a whole, the mayor added.

During a previous city council meeting in December, Ed Cervone, director of external affairs at UNE, said the university is supportive of the city’s desire to review the Institutional Zone Ordinance and creation of the ad-hoc committee.

“UNE hopes that the creation of an Institutional Zone Review Committee can bring additional clarity to, understanding of, and confidence in the ordinance,” Cervone said.

During that December meeting, Cervone suggested that the new committee should include a Hills Beach Association representative; the city planner and Ward One Councilor Patricia Boston because of her historical knowledge about the Institutional Zone and a UNE representative.

LaFountain will ask the City Council Tuesday to confirm his appointments to the six-member ad-hoc committee, which will be chaired by Councilor Pat Boston, a Hills Beach resident; Matt Haas, a former UNE employee who first raised concerns about the Saco River Corridor Commission’s approval of the university’s controversial pier proposal; and residents Christine Stone and Betsy Martin.

LaFountain has also nominated Councilor Marc Lessard and James Hebert, UNE’s president, to serve on the committee.

Committee Objectives

In his memo to the city council, LaFountain said his proposed moratorium will accomplish several objectives, including:

• Orderly Review: It allows the Institutional Zone Review Committee, City staff, the Planning Board, and the City Council to complete their work without the pressure of pending applications advancing under rules that may soon change.

• Consistency and Fairness: It avoids applying one set of standards to some projects while others are reviewed under a revised framework, promoting predictability for applicants and the public alike.

• Public Confidence: It acknowledges heightened public interest in institutional development and demonstrates that the city is taking a deliberate, transparent approach to updating its zoning ordinances and policies.

• Long-Term Planning: It ensures that decisions with lasting impacts on neighborhoods, infrastructure, and municipal capacity are informed by a comprehensive policy review rather than piecemeal approvals.

“The moratorium is not intended to halt institutional growth indefinitely, nor to target any single institution, but rather to ensure that future development proceeds under a clearer and more durable regulatory framework,” LaFountain said.

Sarah Delage, a university spokesperson, said UNE’s president is looking forward to working with the city as a member of the newly created ad-hoc committee.

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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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City files court challenge for UNE pier approval

December 4, 2025December 4, 2025 ~ Randy Seaver ~ 3 Comments

By RANDY SEAVER, Editor

Although the Biddeford Planning Board narrowly approved the University of New England’s controversial pier proposal in August, a required building permit will not be issued by the city until a decision comes down from the York County Superior Court.

The city has filed a formal complaint against the Saco River Corridor Commission (SRCC), a quasi-state agency tasked to review and control development on the Saco River.

*The city of Biddeford will not issue a building permit for UNE’s controversial pier proposal until a decision regarding the validity of the review process comes from York County Superior* *Court*

As first reported in the Biddeford Gazette, new questions were raised in October about the review process. Specifically, the city now says that a previous decision by the SRCC — from more than 24 years ago — should have disqualified the project.

In 2001, the SRCC and the university created a 250-foot, no-development zone along the shoreline of UNE’s campus. That agreement was made as a compromise to allow construction of two dormitory buildings that would exceed a 35-foot height restriction.

The university is now hoping to construct an access road for its new pier through that buffer zone.

During their review of the university’s proposal last year, the SRCC failed to consider its previous ruling. “It was a mistake,” said Cheri Dunning, executive director of the SRCC during an October interview with the Gazette.

Dunning described the mistake as an “omission of information.” Because the agency’s approval happened more than 30 days ago, Dunning said there was nothing the SRCC could do to remedy the error.

“Our staff is working hard to prevent this type of error in the future,” Dunning said.

A few days later, Dunning sent an email to Roby Fecteau, the city’s code enforcement officer. In that email, she opined that the SRCC can alter any decision it makes. She also denied saying that the decision was a mistake on the part of the SRCC.

“The condition was created by, and thus can be altered by, the Commission,” Dunning wrote in her email to Fecteau.

When contacted Wednesday, Dunning refused to answer any questions that were not submitted to her in writing.

The Gazette sent Dunning an email, asking for comments and clarification. She did not respond to our inquiry, as of press time.

City Attorney Harry Center said the formal complaint was filed because the city wants to “maintain the integrity of the review process.”

“We’re not seeking money nor damages,” Center said. “We’re simply asking the court to instruct the SRCC to reconsider the permit.”

In early November, the Biddeford City Council voted unanimously to seek “guidance about the permit” from the Maine Attorney General’s office.

The AG’s office declined the city’s request for intervention, citing the fact that the city has its own legal counsel and that the attorney general’s office would likely represent the SRCC in any legal action.

“Municipalities rely on consistent, lawful application of state permitting standards,” said Biddeford Mayor Liam LaFountain.

“When a statutory buffer required by a prior permit is overlooked, it is essential for the matter to be properly reviewed,” LaFountain said. “Our goal is to ensure that decisions affecting the Saco River comply fully with applicable law and long-standing environmental protections.”

Donald Furman serves as Biddeford’s representative on the Saco River Corridor Commission.

Furman, an attorney, said he had “no knowledge” of the city’s complaint, which was filed nearly two weeks ago.

“This is news to me,” Furman said when contacted by the Gazette.

In the city’s complaint to the court, the University of New England is listed as an interested party.

UNE spokesperson Sarah Delage said the university “respectfully disagrees” with the city’s position.

Delage said the permit issued in 2001 for new dormitory building does not preclude the building of an access road within the 250-foot vegetative buffer along the river.

“It allows for development within that zone if the SRCC reviews the plan and finds that it adequately maintains appropriate vegetation levels,” Delage wrote in a statement to the media. “During the SRCC approval process for this project, the SRCC provided feedback on UNE’s re-vegetation plan. The project that was ultimately approved reflects that feedback.

Delage also said the university never claimed that the University would never propose any activity within the vegetative buffer.

“The research pier is an important educational and scientific asset that will support UNE’s marine science programs and contribute to environmental research benefiting our coastal community,” Delage wrote. “UNE is committed to responsible development and environmental stewardship of our waterfront campus.”

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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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UNE’s new dormitory plan approved

November 25, 2025 ~ Randy Seaver ~ 2 Comments

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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Biddeford convent could become college dorms

November 23, 2025November 23, 2025 ~ Randy Seaver ~ Leave a comment

The former St. Joseph’s Covent in Biddeford could soon become a new dormitory complex for students from the University of New England (UNE).

UNE purchased the property earlier this year. They are scheduled to present their plan before the Saco River Corridor Commission (SRCC) on Monday.

*The St. Joseph’s convent in Biddeford could soon become a college dormitory. (Seaver photo)*

The former convent is nestled less than 200-feet from a cove of the Saco River and is not visible from the road at 409 Pool Street.

The access road for the convent is located roughly 1-1/2 miles northwest of the university’s Biddeford campus.

UNE’s application has already drawn concerns from property abutters.

Carla Ouellette lives near the Pool Street property. She expressed concerns about the potential for a dramatic increase of noise and traffic if the property becomes housing for college students.

In her letter to the SRCC, Ouellette states that she has no animosity toward the university.

