http://blog.biddefordsacooobcourier.comQuick Bloghttp://blog.biddefordsacooobcourier.com/2008/07/17/biddeford-officials-question-multiple-staff-requests-july-17-2008.aspxStaff Writer
One Biddeford city councilor has raised the ire of his fellow municipal officers by broaching multiple issues with department heads and during council meetings. Ward 5 Councilor Bob Mills denied allegations he has been “wearing the staff out” with requests.
“I don’t make requests of my own accord, they are from the community,” he said. “It’s totally unfounded.”
Mills said issues he has requested information about have been around “for a number of years,” prior to his election to city council. During the July 1 council meeting, he was pursuing a crosswalk by Books Revisited on Main Street requested by building owner Harold Hanson. Initial inquiries about a crosswalk implied it could be done, but further research into the area and handicapped accessibility decreased the feasibility of the plan, City Manager John Bubier said. He said several options, including a handicapped parking space in front of the building and additional parking on Hill Street, were presented as an alternative to a crosswalk. Bubier said if a crosswalk were installed, it could cost up to $10,000 after the curb cuts and island cuts.
“If it was simply a matter of painting it, it would be done,” Bubier said.
Mills said he was upset because he had told Hanson the crosswalk would not be a problem based on conversation with Police Chief Roger Beaupre, who suggested a temporary sidewalk in the area. Bubier said because of handicapped accessibility, a temporary option is not available.
Mills defended his requests to department heads, citing other councilors often make requests as well.
“We overall are concerned about our constituents and we go about it in our own ways,” Mills said.
In a series of emails obtained by the Courier, several councilors and Mayor Joanne Twomey discussed Mills’ behavior during the July 1 regular council meeting. In an email dated July 2, Twomey wrote she “should have gaveled [Mills] out of order.”
“Councilor Mills will not get away with this behavior,” she wrote in the email. “This is turning into a daily occurrence and he is causing department heads extra work and frustration. This council needs to take some sort of action, if the council president does not.”
Twomey suggested Mills was seeking publicity for a position in the judge of probate office he is seeking during November’s election.
“Censure, or other methods could be used if this intolerable behavior does not stop,” she wrote.
Reacting to the email comments, Mills said he “was amazed that the mayor said that.”
Council President Pete Lamontagne said residents who elected Mills did so because of his style and said he would not support censure as an option.
“Censuring is big stuff; he can’t say anything. He didn’t do anything bad enough. He was stating his opinion and I value his opinion,” Lamontagne said. “Long story short, I reviewed the tape four times and I didn’t see much.”
He said he spoke with department heads about Mills’ requests and asked if it created additional work.
“They honor his requests and it does require a little extra work, but no heavy stuff,” Lamontagne said. “They were generally all OK with him. I owed that to the mayor to go around and talk to department heads. I will be bringing it up in executive session, that way other councilors can chime in and hopefully we can put this to bed.”
He said Mills has consulted him in the past when [Mills] thought he made a mistake or was “in trouble.”
“I’ve always liked his method of delivery and approved,” Lamontagne said of Mills. “I’m not going to reign him in as they want me to.”
Bubier, who was the target of Mills’ upset about the crosswalk during the July 1 meeting, said he has worked with Mills in the past on multiple issues.
“He tries very hard and gets involved with a number of things,” he said. “But sometimes something simple isn’t simple.”
Bubier said it is the staff’s job to present upsides and downsides of issues to the council.

]]>BiddefordStephanie GrinnellCity CouncilCourier Editor2008-07-17T11:10:12Zhttp://blog.biddefordsacooobcourier.com/2008/07/17/oob-councilor-not-happy-with-budget-process-july-17-2008.aspxStaff Writer
Old Orchard Beach Town Councilor Robin Dayton is not pleased with the way the budget process played out this year and said she doesn’t feel proper procedures were followed.
“It’s all about process. If you use a good process, you end up with a good result,” she said.
Dayton said the town budget was tied to the school budget validation referendum and the ballot question regarding The Ballpark, but said the town council never reviewed scenarios with alternatives based on the passage or failure of the school budget or Ballpark questions.  
“Our upsets may not have been the same, but we were all upset,” Dayton said of the councilors’ response to the June 10 vote. “We are a split council and that makes it hard. It puts more emphasis on the differences than the commonalities.”
Dayton also expressed concern about receiving incomplete information.
“We never had a good conversation about revenues,” she said. “We never had a workshop to talk about the tax increase.”
Dayton said standard rules were not adhered to during the budget process.
“When you look at the whole thing, at a lot of different points, we didn’t follow our own rules,” she said.
Dayton said in Old Orchard Beach, the town manager works for the town council and the remainder of town government works for the town manager — concluding direction for a tax increase would have to come from the town council or manager. She said she spoke with Town Manager Stephen Gunty, who told her he did not direct Finance Director Jill Eastman to include a tax increase in the budget. Gunty could not be reached at press time.
“So where did the direction come from?” she asked. “That’s all I wanted to accomplish on [June] 24, to talk about the tax increase. I don’t care if you’re for or against it, but nobody had a chance to speak.”
Town councilors were scheduled to approve the budget June 24 but due to the absence of Councilor Shawn O’Neill, the remaining four councilors deadlocked and rescheduled another meeting for June 26 to address the budget. Dayton noted during the June 24 meeting, residents in attendance raised their hands with the intent of addressing the town council, but were not recognized by Chairman James Long.
Long said there were two reasons he did not recognize residents during the meeting.
“The issue was, we were having difficulty getting the budget passed and the councilors positions were not going to change,” Long said. “Also, once there is a second and a motion, [discussion] is council only.”
During the same meeting, Dayton said she requested a projector for a PowerPoint presentation regarding the tax increase, but said Long wouldn’t allow the presentation because he said it was not on the agenda.
“The argument from the chair[man] was that it was not on the agenda, but there was a public works PowerPoint presentation that was not on the agenda,” Dayton said. “I think I was held to a stricter standard than necessary.”
Long said any councilor has the right to add an agenda item, as late as the start of the meeting with an “emergency item” motion. He said he was not aware of Dayton’s projector request until that evening.
“The council always has the discretion to change the agenda,” he said, adding it is helpful to know before the meeting what information will be presented to allow councilors to be familiar with the subject.
Long said he is confident all rules were followed relating to the budget. He said the amount of information presented to councilors can be overwhelming and councilors arrive at meetings with varying degrees of preparation.
“The entire process was very open and very detailed,” he said.
However, Town Councilor Sharri MacDonald shared Dayton’s discontent with the budget process.
“I thought it was a rough year for the council,” she said. “I wasn’t happy when the town manager was not allowed to speak.”
MacDonald was referring to the June 26 meeting, when Long refused to recognize Gunty, who was hired part-way through the budget process, after former Town Manager Jim Thomas resigned before accepting another position.
Dayton said she would have liked to hear the other four councilors thoughts on the budget and said she thinks next year’s budget process will be smoother, with Gunty included through the entire process.
“I understand a lot of what happened,” she said. “The chairman was trying to do good, he always does. But I think he overstepped his bounds.”
She noted the town council chairman does not have administrative powers according to the town charter.
Dayton’s analysis of the past three years of information regarding the undesignated fund, with zero tax increase, showed Old Orchard Beach residents “have been overtaxed and underserved.” Dayton said the approved 5 percent tax increase could have been covered by the undesignated fund, rather than being passed on to taxpayers, without endangering the emergency account. She said spending from the undesignated account for the past three years averaged more than $860,000. Dayton said the average expenditures from the undesignated fund balance is nearly equal to the amount of the tax increase.
“That amount is approximately $1,800 short of what we could have used to avoid the tax increase,” she said.
Old Orchard Beach councilors approved a more than $14 million municipal budget June 26, a less than 2 percent increase from last year’s actual expenditures. The tax increase was the result of decreased state funding for education, adding nearly $600,000 to the total budget, Long said. Voter approved bonds for capital improvements added to the budget increase, he said. This year’s mil rate was set at $13.06 per thousand of valuation compared to last year’s rate of $12.56.
Dayton said there was no motion or documentation of the tax increase prior to the June 26 meeting.
“We were asked to vote on a motion with no backup documentation. That number never was available to me,” she said.
Dayton and MacDonald agreed this year was not one for a tax increase.
“We’ll hear about it when people open their tax bills,” Dayton said.
“I don’t think we can afford to increase taxes. I think we should have tightened our belts,” MacDonald said. “It’s hard for me to raise taxes in a recession. We need to be responsible for today and right now people can’t afford a tax increase.”
MacDonald said she has heard from residents who were happy with her vote against budget approval. The final vote on the budget saw only Dayton and MacDonald against approval.
“People are appreciative I voted against it and they know why I did,” she said. “They are appreciative we took a stand. People said they couldn’t afford their taxes now, and then we raised them. I just don’t think this was the year.”
MacDonald said there are more pressing issues that need to be addressed, such as potholes and sidewalks. She said she hopes more people will become involved with local government in the future and encourages contact from residents with concerns.
O’Neill and Councilor Roxanne Frenette could not be reached at press time.

