Council-created recall ordinance fails in enactment vote

By Ed Pierce

During a special meeting on Tuesday evening, the Windham Town Council listened to resident’s thoughts about a recall ordinance that councilors were considering enacting despite a citizen’s group referendum proposing different recall procedures having already been placed on the Nov. 7 ballot.

Members of the Windham Town Council were
unable to enact a recall ordinance during a
special meeting on Tuesday, Aug. 29. 
Councilors will conduct a special meeting
on Thursday, Aug. 31 and Tuesday, Sept. 5
to decide if they will create a charter
amendment referendum regarding recalls of
elected public officials.
PHOTO BY ED PIERCE    

After taking public input, reviewing email received by the council and discussing the council’s recall ordinance, councilors voted 3-3 on their proposed ordinance, with Councilors Nick Kalogerakis, Bill Reiner, and John Henry voting no and Councilors Jarrod Maxfield, David Nadeau and Mark Morrison voting yes. Councilor Brett Jones did not attend the meeting and because a total of four council votes were not received, the proposed ordinance was not enacted.

Differences between the citizen’s group proposed recall ordinance, which will be decided by town voters Nov. 7, and the town council’s proposed ordinance, which councilors will now consider as a charter amendment referendum for voters Nov. 7, are in the details.

The citizen’s proposal requires 25 signatures of registered town voters to initiate a recall petition, while town requires 75 to initiate a recall petition. To get the recall to a town ballot, the citizen’s group proposal asks for a threshold of 10 percent of participating voters in the last gubernatorial election, while the town asks for 15 percent of participating voters in the last gubernatorial election.

The citizen’s proposal asks for no less nor more or if already scheduled the number of days to conduct a recall election at 50/60/75, while the councilor proposal is 50/60/90. As for the limits on how soon a recall could be initiated on a public official, the citizen’s group asks for three months after an election, while the councilors’ proposal asks for six months after an election. In terms of the percentage of gubernatorial turnout required for validity of a recall, the councilors’ proposal seeks 25 percent, while the citizen’s group doesn’t require a percentage.

One of the creators of the citizen’s recall referendum petition, Stephen Napolitano, said the councilors’ proposed recall ordinance and consideration of a charter recall amendment referendum undermines the intelligence of town voters.

“In Windham's history, no town council has ever created their own referendum to directly compete with a citizens' initiative referendum,” Napolitano said. “You have to ask yourself ‘why is the town rushing to get their own referendum on the same ballot?’ The town council should do the right thing and wait for the election results in November. On Tuesday night, it was great to see the overwhelming support for The People's Recall Ordinance.”

Another of the creators of the citizen’s recall ordinance referendum, Kristen Day, pointed out in an email to the newspaper the two biggest differences between the proposals is the mode of recall replacement and the voter participation threshold required.

“The town's ordinance has appointment by council of replacement (according to town charter language, the council appoints vacancies), and a minimum threshold for participation for the election result to be valid,” Day wrote. “The People's ordinance has election of replacement for the seat of the recalled (conflicts with the charter so the council would have to move to amend, if the people want it) and as a municipal election the recall is decided by simple majority, no minimum threshold to count the recall result valid.”

Day also wrote that the town's recall charter amendment calls for an election for a replacement for the recalled official, like the citizen’s group proposed ordinance (as a charter item it will apparently not conflict with the appointment for vacancy language) and has a minimum threshold of voter participation needed for the vote to be valid like the town recall ordinance.

“It's complex but the takeaway is the People's petition was signed by 1,541 people, and if it fails, it wasn't the language the town wants. But if it passes, Council will amend it as needed, and raise any changes they want (such as adding threshold) in town meetings,” Day wrote. “The difference is that according to the November vote, we will have heard from the voters, and from there, people will have input on any subsequent amendment process. Alternatively, if the town recall charter amendment is voted through Nov 7, and the people's ordinance is also passed, the charter amendment will become the law of Windham.”

Windham Town Council Chair Mark Morrison said that council members only seek clarity and accuracy in considering a charter amendment recall referendum.

“The reason for the council charter amendment versus the citizen initiative is that our version has been vetted and much clearer than the citizen initiative,” Morrison said. “So, from a clarity and accuracy and defensibility standpoint, this is what we have done. It was not meant to leapfrog anyone or to undermine, probably a better word, we are not.”