*The view of the Saco River from the parking area of St. Joseph’s convent*

“I am concerned that this project would have a significant negative impact on traffic safety, neighborhood quality of life, and the broader pattern of development within the Saco River Corridor,” Ouellette wrote.

“The Pool Street area already experiences heavy traffic, especially during commuting hours and when the university is in session.

“The use change and increased density at 409 Pool Street would likely increase vehicle congestion, create safety risks for pedestrians, cyclists, and school buses, and further strain a roadway system not designed to accommodate higher volumes.

“The resulting noise, traffic, and parking pressures would meaningfully alter the character of this quiet, residential and rural stretch of the corridor.”

In related news, Jim LaBelle has been appointed as a Biddeford member to the SRCC. LaBelle, the former executive director of the Biddeford-Saco Chamber of Commerce, recently lost his bid to become a city councilor representing Biddeford’s coastal neighborhoods.

LaBelle did not return our call as of press time.

Note: This story will be updated as more information becomes available.

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

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UNE students bring some holiday cheer downtown

November 16, 2025November 16, 2025 ~ Randy Seaver ~ Leave a comment

A group of roughly 30 students from the University of New England gathered downtown Sunday to help string holiday lights along Main Street.

This is not the first year that students have stepped forward to help with the annual holiday decorations. It is now part of an annual tradition that began in 2017, according to Delilah Poupore, executive director of the Heart of Biddeford.

*Mady Denault, a UNE sophomore, says volunteering downtown helps her feel more connected to the community. (Seaver photo)*

Over the past few days, other volunteers — from both La Kermesse and the Biddeford Cultural & Heritage Center — have placed holiday wreaths and bows on the lampposts lining Main and Lincoln streets.

When asked why they volunteer, many of the students said it just felt like a fun thing to do. “We are part of this community, and this downtown is also our downtown,” said Tighe Archambault from Pepperell, Massachusetts. “It feels good to give back to the community.”

*Students Ethan Case, Tighe Archambault and Brandon Leslie put the finishing touches on a tree in front of City Theater.*

Sophomore Mady Denault is studying dental hygiene at UNE. She said helping string strands of lights in downtown Biddeford makes her feel more connected to the community and a bit more excited about the upcoming holiday season.

*A group of nearly 30 volunteer students from the University of New England receive their marching orders from the Heart of Biddeford on Sunday.*

Back to the drawing board for UNE?

November 10, 2025November 10, 2025 ~ Randy Seaver ~ 1 Comment

City attorney finds new info, says UNE pier should go back to planning board

By RANDY SEAVER, Editor

Biddeford City Attorney Harry Center says that the Biddeford Planning Board should reconsider its prior approval of the University of New England’s controversial research pier.

Although the planning board narrowly approved the university’s proposal in August, Center now says the Planning Board should reconsider that approval based on new information that came to light a few weeks ago.

*An aerial view of where UNE wants to build its research pier (Courtesy photo)*

As first reported in the Biddeford Gazette, the Saco River Corridor Commission (SRCC) failed to consider a previous ruling that created a 250-foot, no-development, vegetative buffer zone on the university’s campus in 2001.

The SRCC described the error as “an oversight” and said nothing could be done to rectify that agency’s decision to approve the project last year.

Shortly after the Planning Board approved the controversial project, a group of residents filed an appeal with the Biddeford Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA).

The ZBA is expected to take up the matter at its next meeting on Thursday.

Center, representing the city’s Planning Board, filed a request Monday with the ZBA on behalf of the planning board and Biddeford’s planning department.

Center also discovered that the permit issued to UNE by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers may have expired.

“In the last 10 days, far too many
legal questions have been raised.”
— City Attorney Harry Center

A university spokesperson said the permit they received from the Army Corps is still in effect, and said the 250-foot no-development zone does not preclude appropriately permitted development.

Sarah Delage, vice president for communications at UNE, said the university received clarification from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in August that their permit remains in effect.

“The project was required to start prior to October 14, 2025, and the [Army Corps] has confirmed that the design and permitting process, which was underway well before that date, satisfies this condition.

Delage also said that “there is no inconsistency between UNE’s master plan –which was previously approved by the Biddeford Planning Board — and development within this buffer zone.

When asked about the legality of the SRCC’s permit, Delage said the SRCC’s executive director recently clarified that the approval remains valid and is neither under review nor in question at the SRCC office.

“The [SRCC] executive director sent her letter after consulting with the Maine Assistant Attorney General, who represents the SRCC,” Delage said.

“The university has carefully followed all legal and regulatory processes in permitting the project, and looks forward to continuing to do so,” she added.

Center said he has also researched prior versions of UNE’s master plan, and that those records reveal “that the University of New England’s master plan also references a 250-foot, no-development buffer.”

Red Flags Raised

Center said major red flags were then raised when Cheri Dunning, the executive director of the Saco River Corridor Commission (SRCC), wrote an unsolicited letter on October 20 to Roby Fecteau, Biddeford’s code enforcement officer.

In that letter to Fecteau, Dunning created the impression that the SRCC — while issuing UNE a permit for the pier — had deliberately overridden the 2001 order creating the buffer. She implied that present-day commissioners consciously intended to create new law. “The condition was created by, and thus can be altered by, the Commission,” she wrote.

Dunning specifically stated that the 2001 order was not discussed during the SRCC hearing. The current commissioners absolutely did not engage in any deliberative process to override the law created in 2001, according to the minutes from the August 2024 meeting.

Since the buffer was never even mentioned, the commissioners were flying blind, Center said.

“My legal analysis is that the order creating the 250-foot buffer remains in place, at least until the Attorney General’s office tells us that it has been rescinded by the commission,” Center said.

“The university has carefully followed
all legal and regulatory processes
in permitting the project, and
looks forward to continuing to do so.”
— Sarah Delage, UNE spokesperson

Center said the ZBA has the jurisdiction to send UNE’s application back to the planning board, and given all the new information that has surfaced, it should do so.

Furthermore, Center said the city may ask a judge to overrule the SRCC’s approval of a permit for UNE’s pier, and recent statements by Dunning that the 250-foot buffer and other SRCC decisions can be ignored by regulatory authorities.

“In the last 10 days, far too many legal questions have been raised,” he said.

Center said he has the full support of Mayor Martin Grohman and the Biddeford City Council to advise the ZBA as he did today.

Last week, the Biddeford City Council unanimously voted to seek clarification and guidance from the Maine Attorney General’s office regarding the 250-foot buffer zone.

The council’s resolution stated that the city “will withhold further permitting or authorization related to the proposed UNE pier to ensure full compliance with applicable state law.”

Center says he firmly stands by his previous legal advice on other issues related to UNE’s application.

“I have one duty, and that is to properly advise my client on legal issues at all times. New information has come to light, and I’ll continue to execute my professional responsibilities accordingly,” Center said.

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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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City will seek Attorney General’s advice about UNE pier

November 6, 2025November 6, 2025 ~ Randy Seaver ~ 2 Comments

By RANDY SEAVER, Editor

The Biddeford City Council voted unanimously Thursday to seek guidance from the Maine Attorney General’s office about a new wrinkle that was recently discovered in the University of New England’s proposal to build a large, research pier on the Saco River.