]]>Old Orchard BeachStephanie GrinnellBudgetCourier Editor2008-07-17T11:09:09Zhttp://blog.biddefordsacooobcourier.com/2008/07/17/counting-the-rings-on-wood-island-lighthouse-july-17-2008.aspxStaff Writer
Pounded by hurricane strength winds and sea spray, witness to a murder-suicide and a rescue, home to many keepers, possibly a ghost and one special dog, Wood Island Lighthouse is celebrating its 200th birthday this summer.
The birthday will not be celebrated with a specific event because Friends of Wood Island Lighthouse historian Sheri Poftak said there is no clear date when the lighthouse off the shores of Biddeford Pool was dedicated. She said the group estimated this year to be the 200th birthday of the structure using the knowledge it was definitely in service by 1808. She said research shows the original lighthouse was constructed of wood and lasted only a few years before being replaced with a stone tower in 1838. Recently, a local stone cutting family revealed the stone for the tower construction came from Pioneer Quarry in Biddeford, Poftak said.
More changes arrived on Wood Island in 1858, when the beacon in the lighthouse was switched from lanterns to a Fresnel lens. Poftak said all lighthouses were taken over by the Coast Guard in 1939, including Wood Island. When this happened, lighthouse keepers had a choice, they could give up their jobs or receive Coast Guard training, Poftak said. Wood Island keeper Earl Benson chose to join the Coast Guard.
“So it was a smooth transition for Wood Island,” she said.
In the late 1980s, the Coast Guard realized they could not manage all of the lighthouses and turned them over to nonprofit organizations. Friends of Wood Island Lighthouse was established in 2003 and the lighthouse had not been manned since 1986, Poftak said. Since its inception, Friends of Wood Island Lighthouse have made repairs to the half-mile-long boardwalk to the house, replaced the timbers in the boat ramp, replaced the porch roof, re-roofed the well cover, replaced flashing between the tower and building, replaced the lightning cord and repaired the missing bulkhead to the basement of the keeper’s house. Poftak said Friends of Wood Island Lighthouse is currently working on repairs to the boathouse.
“All of this sounds like small potatoes,” she said. “But it’s big potatoes.”
Poftak explained the repairs have been preventative, so damage to the house and lighthouse will not worsen. She said a railing was added during the winter to the spiral staircase leading to the top of the tower to increase safety. Repairs are funded through donations and annual fundraisers as well as sales of merchandise on Friends of Wood Island Lighthouse’s Web site.
There are many well-publicized stories about the lighthouse and events on the island, some tragic and others humorous, Poftak said. In the tragic category are a murder and suicide, which was reported in the “Biddeford Daily Journal” on June 2, 1896. The story, which can be found in full at www.woodislandlighthouse.org, reports after a day of drinking, Howard Hobbs shot and killed Frederick W. Milliken, a game warden and special officer stationed on Wood Island. According to the story, Hobbs was not keeping up with rent payments and after he shot Milliken, he returned home and took his own life.
Another tragedy was averted with the rescue of 2-year-old Tammy Burnham, daughter of keeper Laurier Burnham, when she became severely ill on the island during a storm. The Coast Guard boat sent to bring her to shore for medical attention capsized in the rough surf and Tammy and her rescuers were thrown overboard, to be recovered by Laurier Burnham in a “peapod” boat. Details of the story of Tammy Burnham may be found on the Web site and local author Margo Alley released a book about the ordeal earlier this year entitled “Wood Island Lighthouse, The Rescue of Tammy Burnham.”
Another well-known occupant of Wood Island Lighthouse was Sailor, a dog who mastered the fog bell and would salute passing ships by pulling a rope attached to the bell, Poftak said.
“Everybody loved him,” she said.
It is possible there are other residents on the island who are in spirit form, as evidenced by two paranormal investigations in recent years, Poftak said, adding paranormal investigators captured several photos in the basement of the lighthouse showing a progression from an orb to a woman’s face to a whole body. The photos, property of investigators, have not been published.
Since the investigation, Poftak said she has had several experiences that have led her to believe there is a presence on the island, such as open doors with no explanation and a knocked over table inside the empty house. Friends of Wood Island Lighthouse member Caryn Firebaugh said the house is not drafty, removing wind as a possible culprit. Both Poftak and Firebaugh attended the paranormal investigation sessions.
“I think all lighthouses have stories,” Firebaugh said. “But there is something special about walking that boardwalk.”
Firebaugh said she can appreciate how much work it must have been to live on the island, when everything had to be carried nearly a half mile to the keeper’s house. She said past keepers have pointed out vegetation she would never have known was there.
“I think those keepers knew every square inch of that island,” she said.
]]>BiddefordHappeningsStephanie GrinnellHistoryCourier Editor2008-07-17T11:07:59Zhttp://blog.biddefordsacooobcourier.com/2008/07/17/saco-recreation-dept-sees-increase-in-campers-july-17-2008.aspxStaff Writer
Although camps throughout the state are facing a lack of participants, the Saco Parks and Recreation Department has seen an increase in attendees in its two summer camps, leading it to create a cap on the number of participants for the first time.
The Summer Adventurer and Pepperell Camps were each capped at 150 participants after a large number of families expressed interest in the programs. Parks and Recreation Director Joe Hirsch said the cap was made because of safety concerns, staffing and the availability of space within the schools used by the camps.
“People are just staying home,” Program Director Kevin Lombard said. “The reason for the biggest growth is word of mouth of parents.”
Hirsch said cost is the number one reason for the increased interest by local families. He said enrollment fees for Summer Adventurer and Pepperell, the two largest camps offered, have remained virtually unchanged over the last several years. Next year the prices may rise slightly based on field trips.
“As long as we’re pretty close to breaking even, that’s where we want to stay,” Hirsch said.
The Pepperell Camp is open to students entering kindergarten through third grade and the Summer Adventurer is for fourth through seventh graders.
The cost of both camps is $625 per summer for residents and $825 for non-residents.
The money generated from the programs goes into the city’s General Fund. This year, the department will put more than $400,000 into the fund. Hirsch said the program fee structure is at or below market price with surrounding communities.
The Biddeford Recreation Department offers a nine-week Safari Camp for children in kindergarten through fifth grade for $710, according to registration materials provided by the department.
Participation in the Early Riser Program has doubled since it began last year. The program allows parents to drop their children off as early as 6:30 a.m. at the Community Center. The campers are fed breakfast, hang out with their friends, then delivered to camp by counselors. The cost is $150 for the summer, which Hirsch said is affordable and convenient for parents.
Another reason for the increase in campers may be the changes made in the programs in recent years, Hirsch said. He said their highly structured programs might make parents more comfortable. For example, campers are required to wear bright T-shirts on every field trip and reapply sunscreen at scheduled times.
Lombard attributes many of the program changes to the higher maturity level of camp staff over the past couple years.
“The quality of the staff has allowed us to do more things,” he said, adding that some field trips would not be possible if he didn’t have confidence in the staff.
Many of the staff members return each year, beginning in high school and continuing through college. Lombard said some counselors are University of New England students studying education. Campers now include basic French, Spanish and American Sign Language lessons among their daily activities.
Summer Adventurer camper John Hothersall, 9, said his favorite part of camp is arts and crafts because it is “fun.”
“I have a whole bunch of friends that come here,” he said. “I love this place. It’s awesome.”
Fellow camper Jessica Morrissette, 11, enjoys playing games and doing crafts.
“I like the game Duck, Duck, Splash,” she said, describing how instead of saying “goose,” players dump water on other people’s heads.
Morrissette and Hothersall both hope to attend camp again next year.
“I want to because I’m not just sitting around at home,” Morrissette said. “Here you do lots of activities.”
Looking ahead to next year, Hirsch said he encourages parents to register early for all programs. He said some parents might be disappointed when programs are full, but the department can offer better programs when participants are registered in a timely manner.
Though only six or seven non-residents are registered full-time in Summer Adventurer and Pepperell, Hirsch said next year residents will be able to register first.
“No matter what the program, we want as many people participating as possible,” Lombard said.]]>Gillian GrahamSacoCourier Editor2008-07-17T11:05:47Zhttp://blog.biddefordsacooobcourier.com/2008/07/17/partying-with-a-purpose-volleyball-tourney-helps-olympians-july-17-2008.aspxStaff Writer
There will be Hawaiian shirts, lots of lei and maybe a grass skirt or two. And, of course, lots of volleyballs.
The Parrothead Club of Maine, a volunteer-run social organization, will host its annual Recreational Beach Volleyball Tournament this Saturday, July 19, in Old Orchard Beach to benefit Special Olympics Maine. The event takes place on the beach in front of The Brunswick and on the hotel’s patio.
Team registration begins at 7:30 a.m., followed by a captain’s meeting at 9 a.m. The first volley will be at 9:30 a.m. The club requests advance registration, but has learned from past years that some people prefer to wait until that morning to sign up.
“It’s beach volleyball culture to take things slow,” said Bill DeLong, a Parrothead Club member from Durham organizing the event.
The coed teams consist of four members with up to four alternates. At least one member of each sex must be on the court at all times. The registration fee is $75, with all proceeds going directly to Special Olympics.
Both club members and Special Olympians will be on hand selling raffle tickets. The prizes, donated by local businesses, include gift certificates, summer fun items and T-shirts. Also included are two tickets to a Sept. 4  Jimmy Buffett concert at the Comcast Center in Mansfield, Mass. The Patio Bucs will perform at 1 p.m. on The Brunswick deck.
Last year, the event raised $1,636. Organizers hope to match or beat that amount this year, but recognize it may be tough considering the economy.
Special Olympics Maine President Phil Geelhoed said his organization will use the money raised Saturday to send four Maine athletes to the 2009 Special Olympics World Winter Games in Boise, Idaho, in February.
 “We’ve had a great on-going relationship with the Parrothead Club of Maine,” he said. “It’s certainly a wonderful event for us.”
Geelhoed said the event provides Special Olympics Maine with great exposure during the height of the tourist season. He also said Parrothead members help his organization by performing improvement and enhancement projects at Camp Tall Pines in Poland at other points throughout the year.
According to its mission statement, the Parrothead Club of Maine provides support for not-for-profit humanitarian and environmental causes. Founded in 1988, Parrothead Clubs now exist on an international level.
DeLong said each Parrothead Club receives a charter from the national group and commits to certain charity events. The beach volleyball tournament is one of the Maine chapter’s bigger events.
“It was an easy tie-in [to Buffett],” DeLong said of the volleyball event.
DeLong said the group is not a fan club, contrary to what some may believe.
“It’s more than that because we have that piece of us that wants to give back,” he said. “By definition, [a Parrothead] is a Jimmy Buffett fan, but it goes beyond that. We like to party with a purpose.”
Registration forms are available at www.phcofmaine.com.]]>FundraisersHappeningsOld Orchard BeachGillian GrahamCourier Editor2008-07-17T11:02:57Zhttp://blog.biddefordsacooobcourier.com/2008/07/17/news-briefs-july-17-2008.aspxSaco City Councilors were asked during a July 7 workshop to consider an extension to the lease option agreement with developer Bill Danton for Spartan Bay Marina, which would be located off The Pier in Old Orchard Beach. City Administrator Richard Michaud said Danton wants to extend the option because of a state moratorium on development in Saco Bay. The proposed extension date would make the lease option available through Jan. 18, 2010, Michaud said. Originally, the option was set to expire Sept. 20. Michaud said a working group was formed months ago and headed by Saco City Planner Bob Hamblen.
Hamblen said the group consists of planners from Saco and Scarborough, though Old Orchard Beach and Biddeford were also invited to participate.
“In May when Saco and Scarborough were represented, [Old Orchard Beach Town Council Chairman]  Jim Long specifically said [Old Orchard Beach] will not participate,” Hamblen said.
The goal of the working group is to address development and zoning issues related to Saco Bay and make changes to each city’s comprehensive plan to reflect future goals, Hamblen said.
“We are now looking at updating the marine resources chapter,” he said. “We would like to at least recognize similar goals.”
Any changes to the Comprehensive Plan will follow the usual route, through each city’s planning board and council before being sent to the state planning office for final approval, Hamblen said.
Danton could not be reached by press time Tuesday.  
Corps team to build new trail
Biddeford School Committee members heard a July 8 presentation about a new trail being constructed in the vicinity of Biddeford Middle School.  Biddeford Parks and Recreation Park and Field Superintendent Dan Letellier said the trail will be partially constructed by volunteers from the Maine Conservation Corps based in Augusta. The group of college-age students will spend a week in Biddeford working on the trail and sleeping in tents on school property, Letellier said.
“Basically what we are trying to do is a collaboration between the school and the city for education and physical fitness,” he said. “We’re looking at redeveloping the trails.”
Letellier said there used to be trails in the area prior to the construction of Biddeford Middle School, some of which were bisected by the current parking lot. He said the six-member team from Maine Conservation Corps will be in Biddeford from July 29 to Aug. 2.
“When all is said and done, it’s going to be roughly 2,900 feet of trails. It will be a nice walk,” he said.
The team will construct the first phase of the trail, Letellier said. The remainder of the trail will be completed in phases. He said it is possible there will be fitness stations with stretching directions on the trail, which also may be suitable for cross country skiing and snowshoeing.
Biddeford Middle School teacher Alan Dutremble said a benefit of the trail will be relocation of portions of trail currently on private property. He said it will be a community trail, adding the schools nearby can use them as well, a point emphasized by Biddeford Middle School Parent Teacher Organization President Anne Chabot.
“This could save field trip money, with the gas prices,” she said.
Chabot said the trails could also be used by science classes, for mapping and orienteering as well as improving conditions for cross country teams.
Letellier said materials have been donated for a boardwalk and a bridge on the trail.
Mayor Joanne Twomey said she supports the trail construction.
“I don’t think we can lose,” she said.
Summer Bash to benefit animals
The Animal Medical Associates in Saco will host a “Summer Bash,” including a yard sale, raffles, open house and food. Several animal welfare groups will be present with lots to see and do. The proceeds from the yard sale will benefit these groups. All are welcome – both two and four legged.
  This event takes place from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on July 19. Rain date will be July 20. 
The location is at Animal Medical Associates, located at 838 Portland Road (Route One) in Saco.
  For more information, call 282-5151.
Train station
continues to grow
The new Biddeford-Saco Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Downeaster train station is beginning to come together. Following the groundbreaking this spring, construction on the chamber half of the building is underway, though not as far along as planned, Saco Director of Planning and Development Peter Morelli said. The delay in construction was due to shipping problems with roof trusses, he said.
A new feature of the station will be a ticket machine, Morelli said, adding in the past it has been difficult to buy tickets for the train in Saco.
During construction, the present roofed platform is still in use, Morelli said. Eventually, the roof of the platform will be replaced to match the rest of the station. Morelli estimated the building will be complete by November. Hardy Pond Construction is the contractor, he said. 
West Point Home Store closure
Biddeford’s West Point Home Store is closing as part of a nationwide shut-down of retail stores owned by the manufacturer, City Manager John Bubier said. He said city officials are working with management to relocate the store to another location in Biddeford, an option West Point Home Manager Albert Davis said is unlikely.
“We are getting out of retail,” he said, adding products will still be sold online and wholesale.
Davis said the success of the store was not a factor. He said the company made the decision last October to discontinue retail sales and is in the process of closing all retail locations.  
“We understand this is a very profitable store,” Bubier said.
In the past, the city has expressed an interest in purchasing the building for a cultural center, something that Bubier said is still an option, though Davis said he is not aware of any plans to sell the property.
Davis said the second shift of workers laid off from West Point Home in October will most likely not be rehired this year.