Councilor John Henry said the councilors’ proposed ordinance and consideration of a charter amendment recall referendum were fair and honest.

“I can assure you the process taken here was in good faith and above board,” Henry said. “The metrics we came up with to get it on the ballot are fair, not put in place to protect our positions, but to protect voters.”

Councilor Nick Kalogerakis said he was pleased with the turnout of Windham citizens wishing to share their thoughts regarding the council’s proposed recall ordinance at the meeting.

“My biggest complaint since I’ve been in office is you don’t hear from the people, so I thank you for coming out tonight,” Kalogerakis said. “The issues I have with the people’s ordinance is the numbers are too low and it could circumvent the democratic process. I don’t support putting this in the charter either. It’s a very tough spot to be in.”

Councilor Bill Reiner said he was opposed to enacting a councilor ordnance because of the speed with which it was drawn up and discussed.

“Rush, rush, rush the ordinance and a rush to vote on the charter amendment,” Reiner said. “It’s too much, too fast, too quick. We need to put the brakes on. A charter agenda item should be clean and accurate. If this was coming up about a different item in July, we would not be doing it this fast. I absolutely do not support the charter amendment going forward. The ballot is getting so congested, it’s confusing.”

Councilor Jarrod Maxfield said the state’s recall guidelines mandate that an official can be recalled only if a public official is convicted of a crime against a state agency while in office, while the council’s proposal spells out that a loss of voter confidence while in office is grounds for a potential recall.

He also said he believes that Windham needs accountability for elected officials through a recall procedure that is fair and respects the wishes of a majority of town voters.

“We were told they would not have signatures in time and that’s when we put something forward,” Maxfield said.

Councilor David Nadeau said that a council consensus led to the council’s recall proposal, and it was not created to conflict with any other referendum.

“We heard they weren’t getting the votes and we all agreed we needed a recall ordinance,” Nadeau said.

The council will hold a special meeting at 6 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 31 at Windham Town Hall regarding its charter amendment recall referendum proposal. During that meeting, a public hearing will be conducted allowing town residents to share comments about the council’s charter amendment recall referendum proposal. The council also will meet at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 5, and at that meeting a vote will be taken to determine if the council’s charter amendment recall proposal will be placed on the Nov. 7 ballot.

One issue that the council has already decided about the Nov. 7 ballot is whether to create a referendum for voters about making the Windham Town Clerk position an appointed position or keeping it as an elected position.

During Tuesday’s council meeting, Windham Town Clerk Linda Morrell said she brought up the idea of converting the position to an appointed one and not requiring them to be a Windham resident to councilors when thinking about what would happen after she leaves office. She said she has no immediate plans to retire just yet but worries about the possibility of no candidates coming forward to run for the job or a person elected to the position who is not qualified to handle all its responsibilities sufficiently.

Morrell, who has served as Windham Town Clerk for the past 29 years and was Deputy Town Clerk for seven years before that, said she hopes to continue to serve, but wanted the council to be aware of what could happen.

The council voted to postpone taking any action about the town clerk position until the second quarter of 2024. That way, if it is decided to create a referendum for voters, the maximum number of town voters would have an opportunity to vote on a measure because it would coincide with the 2024 presidential election which typically draws the largest number of voters in Windham elections. 

Timeline of events regarding recall ordinance

Dec. 28, 2022 – Kristen Day of citizen’s group asks Town Clerk to clarify procedures for recalling elected public officials.

April 21, 2023 – Citizen’s group receive instructions for Windham Town Clerk about pursuing charter amendment or ordinance for recalling elected public officials.

May 6, 2023 – Citizen’s group request to have Windham town attorney review language of proposed ordinance submitted to Windham Town Clerk.

May 10, 2023 – The proposed ordinance created by the citizen’s group is reviewed by group’s attorney.

May 18, 2023 – Town Clerk advises based upon a review by Windham Town Attorney that the citizen’s group that a language change was needed to change “town committee” to “town council” in proposed ordinance and that Secretary of State’s office was reviewing document.

May 19, 2023 – Citizen’s group notified Secretary of State’s office and Windham Town Attorney had reviewed proposed ordinance and citizen’s petitions were available to be picked up to obtain a minimum of 1,465 signatures of registered Windham voters to have a referendum put on the Nov. 7, 2023 ballot about the recall ordinance.

July 9, 2023 – Citizen’s group emailed Town Clerk informing them that the possibility existed of the group not getting the required signatures by the end of July.