In order to build their pier, the university needed approvals from multiple agencies, including the Saco River Corridor Commission, a quasi-state agency that has jurisdiction regarding development along the length of the river’s shoreline.

The Saco River Corridor Commission (SRCC) approved UNE’s project on Sept. 13, 2024. Biddeford’s representative on the SRCC abstained from the vote.

As the Biddeford Gazette first reported in October, the SRCC’s approval appears to contradict an earlier decision by that same agency.

In 2001, the university agreed to the creation of a 250-foot buffer zone as a compromise to build two dormitory buildings that would exceed a 35-foot height limit.

The university’s current proposal requires the construction of an access road for the pier. That road needs to accommodate large trucks, including rescue vehicles. The road would cut through the 250-foot vegetative buffer.

When contacted by the Biddeford Gazette in October, the SRCC’s executive director said the contradiction was an oversight.

“It does appear that there was an omission of relevant information provided to the commissioners before last year’s vote,” said Cherie Dunning, the SRCC’s executive director.

Following the Gazette’s story — Just two weeks before local elections — several city councilors said they want the advice of the state attorney general before the city issues any construction permits for the project.

“We want to make sure that we have done our due diligence” said Council President Liam LaFountain during a previous interview.

LaFountain won his bid Tuesday to become the city’s next mayor. His core campaign message focused on transparency and accountability.

Thursday’s resolution passed without any discussion or comments by council members.

LaFountain and Councilor Marc Lessard tried unsuccessfully to have an agenda item about the university’s proposal discussed at the Oct. 21 council meeting,

Mayor Marty Grohman said he did not realize the item was not on the agenda for that meeting.

A portion of Thursday’s resolve reads as follows:

“Questions have arisen as to whether the SRCC’s Permit #20-491 approval is consistent with, or in conflict with the SRCC Permit #20-209, and whether the existence of a vegetative buffer zone may affect the legal validity of the current pier permit.”

“This situation has created uncertainty for the city, the university, and the public regarding the . . . the city’s obligations under state law.”

Sarah Delage, a university spokesperson, said the school “does not oppose the council’s pursuit of clarification from the AG’s office.”

The full text of the council’s resolution may be viewed or downloaded here:

UNE AG RESOLVE Download

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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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Residents sound off about UNE pier, mayor tries to rewrite history

October 23, 2025October 24, 2025 ~ Randy Seaver ~ 2 Comments

By RANDY SEAVER, editor

Biddeford Mayor Marty Grohman and members of the city council listened Thursday evening to several residents who raised concerns about how the city has handled its review of a controversial pier project that the University of New England wants to build on the Saco River.

Roughly 55 people attended Thursday’s special Citizens Grievance meeting, and more than a dozen of them took turns speaking at the podium about a wide array of concerns about the pier’s review process and its proposed location.

Although an appeal of the Biddeford Planning Board’s narrow approval will take place on November 13, the university’s plan has already been approved by the Maine Department of Environmental Protection, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Saco River Commission.

*Wade Goldthwait of Biddeford Pool tells the council that the city missed several opportunities for a better review process, (Seaver photo)*

One of the most notable complaints of the evening came from several people who said the city’s harbormaster should have been part of the review process.

In the moments before the meeting started, Mayor Grohman was circulating copies of letters that were sent to Biddeford’s harbormaster by former city manager James Bennett last year.

“It’s important that people understand I had nothing to do with removing the harbormaster from the review process,” said Grohman who is hoping voters will give him another term in the Nov. 5 election.

Although Grohman did not personally tell the harbormaster to step down, he consistently said he supported Bennett’s decision.

In a Saco Bay News interview with this reporter last year, Grohman said that Bennett made the right decision to remove the harbormaster.

“I think we have come a long way over the past few years,” Grohman said during that 2024 interview. “From where I sit, it appears to me that the university is more than willing to work with us. We all know that relationship has not always been smooth, but I am reasonably confident we can work together.”

Grohman was singing a much different tune on Thursday to a packed council chamber full of people upset about how the city has handled the review process. He nervously paced through the audience, handing out copies of Bennett’s letters and directives to Paul Lariviere, the city’s harbormaster.

In July 2024, as the city was scrambling to find a new harbormaster, Grohman said: “There’s really nothing in our ordinances about how to proceed in this situation. We have been put into a difficult position.”

University of New England Vice President Alan Thibault and the school’s senior attorney sat in the back row during the grievance meeting, quietly listening to some scathing citizen comments. They did not take notes.

After the meeting, Thibault declined an opportunity to comment about the meeting and the concerns raised.

Tensions and concerns run deep

The meeting was moderated by Craig Pendleton, a former commercial fisherman with deep ties to the community.

Although many residents expressed frustration about how the review process was handled, all the speakers spoke with civility and respect, following the basic guidelines that Pendleton laid out during his opening statement.

Wade Goldthwait, a highly respected resident and businessman in Biddeford Pool, said the harbormaster should have never been removed. “It’s too bad that it has come to this, it just breaks my heart.”

Carole Alexander, wife of the late Marshall Alexander, who was the city’s harbormaster for 37 years, said the current harbormaster was not “biased” against the university. “He was just doing his job,” she said. “Was he biased because he would not back down to an institution with deep pockets?

“The problem is not the pier,” she added. “The problem is its location.”

Steve Martin said the city’s charter is clear and that the harbormaster can only be removed by the city council, not the city manager. “This doesn’t sit right with me, and it doesn’t feel right.” he said.

“The problem is not the pier.
The problem is its location.”
— Carole Alexander

Capt. Shawn Tibbetts, who has owned his mooring on the Saco River for 14 years, said he will be directly impacted by the proposed pier location. “At least seven mooring owners will be impacted by this thing,” he said. “We have been ignored and removed all local knowledge from the process.”

Tibbetts pointed out that Randy Desmaris, Biddeford’s assistant harbormaster, or Saco’s harbormaster could have been tapped to review the project if the city felt that Lariviere was biased.

Resident Ken Buechs said he felt as if the city’s Planning Board was “coached by the city attorney to arrive at a pre-determined location.”

Joe Emmons of Biddeford said the council needs to learn how “to avoid this situation in the future.”

“How does this pier actually benefit the citizens of Biddeford?” he added.

“Now that we know that there is a 250-foot buffer zone that was overlooked, how can the city issue a permit,” asked Gary McMullen.

Emma Bouthillette, a former university student, said she was dismayed that the university seems indifferent to environmental impacts as they continue a course of more development and an increasing campus.

“I have seen several projects just pushed through,” she said. “They have impacted wetlands and critical habitats. This pier is another attempt to get what they want without regard for the environment.”

The meeting lasted a little more than an hour and the audience applauded when the meeting was concluded.

“I think people were pleased to have an opportunity to share their thoughts and concerns in a constructive manner,” Pendleton said.

Councilor Roger Beaupre said he was impressed by the tone and process of the meeting. “I had no idea what to expect,” he said. “But I think it was well organized and presented.”