]]>News BriefsCourier Editor2008-07-17T10:50:17Zhttp://blog.biddefordsacooobcourier.com/2008/07/17/bottling-foes-force-district-to-rethink-contract-vote-july-17-2008.aspxStaff Writer
Trustees of the Kennebunk, Kennebunkport and Wells Water District called a July 17 special meeting to consider a recommendation to table further action regarding a proposed contract with Nestle. The meeting was scheduled to take place after the Courier went to press.
District Superintendent Norm Labbe said he planned to recommend trustees indefinitely table the proposed contract, which would allow Poland Spring, a subsidiary of Swiss-based Nestle, to draw up to 300 gallons of water per minute from the Wells Blueberry Barrens property along Branch Brook.
Labbe said the district heard from many customers who said they would like more factual information and an opportunity for more input on the proposal.
“It became clear to me that there were concerns out there,” Labbe said. “Clearly it is best to put the brake on it now. There is no hurry, no need to rush.”
Poland Spring wants to pump water from a borehole on the Barrens through a mile-long pipeline to a small storage facility that would be built on Route 109 in Sanford near the airport.
Under the proposed contract, the water district would receive a one-time $250,000 payment prior to extraction. Poland Spring would then pay twice the bulk water rate, with a minimum of $50,000 guaranteed annually. The district estimated the annual revenue to be between $250,000 and $500,000, according to an informational document the district made available to the public.
Save Our Water, a group of area residents concerned about the plan and other water issues, has hosted meetings in Kennebunk since hearing of the proposal. A June 22 meeting drew more than 200 people to listen to Labbe answer questions, Save Our Water organizer Jamilla El-Shafei said.
El-Shafei said she is happy with Labbe’s recommendation, but not convinced this is the end of the story as far as Nestle is concerned. She and other critics are concerned about the impact of the extraction on local water levels and feel Poland Spring offered to pay too little for the water.
“We’re very pleased that Norm came to the conclusion that this is not a good deal,” she said.
The June 22 meeting, she said, “Made everyone in the room skeptical about the process taking place behind closed doors.”
El-Shafei said Save Our Water has a multi-pronged strategy in response to the proposed contract. The group will educate the public about the consequences of mass water bottling in the area and draft ordinances to prevent extracting in Alfred, Sanford, Wells, Kennebunk and Ogunquit. She said the ordinances would be modeled after one adopted in Barnstead, N.H.
Save Our Water meets at 7 p.m. Mondays on the second floor of the Unitarian Universalist Church in Kennebunk and will host special speakers and movie screenings. Author and activist Maude Barlow will speak to the community about water issues and Nestle at 7 p.m. July 20 at York County Community College in Wells. The program is sponsored by Save Our Water and the Defending Water for Life Campaign.
The group is also looking into ordering aluminum water bottles to encourage people to “think outside the bottle,” El-Shafei said.
“We think that as people really think about the issue they will find [bottling water] is not a sustainable practice,” she said. “We will remain vigilant on this issue. We will follow Nestle as close as we can.”
Emily Posner, organizer of Defending Water For Life in Maine, said she heard about the proposed contract through a newspaper article and now supports Save Our Water.
“I have been supporting them in every possible way I can,” she said.
Posner has provided research and introduced Save Our Water members to people who have opposed Poland Spring expansion plans in Fryeburg.
She said the water district should not sign a contract with a multi-national corporation, though she is also concerned about global climate change.
“To sign away even the smallest amount of water is incredible problematic,” she said.
Defending Water For Life in Maine primarily works on educational issues related to the global water crisis.
The group believes water is a natural heritage and part of the public trust, Posner said.
Posner said any body of water in Maine larger than 10 acres is a public trust. Her group advocates all water be part of that trust.
Posner said public reaction to the water district deal is a “fantastic show that people are tremendously concerned about water.”
If approached with a similar contract, Labbe said the district would get more input from customers, perhaps in the form of a survey or referendum.
“From this point, if something like this were to happen we would approach it totally differently,” he said. “I want [customers] to feel comfortable that this situation will not come up at the board level unless the public is fully informed.”]]>BiddefordEnvironmentGillian GrahamBusiness NewsCourier Editor2008-07-17T10:47:58Zhttp://blog.biddefordsacooobcourier.com/2008/07/17/police-notes-july-17-2008.aspxPolice took a report of 100 DVDs, a television and a DVD player stolen from Presidential Apartments on Washington Street.

WE DON’T WANT SOME
Police received a call from a person who advised that a man and woman were threatening her boyfriend. The woman was swinging a glass bottle around “asking if anyone wants some.” The man was reportedly on the telephone calling for others to come so they could beat them up. Police issued a disorderly conduct warning.

REMEMBER THE OLD DAYS?
Police received a call from a Cleaves Street resident advising them that the power was out in the area. He was advised that this was not a reason to call 911 and he should call CMP. The caller stated he called CMP and could not get through but then stated CMP told him to call 911. CMP was contacted by dispatch as well and the recording stated, “for life-threatening emergencies to hang up and dial 911.” CMP’s recording also stated there was a power outage in the areas of Old Orchard Beach, Saco and Biddeford. A few minutes later an elderly woman called 911, wanting to know why the power was out and how long it would be out. She was advised she needed to call CMP and not 911. Police said the woman then kept asking questions in reference to the power outage.

THE MOST ANNOYING SOUND
Police took a report that a fax machine keeps ringing her house phone at all hours and she would like to have it stopped. The Quimby Street resident traced the number and the phone company needed a report taken.

NOT CHILDREN’S PLAY
A person called police to report her 7-year-old neighbor found an open switchblade on the playground behind their Bacon Street address.

FIREY FEUD
An Alfred Street resident called police requesting to speak to an officer in reference to an ongoing issue with a neighbor. The caller said she thinks her neighbor damaged her gardens. Police said the woman just wanted to have it noted in a dispatch that a chili pepper plant had somehow been tampered with (pulled from the ground) in her garden. The cause, animal or person is unknown, police said.

A DARWIN AWARD IN THE MAKING
A Birch Street resident called police to report that as he came out of his house, he found a person going through his vehicle. The man advised that the male suspect, wearing a red T-shirt and blue jeans, fled on foot toward Foss Street through back yards. The caller reported the person left behind a gray duffle bag in the driveway. Police believed the bag belonged to the suspect and believes it may link to other burglaries.

NOT SO NEIGHBORLY
Police received a call from a Jessie Lane resident who advised she called police the previous night about her neighbor using illegal fireworks. He was charged with the incident. She said she awoke the next morning to find his trash – which included a bill with his last name on it – all over her farmers porch. She said she wanted the incident documented, but did not want to pursue littering charges. The caller said the man drove by her this morning and gave her the middle finger and laughed at her.

FAMILY DINNER?
A person called police to report small children in a van with all the windows rolled up. He said the mother was inside an establishment eating and at one point she walked out to the van and threatened to “beat them to a bloody pulp and bash their heads in” if they tore apart the van again. Police met with the woman who said she had spoke to her children, but it was done in a light-hearted manner. There were no threats to the children – which was cooberated by an employee from the restaurant.