July 11, 2023 – Windham drafts language for a council-initiated charter amendment addressing recall procedures.

July 31, 2023 – A total of 1,541 signatures of registered voters collected by citizen’s group is certified by Town Clerk placing a referendum on the Nov. 7 ballot for the citizen’s group proposed recall ordinance.

Aug. 15, 2023 – Windham Town Council discusses possible charter recall amendment to be placed on the Nov. 7 ballot during meeting and takes public comment about enacting a recall ordinance with language differing from citizen’s proposed ordinance already on Nov. 7 ballot.

Aug. 29, 2023 – A public hearing is held by the Windham Town Council about the proposal to enact its own recall ordinance. Councilors then voted 3-3 with Councilor Brett Jones not attending the meeting. With four votes required, the council’s recall ordinance fails.

Aug. 31, 2023 – The Windham Town Council will conduct a public hearing about placing a charter amendment regarding recall procedures on the Nov. 7 ballot with language differing from the citizen’s proposed ordinance already on the same ballot.

Sept. 5, 2023 – Windham Town Councilors will vote about placing a charter amendment regarding recall procedures on the Nov. 7 ballot with language differing from the citizen’s proposed ordinance already on the same ballot.

Dignitaries hail groundbreaking for North Windham Wastewater Treatment Facility

By Ed Pierce

Dedication of the new Wastewater Treatment site on the grounds of Manchester School on Tuesday

Members of the Windham Town Council, state agencies, U.S.
Senators Susan Collins and Angus King from Maine,
RSU 14, and the Portland Water District break ground
at Manchester School in Windham on Tuesday morning for
the new North Windham Wastewater Treatment Facility.
When completed, the state-of-the-art site will remove
25,000 pounds of pollution from the local environment
each year. PHOTO BY ED PIERCE   

morning was something many Windham residents didn’t think was possible or could ever happen, but ground has been broken for the new state-of-the art facility and it was an event that drew everyone from U.S. senators to fourth graders.

After decades of proposals, studies, and rejections from voters at the ballot box, Windham residents resoundingly approved a proposed $40.4 million sewer and wastewater treatment project for North Windham in a special referendum. Partnering with the Portland Water District and RSU 14 to create the massive infrastructure project, the Windham Town Council set about to cover the initiative through a combination of grant funding, a $38.9 million award by the Maine Department of Environmental Protection, and North Windham TIF funding supported by North Windham businesses.

Once completed, a new wastewater treatment facility will be built on the grounds of Manchester School, which will address environmental issues in North Windham by removing 25,000 pounds of nitrogen and phosphorus pollutants each year being dumped by septic systems into the aquifer and watershed. The installation of sewers is expected to stimulate significant economic growth in Windham and lead to development in the area by industries and businesses not willing to locate here because of associated septic system issues and costs.

Through an agreement between RSU 14 and the Town of Windham, in exchange for locating the new wastewater treatment site at Manchester school, the town will construct four new playing fields for youth sports at the school in the coming year. RSU 14 will also be able to shift its wastewater treatment operations at Windham High School to the new facility.

The new North Windham Wastewater Treatment facility will use Membrane Bio-Reactor technology with

innovative drip dispersal and will be the first system to use drip dispersal of this scale in Maine. This technology is designed to improve the quality of local groundwater and local waterways, and was selected for its reliability, flexibility, and cost effectiveness.

Portland Water District officials say that the facility will clean and filter community wastewater that is currently being discharged untreated into septic systems. The cleaned, high-quality water, which is extremely low in nitrogen and phosphorus, will be released into an advanced drip dispersal system that will be 2 feet underneath the new athletic fields at Manchester School. They say the sandy soils native to the area are ideal for this system.

Speakers at the dedication included Windham Town Council Chair Mark Morrison, RSU Schools superintendent Christopher Howell, Maine Department of Transportation Commissioner Bruce Van Note, Portland Water District General Manager Seth Garrison, Windham Town Councilor Jarrod Maxfield, and Maine U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King.

Collins said she was surprised to learn that Windham did not have an existing sewer system, but praised

everyone who worked diligently to make this project a reality.

“Windham is the gateway to Maine’s beautiful lakes region and is a major retail center for the surrounding communities,” said Senator Collins. “This advanced wastewater treatment facility will support continued job and residential growth in Windham while also protecting the environmental health of Sebago Lake, Little Sebago, and other local bodies of water.”