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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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UNE pier approval tainted by glaring SRCC mistake

October 14, 2025October 15, 2025 ~ Randy Seaver ~ 7 Comments

Although the University of New England has cleared all the reviews and hurdles needed to begin construction of a large pier on the Saco River, the Saco River Corridor Commission (SRCC) has now admitted it made a crucial mistake while approving the university’s application in 2024.

The Saco River Corridor Commission (SRCC) voted in August 2024 to approve the university’s pier project, which includes construction of an access road that can accommodate large vehicles including fire/rescue trucks.

That access road, however, will be constructed within a 250-foot non-development “buffer” zone that was created by an agreement between the university and the SRCC in 2001.

Alan Thibeault, a UNE vice president, leads members of the planning board and the public through a wooded area where an access road will be built to accommodate the university’s planned research pier. (Seaver photo)

The agreement came as the result of a quid-pro-quo arrangement between the SRCC and the university, which allowed the university to build two new dormitories that would exceed a 35-foot height restriction.

In return for the height variance, the university agreed to create a 250-foot buffer zone along the river frontage on the school’s campus to protect the “environmentally sensitive” area.

Although the minutes of that June 2001 meeting shows no ambiguity on the matter, the SRCC today admits that the approval they granted last year did not take the previous agreement into consideration.

“It does appear that there was an omission of relevant information provided to the commissioners before last year’s vote,” said Cherie Dunning, the SRCC’s executive director.

Dunning said there is nothing that can be done today to fix the situation since a 30-day appeal window has come and gone.

Dunning added that her agency has been “overwhelmed” by the number of applications filed by the university over the last few years, describing the agency’s workload as an “administrative burden.”

The SRCC is a quasi-state agency with statutory control over all development along the Saco River.

“It does appear that there was an omission
of relevant information provided to the
commissioners before last year’s vote.”
— Cherie Dunning, SRCC exec. director

A group of commissioners is made up of representatives from all municipalities along the river. Don Furman, Biddeford’s representative on the SRCC, abstained from voting on UNE’s application in August 2024.

Ben Pinault, the commission chairperson, did not return our request for comment, as of press time.

For her part, Dunning said she and other staff are “working to prevent similar errors in the future.”

When asked if UNE’s permit should be revoked since new information has come to light, Dunning said there is nothing the SRCC can do about the past mistake, suggesting that the matter could be settled in the courts.

Sarah Delage, a UNE spokesperson, said the Saco River Corridor Commission did not impose a ‘no-build’ or ‘no construction’ zone within a 250-foot zone from the river.

Delage also said that Sandra Featherman – the university’s former president – “did not make any commitment that UNE would never seek to build a research pier on the Saco River.”

*Many members of the public have expressed concerns about the location of UNE’s proposed research pier (Seaver photo)*

However, the minutes of the July 2001 SRCC meeting clearly show that both UNE and the SRCC did work out an arrangement including the creation of the buffer zone so that the new dormitory buildings could be constructed.

These meeting minutes illustrate UNE’s unambiguous endorsement to achieve the same goal: environmental protection.

Featherman attended the July 2001 meeting in which several commissioners voiced strong support for the creation of a 250-foot buffer.

Featherman stated that “the University of New England has absolutely no plans to build within 250 feet of the river, and that the city as well as the university believe this buffer to be very sensitive and necessary for the protection of the river.”

From the SRCC’s 2001 meeting minutes: “The applicants are hereby required to retain and maintain a 250-foot-wide vegetative buffer along the entire shoreline of the property, measured horizontally starting from the mean high-water line and proceeding inland, described herein. Failure to do so will result in revocation [of the permit] and all subsequent amendments.’”

Also, Dunning left no doubt that the order issued by the Saco River Corridor Commission in 2001 is, in effect, state law, quoting the legislative act that created the Commission, she wrote, “Standards, rules and orders issued by the SRCC have the force and effect of law.’”

Local reaction to the SRCC’s error

The city of Biddeford now finds itself in a bewildering predicament, since UNE has not yet put a shovel in the ground and a building permit has not been issued.

Yet, city officials now know for certain that an SRCC order, which has the effect of state law, prohibits construction in the 250-foot buffer where the access road is supposed to be built.

Will the city continue to green light a project it knows to be illegal? The Gazette contacted Mayor Marty Grohman a week ago for comment, but he has still not responded.

The two candidates who are hoping to replace Grohman, however, responded quickly to our request for comment.

City Councilor Norman Belanger said he does “not want to be hasty with an opinion” until he has the opportunity to closely review the documents sent to him by the Biddeford Gazette.

“On its face, it does appear that the SRCC had imposed a 250-foot vegetation buffer,” Belanger said. “I believe, however, that the enforcement of this order would be within the purview of SRCC and not the city unless it was a formal party to the order.

“It is something that definitely deserves research and clarification along with an understanding of how it impacts the prior approvals for the pier,” he said.

“It is something that definitely
deserves research and clarification”
— City Councilor Norman Belanger

City Councilor Liam LaFountain said his “initial reaction was one of major concern.”

“Many residents have already expressed frustration about the pier review process, and I understand why,” LaFountain said.

LaFountain noted that a special citizens grievance meeting about the controversial pier project will be held next week at City Hall.

“Given the public’s interest in the integrity of the city’s regulatory review is extremely high, the [newly revealed] information raises serious questions,” LaFountain said.

LaFountain said that the city council is expected to take up the issue at its next regular meeting on Oct. 21.

“In my view, outreach to the SRCC and possibly the Attorney General’s office, for legal clarification, is necessary. If an SRCC order carries the force of law, the city has an obligation to understand the implications and ensure compliance. Biddeford must obey all laws.”

City solicitor Harry Center was asked to comment on this story last week. Center said he needs time to review all of the documents, including the SRCC minutes.

“Many residents have already expressed
frustration about the pier review
process, and I understand why,”
— City Councilor Liam LaFountain

An insider’s look at UNE’s ongoing development

Biddeford resident Matt Haas graduated from the University of New England in 2005 with a degree in organizational leadership.

Haas was also employed by the university for nearly 18 years and served as a public affairs liaison between the university and its residential Hills Beach neighbors.

In fact, Haas – a registered Maine Guide — said he did extensive work in the creation of the Institutional Zone that covers all of UNE’s Biddeford campus, a process that was guided and promoted by Featherman, the university’s former president.

“This whole process has been mishandled by both the city and the university,” he said. “There absolutely was and is a 250-foot buffer zone in place. This pier is in the wrong location and was approved as part of a mismanaged process.”

Haas is one of several Biddeford residents who are appealing the Biddeford Planning Board’s approval of the large research pier on August 6, 2025.

The Zoning Board of Appeals meeting is scheduled to take place on November 13.

Click here to view and/or download a PDF copy of the SRCC’s July 2001 meeting minutes:

Minutes SRCC July 11, 2001 Download

Note: This story will be updated as more information becomes available.