]]>Police NotesCourier Editor2008-07-17T10:46:35Zhttp://blog.biddefordsacooobcourier.com/2008/07/17/weekly-interview-saco-author-weaves-camp-tales-into-first-book-july-17-2008.aspxStaff Writer
Randy Randall just likes to write about things.
Sitting at a picnic table overlooking his marina in Saco, Randall has one thing to say about his life: “This is play. I’m having a great time.”
Randall, who runs Marston’s Marina on the Saco River with his wife, Jean, recently published his first book, “Sandbox Camp Tales From a Maine Storyteller.” The paperback of short stories is 229 pages long. Many of the stories run around five pages.
Randall, 61, said all of his stories are based on things that have happened to him, family or friends.
“Now, how I tell the story, I take a few liberties,” he said. “Everybody’s got stories. I just like to listen to them.”
Randall said the stories he tells are not dissimilar to the stories of any Maine family.
“You go interview any Maine family that’s banged around in the outdoors, and you sit them down – everyone has the same stories,” he said. “The only difference is I wrote them down.”
Randall often thinks of stories to tell while out riding his bike or kayaking. He simply starts to reminisce, then thinks about how to embellish and entertain his audience. He describes himself as a raconteur and apprentice writer working to improve his style and delivery.
Randall said his book is designed for readers to flip through, reading a few pages at a time. The title comes from Randall’s family camp in Osborne Plantation, which he has owned for 28 years. The family called the camp the Sandbox because it is built on beach sand. For years, the camp has served as a gathering place for family and friends.
Randall began writing stories for those who visited the camp. He kept the stories in a three-ring binder and always had positive feedback from guests. Randall also asks all of his guests to write in a diary he keeps on the camp table.  
Randall said a post in the cabin marking heights is a testament to how many people have stayed there. He and his wife began marking the heights of their sons on the post, and their children’s friends would want to be measured as well.
“If you look at the post now, there’s probably 100 different marks,” Randall said. “Half are for people I’ve never met. It’s precious.”
Randall spent his early years on his family’s farm in Saco and later moved to Old Orchard Beach. He graduated from the University of Maine in Orono with a degree in English. After graduation, Randall joined the Navy and served in the Mekong Delta in Vietnam.
After his tour of duty, Randall worked for IBM, where he specialized in using business computers in Maine paper mills. He married Jean in 1970 and they raised three sons, Matthew, Benjamin and Jeremy.
Once he retired from IBM in 2004, Randall returned to his life-long dream of writing short stories. He began to sell his stories to regional publications, including “The Maine Sportsman,” “No Umbrella,” “Points East Magazine,” “Downeast Magazine” and “Wolf Moon Journal.”
Eventually, Randall’s piles of stories became so large his wife suggested he had the makings of a book.
“It was kind of her idea, actually, to make the effort,” he said.
Randall began sending emails to publishers and found he was not discouraged by rejection.
“I finally got one who thought the stories had merit,” Randall said.
This encouraged Randall to keep writing. He has also been encouraged by his family’s response to the book.
Randall said his son and friend were staying at the camp recently and used the book to practice reading. The friend was studying to be a grammar school teacher and was nervous about reading aloud, so the pair took turns reading from Randall’s book.
“If I didn’t even sell a book, that story is worth all the effort of publishing and editing,” Randall said.
Randall’s favorite story from the book is “Old Salts, Geezers: Dockside Superintendents.” It tells of the old men who used to hang around the marina tinkering with boats and telling stories.
“That was another blessing, having those old World War II vets down here with a boat, hanging out, telling stories,” Randall said. “It’s great to know them.”
“I never felt the time we spent listening to those old geezers tell their stories was wasted because when you listened you heard very interesting tales,” Randall wrote in the “Old Salts” story.
One of the “geezers” was Charlie, who was at the marina frequently enough for customers to assume he was on the payroll. Charlie was a machinist for most of his life and was always willing to offer help or advice to those at the marina.
Once Charlie died, Randall had a brass plaque made that reads “Charlie’s Bench.” Randall takes pleasure in telling people about Charlie when they ask the meaning of the plaque.
When not working at the marina or helping care for his 93-year-old mother-in-law, Randall can be found pulling his lobster traps. He is a registered Maine Guide and a retired Scout Master. Randall is also enjoying his new grandson, Morgen.  
Randall has been visiting local bookstores and libraries to tell them about his book and said he has had a nice reception. The book is available at Nonesuch Books in the Saco Valley Shopping Center for $24.95.
“It’s an uphill climb,” he said of getting word out about his book. “We’re figuring this out as we go along and having a good time doing it.”
]]>Gillian GrahamSacoArtsCourier Editor2008-07-17T10:45:09Zhttp://blog.biddefordsacooobcourier.com/2008/07/17/letter-no-false-reasons-to-close-the-airport-july-17-2008.aspxThis is in response to Larry Wheeler’s letter on July 10. He forgets that there are more than 1,200 Biddeford taxpayer who signed a petition to finally bring the airport matter to a vote. And they are from all over the city. Hundreds from each ward. With hundreds from ward 1.
Larry needs to study the history of the neighborhood before he speaks about us. He claims he never saw any advertising to keep the airport open, yet he writes a letter to a newspaper that had many nearly half page size ads paid for by the AOPA.
There are no false reasons to try to close the airport, one only has to study the airport budget and the reason is clear. His saying that I told a ward 1 teacher to move is outrageous. I have to much respect to our teachers to say something like that. I know I did say that to Larry and to out of towners  who moved here, build expensive homes and complain about taxes. I lost all respect for Larry and freeloaders from out of town when they got up at a budget hearing and said, “Don’t educate your kids with our money.”
I laughed about the statement that I have no experience when it comes to a municipal airport. The only experience I need here is my tax bill paying for out of town flyboys are getting a free ride.
Roland Pelletier
Biddeford

]]>LettersCourier Editor2008-07-17T10:43:40Zhttp://blog.biddefordsacooobcourier.com/2008/07/17/letter-town-should-try--to-pinch-pennies-july-17-2008.aspxI read with interest the article on the Old Orchard Beach town budget (July 3, 2008). Councilor Robin Dayton indeed got it right when she said the town should be focusing on downsizing in these difficult economic times. I was therefore amazed to read that there is a proposal for the public works department to purchase a new piece of equipment to the tune of $200,000. I can think of many other fruitful ways for the town to spend such a large sum, none of which include a brand new front loader. How about fixing the old one first? I am trying to pinch my pennies, so should the town.
Janet Devou
Old Orchard Beach

]]>LettersCourier Editor2008-07-17T10:42:47Zhttp://blog.biddefordsacooobcourier.com/2008/07/17/letter-rebuttal-to-hooray-for-oob-letter-july-17-2008.aspxI was going to let this drop, but reading your contributors’ letter entitled “Hooray for Old Orchard Beach,” I felt compelled to submit a rebuttal.
My dog Maggie sits very securely in her bag on my motorcycle, as she was doing one night last week on Old Orchard Street. As always, she attracts a lot of attention with picture taking, questions, which invariably leads to me answering questions about local restaurants, things to do, etc.
A tourist passed by walking a dog, and he started barking at her so she, of course, returned the favor, and about 10 seconds later a summer reserve officer on a bike arrived and informed me I had to vacate the premises as there is a “No dogs on Old Orchard Street” ordinance. I failed to see how her sitting in a bag on a bike was any different than her sitting in a car, but maybe that is illegal also? Is Old Orchard Beach part of America?
Since this was obviously troubling to me, I e-mailed my concerns to all the town council, and many of the town officials at city hall, and I have yet to receive one response.
Sorry to rain on your parade, but “Hooray” indeed! I get a sense that this is one of many stories just like this. Old Orchard Beach should be thinking about being more “user friendly” than running people out of town for what I think is absolutely no good reason!
Bill Thomas
Saco

]]>LettersCourier Editor2008-07-17T10:41:51Zhttp://blog.biddefordsacooobcourier.com/2008/07/17/letter-crosswalks-are-there-for-safety-july-17-2008.aspxDriving Main Street in Biddeford yesterday I noted several folks crossing the street though not via the painted crosswalks. Stepping out between parked cars is not a safe option, especially while pushing a stroller. I’m aware it has been extremely hot, the place you’re going to is just across the street or you’re in a hurry, but please use the crosswalks. 
The city has put them there for pedestrian and driver safety.  It may be another 30 feet or so to use the designated crosswalk, but it is worth the extra steps.
Evelyn Cooper
Ocean Park

]]>LettersCourier Editor2008-07-17T10:41:06Zhttp://blog.biddefordsacooobcourier.com/2008/07/17/letter-encouraged-by--baldaccis-comments-july-17-2008.aspx I was greatly encouraged by Gov. John Baldacci’s comments at the governor’s meeting held in Boston on July 9 where he said nuclear power has to be “part of the solution” to our current energy problem.
 Although there are legitimate concerns that need to be adequately addressed and definite problems (especially concerning nuclear waste) that must be overcome, nuclear energy will lessen Maine’s dependence on foreign oil and reduce greenhouse emissions.
 I applaud the governor’s efforts to open fresh dialogue on this issue and explore anew the possibilities of clean, affordable and efficient nuclear energy for the state of Maine.
Terry L. Schmidt
Biddeford]]>LettersCourier Editor2008-07-17T10:39:47Zhttp://blog.biddefordsacooobcourier.com/2008/07/10/mayor-contact-gov-to-support-paving-project-july-10-2008.aspxStaff Writer
Saco Mayor Roland Michaud is asking Route 1 businesses to contact the governor and express their desire to pave the stretch of road between the I-195 overpass and Cascade Road.
He invited the owners to a Monday meeting at Saco City Hall to gauge their thoughts. Of more than 80 business owners invited to the meeting, eight attended, though City Administrator Richard Michaud said several had contacted him in advance to let him know they would not be attending, but would still offer support for the paving project.
Roland Michaud said he spoke with Gov. John Baldacci recently about the status of Route 1 and the governor told him he would like to hear thoughts from the business community before proceeding with paving. Roland Michaud suggested creating a “lobby group” to let Baldacci and Maine Department of Transportation officials know the main throughway in Saco needs to be paved. Roland Michaud said he emphasized to Baldacci how important Route 1 is to Saco’s economy, citing the “tremendous amount of traffic” using the road each day.
Richard Michaud said state government doesn’t work the same way it used to, when a mayor could approach a state department with a request. Now, he said, local governments have less control while businesses have more influence.
Currently, a study is underway to determine the need for additional turning lanes on Route 1, Richard Michaud said. The only proposed turning lane in the near future is one that may be installed by Saco Cinemagic movie theater, which may be an IMAX theater by next year. Richard Michaud said PACTS is funding the study.
“We need to prove there is a need to make improvements,” he said.
Several business owners expressed concerns about the time frame of paving, including Bill Cormier of Funtown Splashtown USA.
“July or August would be bad,” he said.
Cormier also said there is a need for sidewalks to increase safety of pedestrians traversing that particular stretch of Route 1, including children who ride bicycles to the amusement park.
He said workers are picked up and given rides by staff in park-owned vehicles because of pedestrian safety concerns in the area.
“I would think safety would override,” Cormier said.
Roland Michaud cautioned sidewalks are not included in the paving project, but could be considered in the future. Saco Public Works Superintendent Patrick Fox said sidewalks would not be located on state owned land. He said if the state installed sidewalks, it would have to buy portions of land before work could begin, but if the city chose to install sidewalks, it would only require easements from property owners.
Fox said paving could be completed now and the sidewalks, which were originally included in the paving plan according to Roland Michaud, could be constructed at a later date.
“I would hate to see the paving not get done because of sidewalks, they have been an issue for a long time,” Roland Michaud said.
Cormier said he would like to set a goal of when sidewalks could be discussed.
“I think we are all in favor of paving,” he said. “Let’s get the paving done and then talk about sidewalks.”
Fox said there is $80,000 in the public works budget for sidewalks this year and the schedule is still being created.
Roland Michaud urged business owners to write letters to Baldacci at Office of the Governor, 1 State House Station, Augusta, Maine, 04333-0001. He said calls to 287-3531 or faxes to 287-1034 would also reach Baldacci.
“Nothing can beat personal words,” he said.
Roland Michaud said if owners sent him copies of letters or emails, it would help present a case to state representatives, who could in turn speak to Baldacci.
“Can we at least get some potholes filled out there in the meantime?” Maine Stream Energy Alternatives owner Steve Fennell asked.