She said this infrastructure is needed to accommodate economic development, business and job creation, and residential growth in the region while reducing the carbon footprint.

King said that Windham is among Maine’s most vibrant communities and is a wonderful place to start a business, raise a family, or visit for vacation. He said he admired the town for creating this new sewer system.

“This new wastewater facility will help the town modernize its infrastructure to attract new businesses and provide families with a high-quality of life – all while carefully preserving local ecosystems. I was proud to support Congressionally Directed Funding for this project and look forward to watching Windham’s growth for years to come.”

Creating the new facility comes at a time when economic growth in Windham has been stalled because of the lack of a community wastewater disposal system. Studies have also found rising pollutants in the groundwater, threatening the quality of well water and the environment.

Garrison said Portland Water District draws its water from Sebago Lake and the water is so clean, it doesn’t need to be filtered. By partnering with the Town of Windham to create the new wastewater treatment facility, PWD is helping ensure Sebago Lake stays clean for future generations, he said.

Funding to Support the North Windham Wastewater Project included a $38.9 million Clean Water State Revolving Loan Fund Award; a $3.25 million SRF Debt Forgiveness Grant, $1.7 million in American Rescue Plan Funds allocated to the town, $2 million in Congressional Direct Spending sponsored by

Senators Collins and King, and $1.5 million from Cumberland County Government.

Morrison recognized Windham Town Manager Barry Tibbetts for his vision, expertise and leadership in seeing this project through to fruition and said long after Tibbetts is retired, he believes that Tibbetts’ contributions to the town will pay dividends for residents.

Maxfield said he was overjoyed to see the groundbreaking finally take place for the North Windham Wastewater Treatment facility.

“They said it couldn’t be done, never going to happen,” Maxfield said. “Never going to happen is happening today. Windham is getting things done by always working with others. Let us celebrate the power of perseverance and partnership.”

He said the new North Windham sewer system is 40 years overdue and will solve long-standing environmental and economic challenges for Windham.

“The advanced MBR system will provide for a cleaner environment and be a model for other Maine communities to follow,” Maxfield said. “This system will support business growth, new job opportunities and affordable housing options. And this new growth combined with our state and federal funding partners will guarantee no tax rate increase for our residents even with an expense of $38.6 million. This is remarkable feat for all involved and something Windham and the region can be proud of.” <

Windham’s Keddy Mill site to be cleaned up, demolished

By Ed Pierce 

A long awaited project to tear down the former Keddy Mill
industrial building at 7 Depot St. in South Windham along
with cleaning up the site and removing contaminants there
will be starting this fall. The site work will be funded by a
federal Superfund program administered by the EPA to
safeguard human health and the environment
PHOTO BY ED PIERCE.    

An agreement has been reached to clean up and demolish the old Keddy Mill site in South Windham under an initiative to protect human health and the environment.

Officials from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and ITT LLC, the company responsible for the 6.93-acre site and structure off Depot Street in South Windham, say that the former industrial building on the site will be razed and contaminated materials there will be removed.

Testing has determined that the two-story concrete industrial structure on the property contains elevated levels of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), asbestos, and other contaminants known to pose a risk to human health and the environment.

Located at 7 Depot St., the crumbling two-story concrete building at the site is thought to have been built in the early 20th century, although mill operations at that location date to the mid-1800s. Throughout the site’s history, several buildings have been constructed there and added to the mill complex.

Originally the mill was used as a grist and carding mill before being converted to a pulp mill, a box-board manufacturing facility and a steel mill. The site is in a mixed commercial/residential area in South Windham and is bounded by Depot Street to the north, a former Maine Central Railroad right-of-way to the east, and undeveloped property and the Presumpscot River to the south, and by Route 202/Main Street and an operational hydroelectric facility to the west. 

Use of the site for various industrial activities began in 1875, with its primary industrial use being for metal fabrication starting in 1945. The Keddy Mill Company began a metal manufacturing operation there in the 1960s which continued into the 1970s. Through the process of transforming scrap metal into products, electrical capacitors and transformers containing polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were used there.

The building itself at 7 Depot St. sits on a concrete/soil foundation and contains a full basement. The EPA reports that no wells or known private drinking water sources are situated close to the location.