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

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OPINION | Biddeford’s disappearing coast

October 10, 2025October 10, 2025 ~ tommcpheeters ~ 1 Comment

By Thomas McPheeters, Contributing Writer

In our not-too-distant future, the coast of Maine will look nothing like it does today — fewer beaches, many houses and businesses displaced, roads and utilities either abandoned or relocated further inland.

That’s a certainty, according to Dr. Cameron Wake, a University of New England professor who served as the keynote speaker during Tuesday’s SOS Save Our Shores conference, which was held at the Ferry Beach Conference and Retreat Center.

The only variables, Wake said, are how much and how fast the Atlantic Ocean rises and how quickly we realize that our treasured coastal communities and waterfronts require immediate action.

The annual SOS Saco Bay conference, now in its fourth year, has historically focused on strategies to mitigate the impact of sea rise on beaches and nearby properties in Biddeford, Saco, Old Orchard Beach and Scarborough.

SOS Saco Bay was formed six years ago by citizens concerned with the beach erosion that has taken homes and roads in Camp Ellis — still an unrealized issue. The conference has grown steadily to become a major information source and a starting point for organizing coastal residents and owners.

Roughly, 175 people attended this year’s conference.

Over the last two years — since the devastating January 2024 storms — citizen groups have formed in Hills Beach, Biddeford Pool and around the health of the Pool itself.

The Biddeford Coastal Preservation Coalition (BCPC) continues to build chapters along the coast. The city of Biddeford’s Sustainability Committee is focusing more on coastal issues, as well.

“The University of New England has emerged
as a major source of support
for coastal communities”

Sea rise is generally associated with global warming, but Wake also pointed to glacier melting as the wild card. It is now clear that glaciers are melting at an accelerated rate, faster even than temperatures. Wake displayed graphics of Greenland and some of the ice shelves in Antarctica and explained how feedback loops of warming air and water lead to ever-increasing calving of icebergs that float away and melt.

The University of New England has emerged as a major source of support for coastal communities, finding ample research opportunities for faculty and students.

Research projects include a recently published report on beach and dune loss and an on-going study of changes to the tidal pool at Biddeford Pool. This year, dozens of UNE students attended the conference and displayed their research on posters. The university has a new master’s degree track for “climate change leadership.”

To be sure, many of the conference workshops were clearly focused on the short term — new ways and materials to rebuild dunes and arrest beach erosion, information on how other coastal communities have managed their shorelines; and successes in protecting shore bird migration at Maine’s beaches. New this year were discussions about retreat, the most realistic and most difficult of the long-term responses to sea rise.

No answers were offered.

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Tom McPheeters is a life-long lover of Maine and a year-round resident of nearly three years. After a journalism career or 25 years at three newspapers in Ohio and New York State, Tom spent the last 30 years as a community organizer and advocate in Albany, NY. He lives in Biddeford Pool.

The Biddeford Gazette welcomes commentary and feedback from our readers. To learn more, please CONTACT US

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Residents collect enough signatures to invoke a special meeting

September 25, 2025September 25, 2025 ~ Randy Seaver ~ 3 Comments

Members of a grassroots coalition that are pushing for a public airing of grievance meeting announced Thursday that they have collected far more than the 100-signatures of registered Biddeford voters they need in order invoke a “General Meeting of Citizens.”

“It really wasn’t hard to get the signatures,” said Carole Alexander, the wife of Biddeford’s former harbormaster, the late Marshall Alexander.

Carole Alexander spearheaded the effort to collect the signatures and force the public meeting regarding the University of New England’s planned research pier on the Saco River.

*Carole Alexander (right) drops off more than 100 signatures of registered voters to Biddeford City Manager Truc Dever (Seaver photo)*

Alexander told the Gazette she that became angry during the review process of UNE’s proposal, especially when University of New England officials publicly implied that her late husband supported the school’s desired location for their large research pier.

“They just made that up,” Alexander said. “Marshall never approved that site. They [the university] are just trying to cover their butts now because our current harbormaster also doesn’t approve of the site.”

In March 2024, former Biddeford City Manager Jim Bennett removed both the city’s current harbormaster and assistant harbormaster from the review process, stating that the harbormaster demonstrated bias and the city could face possible litigation from the university.

According to city ordinances, members of the public can petition the city council to host a public meeting that will be run by citizens while the mayor and members of the city council listen to the public’s concerns.

The rarely invoked “General Meeting of the Citizens” is allowed if 100 valid signatures are collected. The mechanics of a General Meeting require the city council to listen and not speak — as citizens fully air grievances about the topic at hand.

Former city councilor Kyle Noble, one of the most vocal opponents of UNE’s plan, said many residents — throughout the city — are concerned about what he described as a rushed public review process that “often seemed less than transparent.”

“This is not just a bunch of NIMBYs in the Hills Beach area,” Noble said. “We got signatures from across the city.”

John Schafer – another outspoken opponent of the pier’s proposed location and former chair of Biddeford’s Harbor Commission – said he was able to get dozens of signatures simply by talking to residents who were dropping off trash and recyclable materials at the city’s transfer station on Saturday.

“I was stunned by how many people were so eager and willing to sign the petition,” Shafer said.

“We could have collected a thousand signatures if we had to,” Noble said. “In all my years of public service, I can’t remember any issue galvanizing people like this one has.”

Alexander pointed out that her signatures were collected over a period of just four days. She delivered several sheets of signed petitions to City Manager Truc Dever on Thursday morning.

As of press time, it remains unclear when the airing of grievance meeting will take place.

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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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UNE pier opponents ramp up their efforts

September 16, 2025September 16, 2025 ~ Randy Seaver ~ 5 Comments

Even as the University of New England begins construction of its controversial research pier, opponents of the project are ramping up their own efforts and raising new concerns about how the City of Biddeford handled its review of the project.

A group of Biddeford residents are now circulating a petition to require the mayor and city council members to host a citizens’ grievance meeting.

*This aerial photo from UNE shows where the university is planning to construct its new research pier*

According to the city’s charter, any Biddeford resident can force the council to publicly hear their concerns during a meeting in which only the citizens are allowed to speak if they can collect at least 100 signatures from registered voters.

Carole Alexander is one of the key organizers of the proposed Citizen Grievance meeting.

Alexander is the wife of the late Marshall Alexander who served as the city’s harbor master for 37 years. She says her husband proposed an alternate location for UNE’s pier more than 10 years ago.

“I’m angry,” Alexander said. “The city has bungled the entire process and the truth has been distorted. First, they removed our harbormaster, and now they are going after a planning board member who raised concerns. It’s time for citizens to stand up.”

Alexander says she is more than confident that her group can collect more than 100 signatures in order to force the meeting.

Meanwhile, questions are now being raised about the law firm that the city hired to represent the Zoning Board of Appeals and some potential conflict of interest issues.

Following the Planning Board’s approval of the university’s pier project, John Schafer – one of the project’s most vocal opponents — filed an appeal of that decision with the city’s Zoning Board of Appeals.

Schafer said that he and several other residents are appealing the planning board’s decision because it hinges largely on one central point: whether the university’s plan required the expressed approval of a harbor master.

“All I can hope for is that the zoning board will send this item back to the planning board,” Schafer said. “The planning board got bad information about whether a harbormaster approved the project.”