]]>Stephanie GrinnellPlanning and DevelopmentSacoCourier Editor2008-07-10T13:10:31Zhttp://blog.biddefordsacooobcourier.com/2008/07/10/new-veterans-program-begins-july-10-2008.aspxStaff Writer
As Iraq and Afghanistan veterans return home, the Maine Chapter of Operation Homefront is bringing the Wounded Warriors Program to the state to offer assistance to those who have been medically discharged, but are waiting for benefits to kick in.
In May, the Coalition for Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans hosted a conference in Washington, D.C. to pool resources of nationwide groups that address the needs of wounded soldiers. Pam Payeur, of Biddeford, attended as a representative for the state’s Operation Homefront chapter to bring those resources back to Maine.
Operation Homefront, a national nonprofit organization providing emergency assistance and morale to soldiers, began following the events of Sept. 11, 2001. The Maine Chapter of Operation Homefront recently celebrated its one-year anniversary, Chapter President Donna Chapman said.
Payeur has volunteered for Operation Homefront since fall 2007. She said her son, Mike, 22, has served two tours of duty for the U.S. Army in Iraq and is now at Fort Hood, Texas receiving treatment for a traumatic brain injury, hearing loss, neck injury, mild back injury, posttraumatic stress disorder, injuries to both knees and spider fractures from the knees down.
“He was blasted 11 times, so there is a strong chance that his injuries were accumulative,” Payeur said.
Payeur said he was brought state side for treatment early September 2007 and she expects him to be medically discharged by the end of 2008. She said like other veterans, he will experience up to a two-year gap in benefit coverage. For this reason, Payeur is working to bring Operation Homefront’s Wounded Warriors Program to Maine.
“These soldiers are injured enough so they can’t work. They are not in active status, they have no benefits, yet they still have financial burdens. The Wounded Warriors Program specifically helps those soldiers, providing resources and help,” Payeur said.
 “Here in Maine, Operation Homefront is helping with emergency needs. Wounded Warriors is a longer commitment,” Chapman said.
She said the program’s intent is to help wounded soldiers up to two years after they are medically discharged. Assistance includes grants until their benefits kick in, transitional housing, access to free legal services and retrofitting homes and vehicles for handicapped access, Payeur said.
John J. Ouellette, 51, of Saint Francis, served in Iraq from 2003 to 2004. He returned from Iraq with a leg injury, received medical assistance and was released from active duty in 2005, Ouellette said.
“When I was released, I had no income. My mortgage and oil bills fell behind. It was almost a whole year before I realized I was deep into trouble and couldn’t get myself out,” Ouellette said.
Ouellette said it took him some time to find help. He said a member of his family support group put him in touch with Chapman, and Operation Homefront took care of his oil bill and his back mortgage payments.
“They brought me back up to snuff,” Ouellette said.
Payeur said the Wounded Warriors Program can help soldiers in similar situations.
“If it isn’t something we can financially or physically do we can make phone calls to state reps and alert them that this person has fallen through the cracks, and there are many cracks,” she said.
“When the guards called me to apologize and said they’d lost me through the cracks, that was hard to hear. I had to sell my stuff and I used up all my savings before I called for help,” Ouellette said.
Payeur said Wounded Warriors also has teamed up with companies to help train injured soldiers for civilian jobs.
Referring to an article that appeared in The Navy Times on Sept. 3, 2007, Chapman said the unemployment rate for young veterans is three times the national unemployment rate.
Chapman said Operation Homefront has partnered with Airgas, the nation’s largest distributor of industrial, medical and specialty gases in the country. In a press release issued May 28, Airgas announced the company’s goal to hire 100 Iraq and Afghanistan veterans within the next year. Chapman said Airgas is offering a “Welding 101” seminar in Maine to help train those interested in the welding industry.
“Wounded Warriors is run solely on volunteers, grant funding and generous donations of money or services. The need for money is huge. We have the resources, but without money coming in we can’t provide financial assistance,” Payeur said.
For more information on Operation Homefront, visit www.operationhomefront.net.
For more information on Maine’s chapter of Wounded Warriors or Operation Homefront, call Chapman at 321-1321.]]>FundraisersEmma BouthilletteGiveCourier Editor2008-07-10T13:08:56Zhttp://blog.biddefordsacooobcourier.com/2008/07/10/water-war-poland-spring-contract-meets-resistance-july-10-2008.aspxStaff Writer
Trustees from the Kennebunk, Kennebunkport and Wells Water District could decide as early as July 30 to enter into a contract allowing Nestle Waters North America to extract water near the district-owned Branch Brook in Wells.
Poland Spring, a subsidiary of Nestle, would extract water from the Wells Blueberry Barrens property along Branch Brook, which borders Sanford near the airport. The deal would allow Poland Spring to pump up to 300 gallons per minute, or 432,000 gallons per day, from the site, according to a press release from the district.
Poland Spring plans to pump water from the borehole through a mile-long pipeline to a small storage facility to be built on Route 109 in Sanford.
Under the proposed contract, the water district would receive a one-time $250,000 payment prior to extraction. Poland Spring would then pay twice the bulk water rate, with a minimum of $50,000 guaranteed annually. The district estimates the annual revenue to be between $250,000 and $500,000, according to an informational document the district has made available to the public.
In a press release, water district Superintendent Norm Labbe said the deal with Poland Spring will provide a significant new source of revenue and is a key component in the district’s long-term goal to protect the Branch Brook Watershed.
“We see this as a great opportunity for the water district and its customers,” Labbe.
“We can use the revenue to stabilize rates for our customers, invest in additional water supplies, or address other priorities that arise.”
The district will not pay to treat, pump or store the water.
“One of the real benefits is that this whole deal has not involved one penny of taxpayer money, nor will it,” said water district Assistant Superintendent Scott Minor.
The agreement will allow the district to control water withdrawals, including the ability to slow or stop them during drought conditions. The district will hold the water withdrawal permit and will receive annual reports from Poland Spring regarding its extraction activities. Minor said the district has hired an independent hydrogeologist to review the data provided by Poland Spring.
The Maine Department of Environmental Protection will regulate Poland Spring’s extraction within the authority of the water district’s permit pursuant to the Natural Resources Protection Act. The Department of Health and Human Services has review authority with regard to drinking water. Poland Spring will also be subject to local land use regulations, according to Thomas Brennan, Natural Resources Manager for Nestle.
The actual amount of water extracted by Poland Spring will be decided as part of the DEP permitting process. Poland Spring will submit a proposal based on its scientific research to the DEP, which could then apply conditions.
The aquifer at the Barrens is part of an extensive water system that comprises the Branch Book watershed. The brook begins in Sanford, flows through Kennebunk and Wells, and discharges in the ocean.
An aquifer is a body of earth that can transmit water. In the case of the Barrens, there is a large deposit of sand and gravel. The water is held between the grains of sand and is recharged as rain or snow infiltrates into the land. The spring discharge is overflow.
Any water sold to Poland Spring is a small fraction of that in the watershed. If it were not used, the water would eventually flow into the ocean, Brennan said.
Critics of the plan are concerned about the impact of the extraction on local water levels and the environment. The district maintains it has plenty of water and wells will not be affected.
“I think it is very short sighted to go into a long term contract considering global climate change issues,” said Kennebunk resident Jamilla El-Shafei.
El-Shafei and her husband, Bob Walter, are involved with the newly formed Save Our Water group, which has hosted informational meetings in Kennebunk. The group includes area residents concerned about the plan.
 “We felt they were exceeding their authority,” El-Shafei said. “They have no right to be selling our natural resources in violation of their charter.”
Minor disputes that the deal is not a violation of the charter, noting under Maine law, groundwater belongs to the owner of the land above withdrawal sites. In this case, the district will retain ownership of the property. The district considers Poland Spring no different than any other metered customer it sells water to.
“We’ve never dried up anybody’s well,” Brennan said. “I absolutely understand why people have concerns in that regard. They should be concerned.”
If a nearby well were affected by the deal, Poland Spring would drill a new one for the homeowner. Minor said the district would assist homeowners to make sure any repairs happened in a timely manner.
Minor said the district was surprised by public opposition to the plan and would have held public meetings up front had it anticipated the response.
“This isn’t really a precedent establishing situation,” Minor said, noting that Wells Blueberry Inc. extracted water for bottling from the Branch Brook watershed from 1991 to 2004.
Under that arrangement, trucks accessed the water site via Wire Road, a residential area. Poland Spring’s plan would keep trucks on state roads and allow a circular route from the Hollis processing plant, Brennan said.
“We’re very conscious of the footprint of our trucking activities,” Brennan said.
He estimated that an average of 30 to 40 trucks would stop at the facility in Sanford to load water in a 24-hour period.
 “One of the problems is that there is a lot of misinformation out there,” Minor said. “We need to go out of our way to educate and inform people.”
The Water District will hold educational sessions July 21 and 23 at Kennebunk High School. An informational document has also been posted on the district’s Web site, www.kkw.org, in response to customer questions.]]>EnvironmentGillian GrahamBusiness NewsCourier Editor2008-07-10T13:07:07Zhttp://blog.biddefordsacooobcourier.com/2008/07/10/business-seeks-out-alternative-energy-july-10-2008.aspxStaff Writer
With the cost of heating and cooling increasing, more people are looking into alternative options, including geothermal systems, and more local businesses are offering installation of alternatives.
Haley’s Metal Shop CEO Brian Haley said he is so confident in geothermal systems, he is installing two at his business in Biddeford. Geothermal systems use a system of pipes deep in the ground to move the constant temperature of the earth above ground, he said. The pipes are filled with environmentally friendly antifreeze and circulate the liquid constantly, which cools in the summer by removing warm air from the building and replacing it with cooler air using the heating and cooling plant installed inside the building. It heats in the winter by bringing the warmer antifreeze to the surface, Haley said.
“It’s essentially a big radiator, like what’s in your car,” he said.
The constant temperature inside the ground where the pipes are placed average 49 degrees. Haley said he plans to drill four, 6-inch holes to a depth of 340 feet spaced 15 feet apart for his systems. The pipes are completely isolated, he said.
“We’re not looking for water,” Haley said.
Haley said his company has installed five systems in two houses in Biddeford Pool during the past two years. He said some of his employees are considering geothermal systems as well as several local businesses that think they may benefit. Haley said the systems are appropriate for every structure.
Driller Bill Monroe of Cushing and Sons Drilling Services in Keene, N.H. said the company has drilled many holes for geothermal systems. He said it takes an average of one day per hole to drill and install the pipes. Monday at Haley’s Metal Shop, however, the drilling came to a sudden stop due to a 60 gallon per minute water flow when the drill reached 180 feet deep. The drilling had to stop until Monroe and his team could figure out a place for the water to go for the duration of the drilling.
“Sometimes you run into stuff like that. It’s just one of those things,” he said.
The drilling rig was positioned between shrubs and the building, which Monroe said was “pretty tight” but added the company prides itself on minimal property damage when drilling.
The process produces little displacement of earth and generally has a plan to dispose of excess water, though the first hole at Haley’s Sheet Metal was expected to produce more than 18,000 gallons of water before the job was complete, Monroe said.
Complicating the process at the location was St. Mary’s Cemetery adjacent to Haley’s. After consulting with the owner’s of Cushing and Sons, a plan was devised to allow the excess water to evaporate through a series of small retention ponds on the property.
Haley said geothermal installations are quite expensive initially, but offer a good return in the long run. He said any home or business would most likely see a decrease in heating and cooling costs. Haley estimated his business would save an average of $500 per month with the two systems on the property, he said, adding the system will save him 75 percent of the cost compared to heating oil at $4.60 per gallon.
Haley said he feels geothermal is the way to go, though he considered other alternative energy sources. He said a wind turbine would most likely not produce enough energy for the business and said solar panels would produce plenty of hot water he could not use.
“We wanted the most bang for the buck and this was it,” he said, adding the environmental benefits are an extra bonus. “People are looking for alternatives.”