Under the Administrative Settlement Agreement and Order on Consent reached between the EPA and the responsible party, the cleanup work will be done in compliance with the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act, commonly known as the "Superfund," and ensures that the cleanup will protect human health and the environment. Cleanup work is expected to be phased, initially consisting of pre-design investigation activities, beginning this year.

"EPA is very pleased that after years of assessment and discussion with the community, we are moving into a significant stage of recovery and reclamation of this site," said EPA New England Regional Administrator David W. Cash. "The upcoming building demolition and removal of contaminated materials is an important step in the lengthy process of returning a Superfund site to productive use in a community."

The property was first listed on the National Priorities List of Superfund sites in 2014. The Superfund is the federal program that investigates and cleans up the most complex, uncontrolled, or abandoned hazardous waste sites in the country to protect people's health and the environment.

Initial EPA actions there were launched in the 1980s. Data was collected during these investigations, as well a fuel oil spill, resulting in two previous cleanup actions performed at the site. In 1997, an action to remove nearly 11 tons of petroleum-impacted soil from the north-central portion of the property was conducted in accordance with Maine Department of Environmental Protection requirements. In 2010, a second cleanup action removed accessible PCB-contaminated fuel oils in piping and PCB-contaminated sludge, dirt, debris, and oil materials within the buildings on the site.

EPA completed a thorough site investigation in January 2013 and a Hazard Ranking System package in April 2013. Following that, the Keddy Mill site was placed on the NPL Superfund list in May 2014. A Remedial Investigation and Feasibility Study was initiated there in 2015 to determine the nature and extent of contamination and the risks posed to human health and the environment and evaluate alternative cleanup measures if necessary.

An Action Memorandum for a Non-time Critical Removal Action was signed by EPA and ITC LLC in 2018. That required that contaminated building materials must be removed from the site and sent to an off-site licensed hazardous waste site facility. The primary building contaminants exceeding acceptable human health standards included polychorinated biphenals (PCBs) and asbestos.

Windham Town Council Chair Jarrod Maxfield said the cleanup announcement is welcome news for South Windham residents.

“Ever since I started in town government, I have been hearing about the Keddy Mill and the eventual cleanup that will happen,” Maxfield said. “This is the first of many steps to clean that site, redevelop it and open more opportunities for South Windham to become the vibrant, mixed-use community it once was and will be again.” <

Windham nixes moratorium for solar projects

The Windham Town Council will not impose a moratorium 
on solar development in the town after residents on Linnell
Road objected to a new solar project there which abuts
their property. The council's Ordinance Committee will
review existing ordinances pertaining to solar and see if
updates are needed. COURTESY PHOTO     

By Ed Pierce

After consuming much of the Windham Town Council’s attention over the course of the past month, the idea of councilors imposing a moratorium for solar projects was voted down by a vote of 4-3 during a lengthy town council meeting on Tuesday evening.

At the meeting, supporters and opponents of a moratorium on solar projects were given time to share their thoughts in advance of the Windham Planning Board’s March 14 public hearing and final plan review of a Green Lantern Solar project near Linnell Road in North Windham.

The project would abut three residences on Linnell Road, and those residents advocated for the council to impose a moratorium until Windham’s ordinance for solar projects could be reviewed, clarified, and updated.

The project off Linnell Road calls for a 50-foot buffer between the project and abutting properties, fencing and the loss of some trees to create the solar array.

Louise Densmore lives on Linnell Road and told councilors she didn’t see how the buffer could be defined without a moratorium.

Pam Hageny, whose property abuts the project said she is not opposed to solar projects but thinks a moratorium was proper for this circumstance.

“The destruction of plant growth within a 50-foot buffer basically eliminates any semblance of protection the 50-foot buffer provides under the ordinance,” she said.

Another abutter to the project, Howland Bickerstaff that he was concerned about the project and where the buffer would be.

But Green Lantern Solar developer Geoff Sparrow told the council that the project has met all required zoning requirements mandated by the town and clarified what he said were some misconceptions shared on social media prior to Tuesday’s meeting.

Sparrow said that there is no road planned for inside the buffer and no studies have shown that having a solar project near residences reduces property values. He said some mature trees would have to be removed for the project but that would have to be approved by the Windham Planning Board.

According to Sparrow, there would not be any clear cutting of trees on the project property and a cedar fence would be installed 35 feet from the property line around the solar arrays.