During the planning board’s review of the proposed pier, City Attorney Harry Center repeatedly told the board that the project had been approved by a harbormaster.

This audio clip of a discussion between Planning Board Chair Alexa Plotkin and Center during one of the Planning Board’s meetings shows that the role and definition of the harbormaster was a central issue of the board’s review.

But Schafer and others point to the city’s own ordinances and say the private engineer who was hired to replace the city’s harbormaster does not meet the definition of a harbormaster from both city and state regulations.

According to city ordinances, a harbormaster must meet specific requirements to hold that title, including being a “city resident for no less than five years; must have five years of marine experience and must attend annual Maine Harbormasters Association training.”

Center, however, argues that the engineer hired by the city only needs to “facilitate” the review process and ensure that other local, state and federal agencies have approved the project.

But opponents say the city’s ordinances are crystal clear in what defines a ‘harbormaster’ and what his or her responsibilities are.

Section 74-35 of Biddeford’s ordinances reads: “Permission for the construction of any new wharf or pier within the jurisdictional limits of the city shall not be granted without approval of the Harbormaster, along with federal, state and local governing authorities.”

“The planning board never heard from an actual harbormaster,” Schafer said. “That’s a big oversight that needs to be addressed.”

More conflicts of interest?

Earlier this month, the city hired Archipelago Law, a small Portland-based law firm to represent the Zoning Board of Appeals.

Former city councilor Kyle Noble says that particular firm has several conflicts of interest issues because four of the firm’s 12 employees graduated from the University of New England’s Marine Sciences program.

Keith Richard, the attorney who will be representing the Zoning Board, refused to comment for this story.

Mayor Marty Grohman declined to comment on the matter because it is a pending legal issue for the city.

Council President Liam LaFountain also said he could not comment directly on the story, but did indicate that he is hoping to learn more about the firm and why they were chosen.

In an email response to Schafer, City Manager Truc Dever wrote: “While I cannot speak to your assertions regarding potential conflicts of interest, I will be looking into this in advance of the appeals hearing to ensure there is, in fact, no conflict.”

Next steps?

A UNE spokesperson said the university is currently searching for a contractor and has initiated a bid process for the project.

Sarah Delage, Associate Vice President of Communications, said an actual construction schedule has not yet been established and that the university will need a building permit from the city’s code enforcement officer.

“The total work can be done in six to eight months,” Delage said, pointing out that both the land portion of the project and the water portion can be done in phases, as opposed to concurrently.

Delage said the university has not reached out to mooring owners who may be impacted by the project, saying that responsibility rests with city officials.

Delage also said the university will periodically update construction information on the school’s website.

The Zoning Board of Appeals hearing has been set for October 9 and residents who are now gathering signatures for a Grievance meeting with the council say they expect to have more than the required number of signatures they need within a few days.

Editor’s Note: A copy of the citizens petition may be viewed or downloaded using the link below:

General Meeting Download

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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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City gives final approval for UNE’s pier proposal

August 6, 2025August 7, 2025 ~ Randy Seaver ~ 5 Comments

The Biddeford Planning Board voted 3-2 Wednesday to give final approval for the University of New England’s controversial proposal to build a research pier on the Saco River in front of their Biddeford campus.

The board’s decision caps off almost two years of a somewhat complex regulatory review process that included both state and federal agencies.

UNE has now cleared the final hurdle of the review process, which allows them to begin applying for the necessary construction permits.

The university has indicated that they are hoping to begin construction in the fall.

*A frustrated group of residents and mooring owners watch as the Biddeford Planning Board deliberated whether to give final approval for the University of New England’s research pier. (Seaver photo)*

Once again, tensions were high as the board deliberated their final review of the project.

The board’s decision was not well received by several members of the public who attended the meeting to speak against the project.

The planning board has seven-members, including board chair Alexa Plotkin and two non-voting members.

Planning Board members Susan Deschambault and Larry Patoine voted in favor of the proposal, while members Roch Angers and Matt Dubois voted against the proposal.

Plotkin broke the tie, voting in favor of the application and also voted against an earlier motion to table review of the university’s application.

Opponents feel frustrated, ignored

Several residents and others approached the podium to express their concerns about the proposal.

A common theme heard from opponents were several complaints about the former city manager’s decision to remove both the city’s harbormaster and assistant harbormaster from the review process of the university’s proposal.

RELATED: City manager quashes harbormaster

Gary MacMullen told the board that he had a good and close relationship with the late Marshall Alexander who served 37 years as the city’s harbormaster and resigned a few years ago because of health concerns.

“There is so much value and so much to be said regarding the importance of local knowledge,” MacMullen told the board. “Out-of-town engineers are great, but they lack specific, local knowledge about the intricacies of the Saco River.”

MacMullen described the person selected by the city to provide harbormaster review of the proposal is a “railroad engineer,” not familiar with the Saco River.

“When I have a problem with my neck, I don’t go see a podiatrist,” MacMullen said.

City Attorney Harry Center, however, strenuously objected to the term of “railroad engineer” as both inaccurate and misleading.

Center, clearly frustrated, told the board he was tired of hearing remarks that the city’s harbormaster was replaced by a “railroad engineer.”

Center reminded the board that TEC Associates – based in South Portland — is an experienced, professional engineering consulting firm that also has a division, which offers marine structural consulting services.

“This issue has become a red herring,” Center told the board. “It is a fake argument.”

Feeling abused and ignored

Capt. Shawn Tibbetts, and other mooring owners who will be impacted by the pier, attended Wednesday’s meeting.

“Not only have you sidelined the benefits of local knowledge, but we are also being ignored,” Tibbets told the board. “The harbormaster has been silenced by the city, but the city is also ignoring those of us who make our living on the water.”

RELATED: Mooring owners say they will not budge

Biddeford resident Matt Haas said no one in the city should be worried about whether the university will file a lawsuit if the proposal were to be denied.

“That’s not your concern,” Haas told the board. “Your job is to make sure you are representing the city and its people.”

Hills Beach resident Chris Stone lives not far from the university’s campus.

“We need to stop treating this like a slam dunk,” she said. “I do feel bad for this board, however. You are the only ones who have given this any daylight.”

Walter Alexander said the entire review process was flawed.

“I feel bad for you guys,” Alexander said. “This should have started at the city council level. You guys have been drastically misguided.”

Alternate board member Kayla Lewis said she feels torn on this issue, saying the city’s own ordinances on the subject are less than clear. “I understand why people are upset, but I also feel the university did all the right things in submitting their application.

“This should have started
at the city council level.
You guys have been drastically
misguided.”
— Walter Alexander

Lewis urged residents to consider working with the planning board and the city’s policy committee to help update and clarify the ordinances. “Please keep engaging with us,” she said.

Following the meeting, a UNE spokesperson said they we were pleased by the final vote.

“This was a challenging process, and we appreciate the planning board’s careful consideration of UNE’s application and adherence to the city’s ordinances,” said Sarah Delage, associate vice president of communications. “We look forward to moving ahead with the next phase of the project.”