]]>BiddefordStephanie GrinnellEnvironmentBusiness NewsEnergyEconomyCourier Editor2008-07-10T13:05:32Zhttp://blog.biddefordsacooobcourier.com/2008/07/10/newly-published-author-to-donate-book-sale-funds-to-area-club-july-10-2008.aspxStaff Writer
Lawrence J. Watters Jr.’s love affair with books began at an early age.
“I love books. I have a fascination with books,” said Watters, a Biddeford resident whose first book, “The Land of Noah,” was recently published. “Sometimes my imagination runs wild.”
Watters, 37, intends to use the sale of 100 copies of his book to raise money for the Common Connection Club in Biddeford, a social club associated with Counseling Services Inc. He said he plans to sell the books, which he has purchased at cost, for the $17.50 retail price. All profits will benefit the club, which Watters said has lost money in state budget cuts.
Watters said his friends at Common Connection are excited about the publication of his book.
    “They think it’s great,” he said. “They’re bugging me to be the first to have a signed book.”
    The story takes place in fictional Noah, which is divided into three territories – Light, Green and Dark. The Dark territory is ruled by a tiger named Stripes, who likes to bully smaller animals in the Light territory.
    As animals in the Dark territory try to mount an invasion, the Light territory animals look to the neutral Green territory animals for help.  
    “The Light and Green must join together to conquer the Dark territory,” Watters said.
    “As a child I was bullied a lot and I wanted to give the reader that idea that if you stand together you can conquer bullying,” Watters said.  
    He said the book is meant to represent schoolyard bullying and should appeal to students of middle school age. The book also conveys a political point. Stripes resembles a communist dictator, while the green territory is neutral and the light territory is a democracy.
    Characters include Speedy, a squirrel whose favorite game is chase; Mongoose, a gorilla who runs the Green territory; a raccoon named Bandit; and Flapper, a feisty kangaroo.
    Watters developed the book’s characters based on what he thought would be interesting for readers.
    “I would write and then stop,” Watters said. “I would lose an idea, then come up with another.”
    He took to carrying a notepad and pen around with him so he could jot down ideas when and wherever they came to him.
    “I started writing as a small child in elementary school,” Watters said. “I would write horror stories,” adding his parents told him he would be the next Stephen King, one of his favorite authors. Watters’ parents, Linda Watters and Lawrence J. Watters Sr., were always proud of his writing and encouraged it, he said.
    “The Land of Noah” is dedicated to Lawrence Watters Sr., who died in February. “He would be proud of this,” Watters said.
    Watters continued to write as he grew older, focusing mainly on topics dealing with drugs and alcohol. He won third place in a writing contest for a story about a boy on a track team who began using steroids and eventually other drugs.
    “I was proud of that,” Watters said of the award.
    As a student at Bonny Eagle High School in Standish, Watters was encouraged to continue writing by his sophomore English teacher, who helped with grammar and punctuation.
    “Bonny Eagle is where my writing took off. That’s when I got serious about writing,” he said.
    After high school, Watters served a short term in the U.S. Army and was honorably discharged. He worked for a while at a potato field in Standish, which he described as grueling at times. Watters later worked as a custodian and then moved to Biddeford.
    Watters  stopped writing while in the Army, but began working on personal writing again after returning to Maine.
    “I always enjoyed writing. I did writing for relaxation,” he said, adding he did not feel these personal short stories were worth publishing.
    Things began to change seven years ago when Watters met his wife, Robin, at Dunkin’ Donuts in Biddeford. They started dating nearly three years ago and were married on Nov. 3, 2007.
    “In that time we were dating, she encouraged me to write,” Watters said. “I was doing it more for myself.”
    A year ago he developed the idea for “The Land of Noah” and let Robin read part of it. She encouraged him to do something with the story, which led Watters to pursue publishing the book.
    Since marrying Robin, Watters has found that he enjoys reading and writing with her 13-year-old daughter, Kimberly Rosenbloom. Watters said Rosenbloom has found she also loves to write and is working on short stories.
    “I find it fascinating,” said Watters of reading her work.
    He also reads to her, which has helped as she works to improve her reading level.
    Watters’ work with his step-daughter has led him to pursue a degree through the University of Maine at Augusta while taking classes on Saco Island.  He is working to earn an associate’s degree in liberal arts and then a bachelor’s degree in education. Watters’ goal is to someday teach at the elementary or junior high level.
    While he awaits the arrival of his book from publishers, Watters is working on the sequel. He described the second book as more of a mystery, but with most of the same characters.
    “I’m taking so long on this book because I want it to be better,” Watters said. “I’m very proud of my first book, but I want the audience to really want to grab the second book.”
    Watters is also working on another book titled “Jeremiah Where Are You?” This story focuses on a 9-year-old boy with ADHD and other mental problems who gets lost in the woods near Jackman while on a camping trip.
    Copies of Watters’ book can be ordered through www.barnesandnoble.com and www.publishamerica.com. Watters hopes local book stores will also choose to carry the book.
]]>BiddefordFundraisersGillian GrahamArtsCourier Editor2008-07-10T13:03:35Zhttp://blog.biddefordsacooobcourier.com/2008/07/10/my-life-as-a-model-a-reporters-tale-july-10-2008.aspxStaff Writer
The first time I met Danie Connolly she thought I was a model.
“You’re perfect!” she shouted at me, then glanced slyly at photographer Liam Crotty – who was busy setting up a background for the photo reproducing Norman Rockwell’s “Game Called Because of Rain” painting  – before rushing off somewhere out of sight.
It was a warm and sunny day at Portland’s Hadlock Field, and I wasn’t there to pose in any photo, but rather to take some of my own to accompany an article I was writing about Crotty and Connolly’s ongoing efforts to reproduce Rockwell’s famous paintings in preparation for a three-day tribute to the artist in August.
Connolly reappeared as Crotty and I discussed the summer rain clouds gathering behind his backdrop, making the scene look even more like the Rockwell painting.
She had a large picture book of Rockwell’s works in hand, opened to an image of his “100 Years of Baseball” painting. She was determined to convince me to pose for the photo even after Crotty introduced me as a reporter, not a model.
“Tell me he isn’t just right,” she said, pointing at a redheaded figure in the painting. “You have to do it!”
I was too caught up in meeting Portland Sea Dogs players and getting names and taking photos which would go on to be published in the next editions of the Kennebunk Post, Scarborough Leader and South Portland-Cape Elizabeth Sentry newspapers, to consider the suggestion seriously. After a few hours work I had all the photos I needed, so I thanked Crotty and listened to Connolly’s final pitch to get me in front of the camera before heading on to my next assignment.
“Miss Teen Maine is going to be the pitcher,” she said. “Do you know Michelle Smith?”
I was actually somewhat familiar with the 16-year-old model from Scarborough, as she had agreed to be interviewed for an article that ran in the Leader and the Sentry that same week. I met her at her home in Scarborough that afternoon and her reaction was similar to Connolly’s.
“Come on, it will be fun!” Smith said, encouraging me to agree to the shoot.
The same day the article on the Hadlock Field photo shoot and Smith’s interview went to press. Crotty, Smith and I met Connolly at her home in Kennebunk, determined to use Smith’s height, Connolly’s creativity and my complexion to create Crotty’s “169th Year of Baseball – Miss Teen Maine, Intl.” photo for the Rockwell exhibit.
After 30 minutes of dressing, tucking, stuffing, tying, taping, pinning, coloring and lots of laughing, Smith and I took our places and tried not to smirk at each other as Connolly and Crotty went to work. I was clearly the amateur in the room: Smith quickly put on her Miss Teen Maine charm, Crotty settled behind his camera with the comfort of a professional and Connolly gracefully directed the entire scene.
Smith swung her leg in the air – assuming a pitcher’s stance – and I tucked a soggy cigar into my lip for an hour before Crotty was satisfied.
“Told you it would be fun,” Smith said as she pulled tape from her sleeves, hair and face.
I was tired, hot and itchy, but elated. Circumstance, scheduling and open-minded editors gave me the ultimate chance to go “above and beyond” in my assignment. As an objective newspaper reporter, I may not be able to speak out at municipal meetings or include adjectives in stories covering local events, but when it comes to the Norman Rockwell exhibit in August, I’m not just covering it – I’m a part of it.
“What happened to you?” my wife asked when I arrived home smelling like a cigar and an unwashed suit with long strands of fake hair streaming from my head and lots of makeup on my face and hands.
“Call my agent,” I joked.
_________________
Nate Jones is a reporter for Mainely Media LLC, the parent company of the Courier.]]>HappeningsNate JonesArtsCourier Editor2008-07-10T13:01:58Zhttp://blog.biddefordsacooobcourier.com/2008/07/10/police-notes-july-10-2008.aspxLOVE HOTLINE?
A person called police for advice in dealing with his girlfriend. He told police she was threatening to call police and claim an assault if he dumped her. He said he wanted to speak to an officer in reference to his options.

HOUSE OF CATS
Police received a call requesting assistance from animal control as the caller said there were 30 cats at a Summer Street location. Police said the animal control officer picked up cages at the police department and the Animal Welfare Society and took a large number of cats. The animal control officer advised there were 20 cats removed from the residence – one was dead. Another eight to 12 were expected to be removed the following day.

BAD DRIVER, GOOD SAMARITAN
A person called police to report she may have pulled out in front of a semi truck, which took the side mirror off her vehicle. She said she does not believe the truck’s driver was aware because it continued to travel down Route 1. Police said she would contact her insurance company as she realized she was at fault. Damage was estimated at $200.

TENANTS TAKE OVER
Police took a report from a caller who said his tenants were destroying his building. He said the tenants go out on the building’s roof every night and cause a disturbance. He said the roof is full of beer cans and all the shingles have been torn off the roof.

GET ME OUT OF HERE
A person called police requesting she be brought to a different hospital because they were not helping her at the hospital she was at. She was advised that she needed to speak to the medical staff for assistance. Police said the caller said she was going to continue calling until she got the help she wanted. The hospital operator said the caller was probably on the mental health floor.

HELLO? HELLO? 1985?
Police received a 911 call stating there was a brawl in front of a South Street address, and then was disconnected. Dispatch attempted to get the caller back, but he was uncooperative, telling police he had already given them the information – and then hung up. Police said there were people break dancing in the area, but no one was found fighting.

SYRINGE BE GONE
A person called police to report a syringe on the ground by a sidewalk on Bradbury Street. Police retrieved the item.

WHAT IF I SAY PRETTY PLEASE?
A person called police to report that his inspection sticker, insurance card and registration had been stolen from his bike. The caller said he was in the process of getting the items, but still wanted to ride his bike. Police said the man was not given permission to ride without the items and said the man could not say for sure if the items were stolen, or just misplaced.

DANGEROUS DRIVER
A person called police to report she followed a vehicle off the turnpike. The male driver had his foot out the window, was weaving in and out of traffic and operating at a high rate of speed, then slammed on his brakes. Police arrested a 30-year-old man for operating under the influence, possession of marijuana and sale and use of drug paraphernalia.

STERN TALKING TO
A person called police to report two kids home alone and throwing rocks at a vehicle. Officials said the youths were “spoken to sternly” by police and the father and adult cousin also were spoken to about the matter. They said they will keep a closer eye on the kids. The caller was advised to take the parents to small claims court for the damages to the vehicle.]]>Police NotesCourier Editor2008-07-10T13:00:19Zhttp://blog.biddefordsacooobcourier.com/2008/07/10/obituaries-july-10-2008.aspxRichard A. Daughter, 73 of Saco, died Sunday, June 29, 2008, at Gosnell House in Scarborough after a long illness. Born in Portland on December 19, 1934, he was the son of Dale V. and Georgia S. (Smith) Daughter and was educated in Standish schools.
Mr. Daughter served with the U.S. Army during the Korean Conflict.
On December 27, 1975 he married Marie O. Corbeil. She died February 19, 2008 after 33 years of marriage.
He worked 18 years as a mechanic and driver with the Maine Line Transportation, Brunswick Transportation. He also worked many years as a truck mechanic retiring in 2001 due to ill health.
Mr. Daughter was a member of Notre Dame de Lourdes Church. He enjoyed traveling, and loved to tend to his large vegetable garden.
He is predeceased by his wife, Marie O. Daughter, and sister Francena Schoen.
He is survived by sons, Kenneth Page and wife Bethany of South Portland, Mark Page and wife Diane of Abington, Va., James Burke of Buxton, John Burke of Scarborough; daughters, Marie Elwell and husband William of Windham, Rae-Ann Weitzell and husband James of Windham, Sue-Ellen Harrington and husband Walter of Westbrook, Catherine Gross and husband Joseph of Saco; sister, Margaret Beaudoin of Sebago Lake/Standish; 18 grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; several nieces and nephews.
Donations in memory of Richard may be made to Gosnell Hospice, 11 Hunnewell Rd., Scarborough, ME 04074.
Hope Memorial Chapel is charged with arrangements.