He also told councilors that the project has a 35-year life span and that the solar panels are recyclable, made of tempered glass with components inside encased in silicone in case they were to be damaged during a hurricane.

Engineer Aubrey Strause of Acorn Engineering, Inc. told the council that that buffer screening plan for the Green Lantern project calls for some trees at the site to be removed, but a new buffer of young evergreens would be planted which would grow as the site progressed through the years.

During the meeting, it was also pointed out that the deeding for the original Mineral Springs Neighborhood Association which Linnell Road is a part of called for residences to have a 50-foot buffer to the parcel where the solar project site will be located.

Attorney Elizabeth Buckley who represents another solar project in Windham told councilors that in order to impose a moratorium, there must be a necessity for one and she said that Windham already had adequate solar development controls in place.

Councilors Brett Jones, Nicholas Kalogerakis and William Reiner said they thought a moratorium would be prudent so the current solar ordinance could be reviewed and updated as needed.

Windham Town Council Chair Jarrod Maxfield said a moratorium wasn’t needed as the town could review the ordinance through its Ordinance Committee and this issue did not meet the standard of an emergency.

He said each of the councilors had studied the issue, researched, and spent many hours trying to determine the best solution for everyone concerned.

Maxfield, along with Councilors David Nadeau, Ed Ohmott and Mark Morrison voted against imposing a moratorium, with Councilors William Reiner, Brett Jones and Kalogerakis voting in favor of a moratorium. <

Windham Town Council elects new chairperson, makes committee appointments

David Nadeau has been elected
chairperson of the Windham
Town Council. FILE PHOTO

By Ed Pierce

In the aftermath of this month’s election with two members sworn in and taking seats on the Windham Town Council, councilors elected a new chairperson and sorted out committee appointments in a meeting via Zoom on Nov. 10.

Councilor David Nadeau was elected as the new council chair, succeeding Jarrod Maxfield, who was voted as the new council vice-chairperson. Councilor David Douglass was chosen as the council parliamentarian.

Nadeau is a retired electronics engineer who has served on the Windham Town Council for eight years and was a member of the town Planning Board for 10 years. In September he was presented with the 2020 Planner of the Year Award by the Maine Association of Planners.

The council also chose Nadeau to serve on the Finance Committee along with Councilors Mark Morrison and Nicholas Kalogerakis. Elected to serve on the Appointments Committee are Councilors Douglass, Kalogerakis and Maxfield.

Morrison, who was elected Nov. 3 as an at-large representative, will join Maxfield in serving as the council’s representatives to the Windham Economic Development Board.

Douglass and Kalogerakis will represent the council on the Marijuana License Fee Committee, while Maxfield and Nadeau will serve on the Public Dire Road Sub-Committee.

The council elected Maxfield to serve as a member of the Highland Lake Leadership Team and Nadeau to serve on the Long-Range Planning Committee.

Councilor Tim Nangle was elected to serve on the Parks & Recreation Advisory Committee, while
Douglass was chosen to serve on the Natural Resources Advisory Committee.

Councilor Brett Jones, who was elected to represent the East District on Nov. 3 will serve on the Public Easement Advisory Committee. Maxfield and Nadeau will serve on the Smith Cemetery Committee.

Councilors also appointed Elizabeth Hall, James Ross and Ken Dolby to serve on the Smith Cemetery Board.

Jacqueline Roux was appointed by the council to serve a three-year term on the town’s Board of Assessment Review. <

Highlighting the Town of Windham successes

Anglers Road expansion on Route 302

By Lorraine Glowczak

“We rarely celebrate the projects that have been completed and have successfully taken place by the Town [of Windham],” stated the Director of Windham Economic Development Corporation (WEDC), Thomas Bartell. “For example, we never had a ribbon cutting for the Anglers Road Project that has promoted recent profitable business and development expansions which have contributed to the town’s recent successes.”

The truth is, as a society, we often find fault in municipality efforts but rarely take a moment to focus on the accomplishments that contribute to a socially, financially, culturally and environmentally healthy community. It is for this reason we take the time to celebrate a few accomplishments that have occurred in recent years in Windham, often with the help of civic minded volunteers. 

Although there are many successes to highlight, such as the headway Windham has made in supporting the water/lake quality improvements of which The Windham Eagle and other local newspapers have reported, the focus of this article will be on the following: Brand Road improvement, LED streetlights and economic development as a result of the Angler Road project.