Note: An earlier version of this story mistakenly identified Gary MacMullen as Gary Plamondon. It was a reporting error, and we apologize for any confusion.

___________

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

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Planning board member blasts mayor, city council over UNE proposal: ‘something feels fishy’

August 6, 2025August 6, 2025 ~ Randy Seaver ~ 3 Comments

In a surprise move, Roch Angers — a former Biddeford city councilor and current member of the city’s planning board – told members of the city council Tuesday that he has serious concerns about the University of New England’s plans to construct a large pier on the Saco River.

“Something about this whole mess doesn’t feel right to me,” Angers told the council. “The way I see it, something seems fishy about this.”

The Biddeford Planning Board voted 3-2 on July 16 to give UNE preliminary site plan approval for their proposed pier, a project that has stirred considerable controversy in the community.

The Planning Board is scheduled to make a final vote on the project at their next meeting later tonight (August 6).

Angers is one of two planning board members who voted against the project during the board’s July 21 meeting.

Although the city council and mayor have no oversight or control over the Planning Board, Angers told the Gazette he thinks everyone should “be made aware of what is happening.”

Planning Board member Roch Angers told the Biddeford City Council that he has serious concerns about how the city has handled the review process of UNE’s controversial proposal to build a large pier on the Saco River *(Seaver photo*)

Angers addressed the council during the “public comment” portion of Tuesday’s council meeting. During this time, members of the public can address the council on any topic for up to three minutes.

Following his remarks, Angers said he was still feeling frustrated about the issue, especially after Mayor Marty Grohman told Angers that he had exceeded his three-minute limit for public comment.

“I couldn’t finish what I wanted to say,” he said while standing outside the council chambers.

Angers says he has no animosity toward the university, but does have “serious concerns” about how the application has been handled by the city.

“There are rules, laws and procedures we have to follow,” Angers said. “We can’t just pick and choose the ordinances or laws that we want to follow.”

Angers said he is going to make a motion during tonight’s planning board meeting to table further discussion of the university’s proposal until he “can get some answers.”

Specifically, Angers said he is troubled by a noticeable lack of public input during a complex review process that involved both state and federal agencies.

“Why was everything so quiet during their presentation to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers?” he asked, pointing out the fact that the federal agency did not hold any public hearings nor seek public input, despite the fact that university was able to secure a $3.5 million federal grant for the project from Senator Susan Collins.

We can’t just pick and choose
the ordinances or laws
that we want to follow.”
— Roch Angers

Angers said the Maine Department of Environmental Protection also gave its approval for the project without holding any public hearings, nor did they seek public input before making their decision.

During a previous interview with the Gazette, a UNE spokesperson said the university has followed all state, federal and local requirements when submitting their application.

“The University of New England has provided, and will continue to provide, all required and relevant documentation to the regulatory agencies and governmental bodies conducting the permitting process for our proposed research pier, said Sarah Delage, assistant vice president of communications.

During his commentary before the council, Angers also criticized former city manager James Bennett for removing both the city’s harbormaster and assistant harbor master from the review process of UNE’s application last year.

“Well, lo, and behold, he [Bennett] then appointed a railroad engineer with no local knowledge of the river to approve the plan,” Angers said.

Angers declined to speculate if he will be able to find support from his fellow planning board members to table the university’s application.

“I just did what I thought needed to be done,” Angers said. “The people of Biddeford need to know how the city is handling this affair.”

Angers said he was not able to complete his remarks, but offered a strong suggestion for Mayor Marty Grohman and members of the council.

“If this passes at the Planning Board, the mayor and city council should take a hard look at this project and ask themselves if they think everything is on the up and up,” Angers said. “All that matters to me is that we have transparency and a willingness to consider the impacts on mooring owners and other people in that area.”

“We’ll see how it goes tomorrow,” he said. “This is just my opinion.”

_____________

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

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Mooring owners to mayor: ‘We’re not budging’

July 31, 2025October 23, 2025 ~ Randy Seaver ~ 1 Comment

A stalemate is brewing on the Saco River.

Several private mooring owners in Biddeford say they are being ignored by city leaders and will not move their moorings on the Saco River to accommodate the University of New England’s proposal to build a new pier for its research vessel.

The university’s proposal was given preliminary approval from the Biddeford Planning Board on July 16. The issue is scheduled to appear back before the board for final approval on Wednesday, August 6.

The proposed pier would extend from UNE’s riverfront Biddeford campus toward the center of the river near the mouth of Saco Bay. The pier is designed to be roughly 130-foot-long with an 80 by 23-foot pier head section, a floating dock and gangway.

The pier’s location would displace at least two private moorings. But Paul Lariviere, the city’s harbormaster, says the university’s proposal would also adversely impact at least five other private moorings.

*A view from the Saco side of the river where UNE wants to construct a large pier.*

The mooring owners say they are frustrated and feeling as if they are being steamrolled by the city and other regulatory agencies.

“Nobody – no one – has talked to us about the impacts we’re going to be facing,” said Capt. Shawn Tibbetts, a commercial fisherman who has owned his mooring on the Saco River for 14 years. “No one will return my calls. No one is answering my questions or telling me what my next steps should be.”

Tibbets and others say they have tried contacting Mayor Marty Grohman, city officials including the former city manager and planning department personnel.

“We even called Senator [Susan] Collins’ office, and no one has even returned our calls,” Tibbets said.

Last week Tibbets and other mooring owners distributed a press release, essentially informing the city and the university that they will not move their mooring locations.

Biddeford Mayor Marty Grohman refused to answer any questions about the mooring owners who could be impacted by the university’s proposal.

Grohman sent the Gazette a terse email statement on Thursday.

“Based on the advice of the City Solicitor, Harry B. Center, I cannot respond to your question at this time,” Grohman wrote. “There is a pending application before the Planning Board. Following any final determination, the city will act in accordance with the law with regard to any subsequent steps.”

The university has indicated that they would like to begin construction of the new pier later this year, but it remains unclear about how they can proceed if the impacted moorings are not relocated.

Lariviere told the Gazette that he is the only person legally authorized to relocate moorings issued by the city of Biddeford. Lariviere also said he understands the concerns of the mooring owners and that he will not remove or relocate those moorings.

“There is no legal basis to remove those moorings,” Lariviere said, pointing to city ordinances, state law and long-standing maritime rules that have been in place for nearly 300 years.

“Unless the annual fees are not paid, or if the mooring is in disrepair; or preventing public access for fishing, fowling and navigation, my hands are tied,” Lariviere said. “I don’t care what the city manager says. I don’t report to the city manager. I report to the city council.”

AN ABSENCE OF LEADERSHIP?

The mooring stalemate comes at a time when new city manager Truc Dever is expected to begin her work on August 11; and while several city council and mayoral candidates are beginning their bi annual political campaigns.

Former city manager James Bennett – who is now suing the city – removed Lariviere from the review process of UNE’s proposal last year. At the time, Bennett said Lariviere was biased against UNE and that the city could face litigation if the pier proposal was denied.