Laurette M.R. Blais
Laurette M.R. Blais, 82, of Saco, died on June 30, 2008, at Seal Rock Healthcare in Saco.
Born in Rimouski, Canada on August 23, 1925, she was the daughter of Joseph S. and Marie Anne Rioux Perreault, and was educated from Canada schools.
In 1939, Laurette moved from Canada to Biddeford. She married her husband Romeo on November 23, 1950.
Earlier, she was employed by various local shoe shops from 1943 to 1976. Later, she worked for Maremont Corporation in Saco and Morningstar in Kennebunk for 10 years. In her earlier years, she modeled clothes for local stores. Her hobbies included knitting, making her own clothes and walking. She enjoyed traveling and taking bus trips.
Mrs. Blais was a parishioner of Notre Dame de Lourdes Church in Saco, where she was a Eucharistic minister and a member of the former St. Anne’s Sodality.
She was predeceased by her husband, Romeo J. Blais on December 30, 1991; brothers, Gerard, Louis and Thomas Perreault; sisters, Jeanne Asselin, Rita Boutin and Cecile Poulin.
She is survived by daughter, Carol Blais and her finance Roger Bouffard of Arundel; sons, Michael Blais and his wife Ann of Biddeford, David Blais and his wife Priscilla of Saco; 10 grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; several nieces and nephews.
Arrangements are by Cote Funeral Home, Saco.

Robert L. Paradis
Robert L. Paradis, 83, a resident of Seafield Lane, died Sunday, July 6, 2008, at the Gosnell Memorial Hospice House in Scarborough.
Born on April 26, 1925 in Biddeford, he was the son of Oscar and Lucy Larrivee Paradis and was educated in Biddeford schools.
In 1946, Robert married his wife of 62 years, Aldean Austin.
Mr. Paradis graduated from the Saco Lowell Shops Apprentice Program and was employed there for several years. In 1958, he moved to Lowell, Mass. and worked for Raytheon Corporation for two years.
In 1960, he was employed by Avco Corporation as an experimental machinist. He worked his way up by taking courses at MIT.
Robert was a foreman and later a section chief of component machining. He maintained control on manufacturing quality, costs and inventory that met sales and budget requirements. Robert supervised the use of all maintenance of equipment and developed and staffed machine shop organization. He also established and implemented sound manufacturing practices to protect the employees. In 1987, he retired from the former Avco Corporation, which is now Textron Corporation.
During retirement, Robert and his wife moved back to Maine and built their home in 1992. Robert was an avid golfer. He enjoyed his home, maintaining his property and taking many trips to Las Vegas with his wife.
Mr. Paradis was a parishioner of Notre Dame de Lourdes Church in Saco.
He was predeceased by his wife Aldean Austin Paradis on November 22, 2007.
He is survived by brother, Fernand Paradis of Kittery; sisters, Jeannette Craft of Westbrook, Claire Derenzo and her husband Dick of Westbrook, Jackie Patrick and her husband Edgar of South Portland; several nieces and nephews
Arrangements by Cote Funeral Home, Saco.
Those planning an expression of sympathy are asked to consider donations to Hospice of Southern Maine, 180 U.S. Route 1, Scarborough, ME. 04074.
Rosaire J. Paquette,
Rosaire J. Paquette, 86, of Biddeford, died Friday, July 4, 2008 at Southern Maine Medical Center after a long illness. Born in St. Samuel, PQ, Canada on February 25, 1922, he was the son of Arthur and Roseanna Gobeil Paquette and was educated in Canadian and Saco schools.
On May 5, 1945 he married Marguerite P. Roy in St. Joseph Church, Biddeford.
Mr. Paquette worked 41 years with the Saco-Lowell Shop in Biddeford, and Edward’s Plant and Maremont Corp. in Saco retiring in 1986. He enjoyed the company of his grandchildren and his many trips to Canada to visit family and friends.
He is survived by his wife of 63 years Marguerite P. Roy of Biddeford; son, Roger R. Paquette and his wife Denise of Biddeford; daughters, Suzanne Sexton and her husband Grady of Biddeford, Lucille Anken and her husband Timothy of Middleburg, Fla.; brothers, Andre Paquette of Arvado, Colo., Paul Paquette of Biddeford; sisters, Jeanne Boisvert of Biddeford, Maria Boutet of Biddeford, Claire St. Ours of Biddeford; eight grandchildren; 13 great-grandchildren; several nieces and nephews.    
Arrangements are by Hope Memorial Chapel, 480 Elm Street, Biddeford, ME 04005.

Scott Ridlon
Scott Ridlon, 40, died unexpectedly in Lyman on Tuesday, July 1, 2008. Born in Bristol, Conn., he was the son of Maurice P. Ridlon and Charlotte Mooney, and graduated from Biddeford High School.
Following high school, Scott worked for various area contractors until he opened Ridlon Construction. He has owned and operated his business for more than 20 years.
Scott was an avid NASCAR fan, rarely missing a race. He was a former member of the York County Fish and Game at Stickney Lodge. He enjoyed riding his four-wheeler and hunting. He especially loved fishing with his family and friends, often stopping by a river or stream they’d happen to drive by. Overall, he was a loving family man, devoted to his family and spending time with his nephews.
He is survived by his father, Maurice “Butch” Ridlon and his wife Linda of Lyman; mother, Charlotte Dussault and her husband Arthur of Harrodsburg, Ky., and formerly of Biddeford; brother, Adam Dussault of Kentucky; sisters, Shannon Dussault and husband Ryan Redimarker of Kentucky, Melissa Ridlon and husband Roger Grant, Jr. of Hollis, Bekki Dussault of Kentucky, Sheryl Spiller of Biddeford/Lyman, formerly of Gorham, Amiee Springer and husband Adam of Biddeford, seven nephews; several aunts and uncles.
Donations in memory of Scott may be made to The Ridlon Family, c/o Sheryl Spiller, Town & Country FCU, 52 Elm St., Saco, ME  04072.

George Roy
George E. Roy, 85, of Biddeford, died Tuesday June 10, 2008, at the Shaw House in Biddeford. Born in Biddeford on July 20, 1922, he was the son of Napoleon and Marie Ange Giroux Roy and was educated in Biddeford schools.
Mr. Roy served with the U.S. Navy during World War II.
On September 20, 1952 he married Rachel R. Landry in St. Joseph Church. She died September 13, 2007.
He worked 44 years with Maremont Corp. in Saco retiring in 1985. In retirement he worked as a bartender at the Rochambeau Club. Mr. Roy was a former member of the Biddeford Saco Elks, the Biddeford Eagles, St. Louis Alumni and the Rochambeau Club. He enjoyed vegetable gardening, clam digging and lobstering.
He is survived by son, Maurice Roy and his wife Kathi of Rochester, N.H.; daughter, Carmen Roy-Speredelozzi and husband Alex of Porvidence, R.I.; grandchildren, Meghan Roy of Somersworth, N.H., Lily Speredelozzi of Providence, R.I.; several nieces and nephews.
Memorial donations in George’s name may be made to the American Lung Association of Maine, 122 State St., Augusta, ME 04330.

Rachel Roy
Rachel R. Roy, 83, of Biddeford, died Thursday, September 13, 2007, at Southern Maine Medical Center. Born April 17, 1924 in Biddeford, she was the daughter of Rosaire and Florida Jariz Landry and was educated in Saco schools.  
On September 20, 1952, she married George E. Roy at St. Joseph’s Church in Biddeford.
Mrs. Roy worked for 40 years at the Maremont Corp., retiring in 1985.
Rachel was a member of St. Joseph’s Church and the Biddeford Senior Citizens. She enjoyed cooking, shopping, music and dancing from the Big Band Era, going to the Wonderbar Restaurant, and being entertained by the Fred Parent Band while in residential care.

Muriel M. Poisson
Muriel M. Poisson, of Biddeford died on Saturday, July 5, 2008, at St. Andre’s Health Care Facility with her family by her side. Born in Biddeford on a Sept. 6, she was the daughter of Joseph and Euphemie (Lessard) Binette and attended Biddeford schools.
In June 1949 she married Robert A. Poisson at St. Joseph’s Church, Biddeford.
Mrs. Poisson worked many small jobs in the Biddeford area, including Giant’s Department Store and the Journal Tribune. Most recently, she worked in the lunchroom for Kennedy Elementary School for many years until her retirement in 1990s. She was a member of St. Joseph’s Church, in Biddeford all of her life. She enjoyed shopping, playing card games, and loved long car rides with her husband. Most importantly, she was dedicated mother and grandmother, always watching over her family.
Mrs. Poisson is predeceased by her husband of more than 43 years, Robert A. Poisson, three brothers and four sisters.
She is survived by sons, Donald R. Poisson and wife Priscilla of Biddeford, Steven C. Poisson and wife Janice of North Waterboro; daughter, Jeanine Thebarge and husband Gary of Biddeford; brother, Richard Binette of Biddeford; sisters, Anita Morin, Madeleine Chretien, Beatrice Foran, all of Biddeford, Priscille Poisson of Saco, Joanne Nollette of Hollis; grandchildren; one great-grandson; several nieces and nephews
Donations in memory of Mrs. Poisson may be made to St. James School, 25 Graham St., Biddeford, ME  04005, or to St. Andre’s Healthcare, 409 Pool Rd., Biddeford, ME  04005.