RELATED: City manager quashes harbormaster

“This whole thing has become a big cluster,” said John Shaefer, the former chair of Biddeford’s harbor commission. “Much of this would not be an issue and could have been resolved if city leaders had just stuck to a review process that is based in transparency and public engagement.”

Shafer said he was pleased by how the Planning Board has handled its review of the proposal.

“They [the planning board] did an awesome job,” Shafer said. “I was not happy with their decision, but they did an awfully good job and provided plenty of opportunity for public input.”

Shafer, however, also said he believes that the mayor has missed an opportunity to “be a leader and to advocate for all citizens.”

“In May, the mayor told me he doesn’t have the authority to change what sodas are available from the soda machine at City Hall,” Shafer said. “He is either too afraid or unable to lead.”

He [Mayor Grohman] is either
too afraid or unable to lead.”
— John Schafer

A spokesperson for the university said it would not be appropriate for the university to comment on a matter regarding city policies and procedures.

“[We are] aware of two moorings that would need to be relocated if the pier is approved,” said Sarah Delage, associate vice president of communications for the university.

Delage said university officials met with the owners of one of the moorings in August 2024 but have not met with the owner of the second mooring because they have not been able to confirm that individual’s identity with any official information from the city.

“If the project is approved, the relocation of the impacted moorings would be the city’s responsibility, and it would not be appropriate for the university to speak on the city’s behalf about that process,” Delage added.

Lariviere said there is currently a list of more than 15 people waiting for an appropriate mooring location. “Even if I was willing to move them, where would I put them?” he asked.

Tom Hatch is a mooring owner who would be directly impacted by UNE’s proposal.

“Moving a mooring is not as easy as it might look,” Hatch explained. “Different vessels need different moorings. The size of the vessel, tide changes and many other factors impact moorings.”

Hatch also said he is frustrated by a lack of communication from the city. “We are being left in the dark,” he said.

Hatch owns a 29-foot vessel that requires a mooring location with a 65-foot diameter. He has owned his current mooring for a little more than four years. “Nobody from the city has reached out to me,” he said. “Nobody seems to care.”

________

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

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Tensions in Biddeford increasing

July 8, 2025 ~ Randy Seaver ~ Leave a comment

A number of elected and appointed officials in Biddeford are now expressing increasing frustration about how the city is handling some large development projects, including an affordable housing development in downtown and a large-scale research pier being proposed by the University of New England.

This short video clip was distributed Tuesday as part of a press release by a Facebook group called UNE Pier Review.

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

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Planning board hits pause button on UNE pier

June 18, 2025June 18, 2025 ~ Randy Seaver ~ Leave a comment

Following more than an hour of impassioned public testimony, the Biddeford Planning Board voted unanimously Wednesday to table further review of UNE’s controversial pier proposal until all board members can participate in a site walk.

Although the Planning Board conducted a site walk at the university on June 9, board member Roch Angers was unable to attend. Alternate, non-voting board members Kayla Lewis and Stephen Beaudette were also not able to attend the prior site walk.

*A large crowd turned out Wednesday to hear about and comment upon UNE’s controversial pier proposal during a Planning Board Meeting* *(Seaver photo)*

Unlike the planning board’s previous meeting in May – in which all public comment came from those concerned with the pier’s planned location — a half dozen people – mostly UNE students, staff, faculty and board trustees – spoke in favor of the proposal.

But residents concerned about the impacts of the project still outnumbered supporters by more than a 2-1 margin.

“It seems that this review process has somehow morphed into a PR event for the university,” quipped Chris Stone, a Hills Beach resident.

City Attorney Harry Center has been providing the board with legal advice and updates regarding relevant criteria for their ongoing consideration of the proposal.

Center has previously told the board that issues such as water depth and river current are not relevant factors for the board’s consideration.

Despite questions from some community members about why the city’s former city manager sidelined the city’s harbormaster – Paul Lariviere – from review of the project last year, Center still defends that decision, saying the harbormaster was clearly biased against the university.

Center also maintains that the city has been in full compliance within its own ordinances even though the person hired to review UNE’s application is not a trained or certified harbor master.

In fact, in a June 11 memo to the planning board, Center points out that it was John Schaeffer – the former chair of the city’s harbor commission – who suggested the ordinance should be updated almost two years ago.

Schaeffer has been an outspoken critic of UNE’s proposal and resigned his seat from the harbor commission last year, citing concerns about transparency and government process.

Although the person who the city hired to ‘sign-off’ on UNE’s application is not a trained harbormaster, Center says that fact is irrelevant, especially since the city updated the ordinance at Schaeffer’s request in 2023.

Impassioned testimony from both sides

Although not relevant to the planning board’s criteria for approval, several people told the Planning Board that the university provides the city with numerous benefits and the proposed pier will only augment those benefits.

Tim Black, a retired federal judge who became a full time Biddeford Pool resident three years ago, told the board that they should listen to and follow [Center’s] advice.

“We have learned that power dictates
the outcome. Powerful, well-connected
interests are always able to get their way.”
— Richard Rhames

“UNE is one of the top-10 institutions in the United States for marine research,” Black said. “They also provide a substantial economic impact and benefit to the city of Biddeford. The moment is upon us.”

Nearly all those who raised concerns about the proposal shared a common message with the planning board.

“A lot of this has been examples in misdirection and obfuscation,” said Mike Gerstner of Biddeford. “We all agree that UNE should have a pier, our only issue is where that pier should be located.”

Skip Irving said he is a member of the university’s board of trustees. “I cannot simply stand by and listen to the rhetoric,” he said. “Our mission is to train students for important work that is critical to our future.”

*UNE Assistant Professor Will Kochtitzky told the planning board that UNE offers several tangible benefits to the city and that their pier proposal should be approved. (Seaver photo)*

Former city councilor Richard Rhames told the board that they should consider how much work volunteers put into serving on subordinate boards and committees.

“These volunteers, these people with no real power, are often ignored or worse,” Rhames said. “We have learned that power dictates the outcome. Powerful, well-connected interests are always able to get their way.”

Another resident said the pier controversy reminded him of a prior Planning Board’s decision to locate the MERC trash incinerator in downtown Biddeford nearly 40 years ago.

UNE Marine Sciences professor Will Kochtitzky told the board that “our world is constantly changing, and we owe it to our students to be prepared for the future by giving them the ability to conduct year-round critical research regarding marine ecosystems.”

Kochtitzky – who moved to Biddeford three years ago — also told the board that he is frustrated and angry about some of the “rhetoric” he has heard and read about from those who want to see the pier built in a different location, approximately 200 feet downriver.

“We cannot afford to let a toxic political climate trickle down from Washington and impact Biddeford,” he added.

Carol Alexander told the board: “The pier is not the problem. Its proposed location is the problem. This will affect and impact future generations.”

*Former UNE student Mike Ramunno told the board that he will be adversely impacted if UNE is allowed to build its pier in their preferred location (Seaver photo)*

Mike Ramunno, a former UNE student and nearby mooring owner, said he doesn’t know anyone opposed to the idea of UNE building a new pier. He reiterated a common theme: “It’s about the location,” he said. “UNE simply cares about the aesthetic appeal of this.”

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

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