]]>ObituariesCourier Editor2008-07-10T12:57:56Zhttp://blog.biddefordsacooobcourier.com/2008/07/10/weekly-interview-capturing-the-coast-with-artist-robert-paine-july-10-2008.aspx“My wife and I were having lunch at the Arundel Wharf one day, and I said ‘Wouldn’t it be nice to have the cottage across the street?’” Paine asked his wife during a vacation in Kennebunkport in 1981.
After running an advertisement seeking living quarters and gallery space, Paine received one phone call. The caller was Eleanor Woodman, who owned the cottage on Ocean Avenue. She sold him the cottage in 1982, and Paine and his wife Evelyn have been living there ever since.
Now 85 years old, Paine displays his own artwork in a small room to the front of the house. The W. Robert Paine Gallery has original pieces, most are limited edition prints, and all works are for sale. Before becoming a full time painter, Paine was an illustrator for advertising agencies.
“I was in the Navy during World War II and when I got back I went to school on the GI Bill,” Paine said.
He said he earned his degree in advertising and illustration from the New York Phoenix School of Design. While in New York, Paine met artists Norman Rockwell, Alex Ross and Dean Cornwell and said their work and talent was very influential to his success.
Paine said he worked as a freelance illustrator for different companies during the next five years.
“Then I heard a very helpful word that the illustration industry was going to bite the dust because of photography and television. I was advised to find an agency,” Paine said.
During the next 11 years, Paine said he worked for Ted Bates Advertising Agency in New York, first as an illustrator then as an art director. He said the following four years he worked as vice president for Geyer-Oswald, Inc. in New York before becoming his own consultant again, directing the production of sales commercials.
In an autobiographical book Paine published, he included sketches he made while working for various companies. Some of these accounts were advertisements for MARX Toy Company, various cosmetic companies, Choice Soaps and the first advertisement for Water Pik. Other clients Paine worked for included the Association of the American Railroads, Sunkist, Colgate-Palmolive Company and Mobile Oil Company, he said.
In 1975, Paine decided to start The Village School of Arts in Contoocook, N.H. He said within two weeks, he had 30 students signed up for drawing and painting lessons.
He ran the school for six years before moving to Maine.
“You’ve probably said ‘I can’t draw,’ but you have to find some way to understand what you are looking at. It’s all geometric forms. There’s a circle, a triangle and that makes a leaf,” Paine said.
He used these simple techniques to teach students they could draw anything.
“My students had a misconception of drawing from a photograph. You have to get out there and feel it. A photograph doesn’t tell the truth,” Paine said.
Paine does get out there and feel it. He said he sketches small location drawings and takes photographs to refer back to when working in his studio. This doesn’t necessarily mean setting up a comfortable outdoor studio. He said for the painting “On the Kennebunk,” he sat in a canoe to do his location sketches. For a commission of a house on Mile Stretch Road in Biddeford Pool, he set up a ladder on the beach to get the correct perspective.
“Everyone calls it artwork, but if it was work, I wouldn’t do it,” Paine says.
Collectors throughout the world have purchased Paine’s paintings in egg tempura, oil and watercolor. Paine’s original painting of Portland Head Light is now in France and “Autumn Road,” a painting of a road with a canopy of autumn colored trees, is in Scotland. Prints of these paintings hang in Paine’s gallery. George and Laura Bush purchased the original of “God Bless America,” a painting with ocean waves, prairie fields and mountain peaks in the background and the American flag flying in the foreground. It now hangs in the White House. A print of the original hangs in Paine’s gallery with a thank you note from Laura Bush. Paine said the Bush family owns a lot of his work.
Paine has been commissioned for many pieces of art, including a work for the Friends of Wood Island Lighthouse, who are hosting “Capture the Coast,” an art auction to raise money for ongoing restorations of the lighthouse. Artwork for the auction will consist of coastal scenes from Prouts Neck, Scarborough to Wells. Of the 55 artists participating, Paine is the feature artist for “Capture the Coast.”
“When they asked me to participate, I figured why not do a painting of Wood Island Lighthouse,” Paine said.
He said he never painted the lighthouse before, and decided to work from East Point Sanctuary in Biddeford Pool. The watercolor is a view from Biddeford Pool toward Wood Island and the lighthouse.
Sheri Poftak, chairman of the history committee of Friends of Wood Island Lighthouse, said the association is celebrating the 200th anniversary of the lighthouse. She said the Friends of Wood Island Lighthouse began repair work to the building in 2004. Poftak said the Maine State Historical Preservation Committee approves all restoration projects. The lighthouse’s 42-foot tower is currently being restored.
The association’s art auction has received sponsorship from Nonantum Resort in Kennebunkport, Red Geranium II in Biddeford Pool, Maine Seaside Rentals in Biddeford Pool and Blue Elephant Events in Saco. Paintings will be auctioned off on July 13. Paine’s watercolor painting of the lighthouse is matted and shrink-wrapped, but not framed, and said he thinks the bids will start at $1,000. Poftak said artists can donate between 50 and 100 percent of the final bid.
“There are two things to appreciate in life, real estate and artwork. I mean all artwork, not just paintings.  Both things always increase in value,” Paine said.
For more information on Robert Paine, visit his Web  site at www.wrobertpaineart.com.
For more information on Wood Island Lighthouse or “Capture the Coast,” visit www.woodislandlighthouse.org.
]]>FundraisersHappeningsEmma BouthilletteWeekly InterviewsArtsCourier Editor2008-07-10T12:44:10Zhttp://blog.biddefordsacooobcourier.com/2008/07/10/colleens-corner-life-lessons-learned-by-sifting-through-sand-july-10-2008.aspxOthers will simply make you laugh.
Life lesson 12,045 was learned last Thursday when the “Courier Crew” headed to Ocean Park to participate in the annual Sand Sculpture  Competition.
Co-workers Molly Lovell and Amanda Estes and I left work early and started on our adventure to find shovels and pails to bring with us to create what I knew would be a masterpiece. Although visions of a large typewriter, an old-school hat with the press card peeking out (life lesson 12,040 – way too difficult to even draw on paper, thus being completely out for sand) were replaced by a goal of creating a large pencil intersecting a Reporter’s Notebook to represent our Courier team.
Our trio hit the road in search of pails and shovels – neither of which any of us owned. Looking back, this should have been a foreshadowing moment. While I had dreams of blue ribbons and a future career as a professional sandcastle builder – I didn’t even own a plastic shovel.
After purchasing three trowel shovels and two pails, we quickly found a parking space, grabbed our No. 26 sign to put near what was soon to be the best sandcastle creation in the competition’s history and located a spot near the water. We should have stopped there – laid down a few towels and enjoyed the day. Instead we stuck with our original plan and began to map out the 20-foot-by-20-foot designated spot.
Life lesson 12,043 was learned almost immediately. We were going to be no match against the color-coordinated T-shirt clad teams, complete with large metal shovels, rakes – and a number of participants. Our trio with three plastic shovels was not looking very good. However, I hoped that being with two Maine-bred teammates would help us along. It seems life at the beach is learned in utero for many Mainers – while this Connecticut-born writer (with its measly coastline) would just listen to instructions on how to work with the sand.
That wasn’t the case.
“What is it?” became a constant question as children came and stood to peer down at our crooked attempt at the pencil. “Is it a plane?” “Is it a rocket?” “What is it?”
“It’s a surprise,” we said – an attempt to get out of answering the question – but also quite true. Our long winding, oddly pointed foundation was looking less like a pencil and more like...an inappropriate subject matter for a beach full of families.
Which began to raise more questions – and eyebrows.
Molly caught the first look when a man stopped. Stared. And shook his head before walking away. “Get your mind out of the gutter,” I told her. “No one thinks we are making a sand creation of the male anatomy.”
But then Amanda saw it – and then finally I did. The pursed lips. The steering clear of talking to us. The walking quickly past. The realization that answering small children with “it’s a surprise” was, in fact, very inappropriate.
We quickly started on the notebook in the background to divert attention and make our pencil look – more like a pencil. And so we learned the next of life’s lessons. Sand is heavy and after an hour of digging, we were quickly tiring.
And then began the rumble through the crowd. “Power tools!” “They brought power tools!” The disgust soon turned from us and began to focus on the new team, which was quickly putting together pieces of wood and drilling them together – thus giving us time to finish our notebook.
And still, no one knew what it was.
“Is it a hot dog?” an older woman sitting near us asked.
“You made a really great satellite,” a young boy told us, nodding his head in approval. “It looks good.”
Like the people who had distanced themselves earlier in the day, we too decided to leave our “still a surprise” sand sculpture behind and check out the “competition.”
And a few more lessons were learned.
There was a giant Skee Ball machine, a wise wizard, a youth’s circular castle – and then the place where it seemed the majority of the beach was gathered – the Ferris Wheel.
 Brightly colored sand mapped out the spokes and upon chairs of sand, neighborhood children sat waving at the crowd, pretending they were on the ride. It was the Lawson family’s annual creation. Past winners – and the ones who introduced the colored sand to the competition four years ago, the Lawson group is an extended family who every year stays at the Randall Avenue home of Doug and Sandy Lawson. The group comes to the beach, laughs, smiles and shares their talent with beachgoers.
They simply have a good time.
And so it was the last of the daily lessons.
I will not become a professional sand castle builder because I cannot build a sand castle – at least not one that includes any more than a tipped over bucket of sand; The fun is really in the friends you have next to you, rather than the final product; Never bring power tools to a competition geared toward children – and never attempt to create a pencil out of sand.
And finally, lesson 12,046 – next year I’m joining the Lawson team.
– Colleen Marshall

]]>OpinionColleen MarshallCourier Editor2008-07-10T12:42:02Zhttp://blog.biddefordsacooobcourier.com/2008/07/10/reporters-notebook-waiting-for-08082008-july-10-2008.aspxWe’ve been practicing diving, too. I think it’s great for children to see professional athletes and hear their stories of training, then to have kids try what the athletes are doing. It gives another perspective of the games, especially to children, who may not realize how difficult some sporting events are.
Running track and field is a prime example. There are not many people who can’t run, but to do it in the time the athletes do is amazing. I can remember trying to jump over hurdles in gym class in high school and failing miserably, though people who run hurdles make it look like a piece of cake.
The long jump always fascinates me as well. To see athletes wind milling their arms to gain a little distance, spraying sand up with their feet as they drop to the pit, sliding in sideways to avoid injury piques my curiosity as to how much training and how many broken bones athletes endure before they get to that level of competition.
One of my favorite Olympic sports to watch is diving, with all of the twists and turns. I don’t think I have ever seen a diving competition outside that venue, and I can honestly say I personally have never attempted anything more than a standard dive and when I was younger, a back flip or a jackknife dive.
I feel the same way about gymnastics and ice skating, they are so beautiful to watch and then out of nowhere, there are flips and jumps and the human body doing things normal people wouldn’t consider without years of training.
I can appreciate the dedication it takes for these people to accomplish what they have and I like to think they got into it because they like the sport and found out they were good at it.
The Olympics also give countries the opportunity to be proud of their accomplishments, no matter what else is going on at the time. I am not sure how sporting events were chosen as the way countries compete with each other over more intellectual pursuits but who am I to complain about games that have been around for so long? It’s just nice to have something that your country is the best at, I guess.
Aside from the physical aspect of the games, I also enjoy hearing the stories of how people ended up where they are. Take Dara Torres, for example. She started swimming at a young age, took some time off, had a child, and returned to the Olympic trials as a 41-year-old mother.
Did I mention during her qualifying races, she broke a couple of World Records? I think the media covering the Olympics does a great job finding back-stories of athletes and sharing what the country needs to hear for inspiration and to support the athletes.
— Stephanie Grinnell]]>OpinionStephanie GrinnellCourier Editor2008-07-10T12:40:31Zhttp://blog.biddefordsacooobcourier.com/2008/07/10/letter-setting-the-record-straight-in-oob-july-10-2008.aspx
Editor:
I am writing to set the record straight regarding the passage of the Old Orchard Beach FY09 Budget.  During the June 26 Special Town Council meeting, I read a written statement that I had previously prepared. Unfortunately what I read and said was misprinted in the papers.  I wish to let the citizens and taxpayers of Old Orchard Beach read for themselves what I said exactly during the June 26 Special Town Council Meeting.  
My written statement is as follows:
June 26, 2008 Special Meeting
FY09 Budget
I can not support this budget for several reasons.  The Proposed Council budget is $807,850 dollars more than the Town Manager’s budget submission.  I can not support most of the council’s additions to the budget which include:  
1) $100,000 dollars for raises and market adjustments to salaries.  A market adjustment of $52,000 dollars during a recession is simply unwarranted.  But also, as I have stated previously, my belief is that people work in government and civil service jobs because they care about the general good, not because they want to make a lot of money.  
2) The Council budget also includes new positions such as a Public Works Assistant Director for $70,000.00.  In a recession I think we should be focused on downsizing and efficiency, we should be focused on doing more with less not doing less with more.  
3) The budget also includes $200,000 dollars for a new front end loader.  It is my understanding, perhaps mine alone, that this new rather very large piece of