Brand Road Improvement:

Windham is a small, rural town that is growing and expanding. In order to keep up with the growth, roadways must keep up as well. Although there are many roadways that need to be considered, Brand Road has been a challenge for the Town of Windham for many years. Thirty years to be exact.

Brand Road is a town road located in North Windham between two major thoroughfares, Routes 115 and 202. As such, Brand Road is travelled by many motorists as a shortcut between the two routes. Having to withstand heavy travel, Brand Road became unsafe and, especially during the winter months, impassable.

Windham citizen, Mike O’Brien, purchased property on Brand Road in 1985 and has lived there since 1989 – when it was a small dirt road. He has been a long-time advocate to improve the road’s safety.

“During the 1990s, as more homes were being built on the road, there was significantly more traffic  
and it was becoming problematic,” O’Brien explained. “Not only were there potholes but there were many dangerous incidents that included a town sand truck that slid off the side of the road and spilled sand and salt. Unfortunately, the salt killed trees along that lined the side of the road.” O’Brien also added that there were many incidents that involved school buses as well.

It was a that point that O’Brien looked to the Town Council to improve the roadway for safety reasons. “I was told in not so kind words to forget about it,” he said. That was his first attempt 30 years ago.

But O’Brien didn’t stop there. He collected signatures and submitted petitions – not once, not twice but three times -to no avail. It wasn’t until 2014 when he approached the then new Town Councilor, Jarrod Maxfield that O’Brien’s persistence paid off.

“Mike called me up soon after I was elected in my first election,” began Maxfield. “I invited experienced Town Councilor, Dave Nadeau, to join me in talking to Mike. We went to his house and sat in his garage with a neighbor on a Saturday morning and had a conversation. After listening to his story, we told him we would do what we could to improve Brand Road.”

Town Councilors David Nadeau (L) and Jarrod Maxfield (R)
stand on the improved and more safe Rand Road
with Windham resident and advocate Mike O'Brien

Fast forward to today; Brand Road has been widened and paved. “Kids are able to ride their bikes and

people can walk their dogs on the road safely now,” O’Brien stated. “I can never thank Jarrod and Dave enough. When they sat with me in my garage and listened to me – they promised they would not drop the ball. And they didn’t. They stayed with me the whole way to get this road improved for safe travel. Jarrod and Dave would calm me down when I felt upset and they kept me informed. Again, I can never thank them enough.”

LED streetlights:

The Town of Windham is working with the communities of Raymond, Gorham and Standish to cut costs that stem from energy and electricity consumption produced through essential streetlights by converting them to LED street technology.

The towns are working with a consulting firm, RealTerm Energy, a company that works closely with municipalities to install reliable and affordable LED lighting upgrades, often providing the service to groups of towns working together. In this case, the collective buying will be a result of the collaboration between the four Lakes Region towns.

Although the exact cost savings is still being analyzed, it is determined that the upgrade to LED
stoplights will cut cost significantly. “Based on RealTerm’s analysis, the Town could see a potential 77% savings in its annual streetlight costs, and a five to six-year payback on the initial capital investment to purchase the LED lights,” stated Gretchen Anderson, Stormwater Compliance Officer.

Anderson also stated there are other benefits in addition to the cost savings. “Converting to LED streetlights has multiple benefits. The Town has the ability to reduce its energy consumption by 71% and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 70%, while improving visibility and public safety. Furthermore, the town can make the most of the streetlight conversion by utilizing Smart Control technology.”

According to axiomtec.com, Smart Control technology allows a city to schedule lights on or off easily and set dimming levels of lights so a city can provide the right level of lighting intelligently. 

Smart street lighting control systems accurately detect light failure and other maintenance problems in real time so malfunctions can be fixed quickly. This intelligent system provides the operator with web access for automatic or manual monitoring and control over illumination performance. 

Additional smart automation systems such as temperature and pollution sensors, traffic signals, security, fire detection, visibility conditions and traffic sensors may be integrated and supported easily.

As Anderson stated, LED and Smart Control technology can further increase energy and maintenance
savings, decrease light pollution, and increase safety on Town streets.”

The completion of this street-light conversion is still being determined and the timeline is forthcoming.

Economic Development as a result of Anglers Road Project:

In approximately 2008, the Town had a vision to develop the land behind Bob’s Seafood at the intersections of Route 302 and Anglers Road with the purpose of business and economic growth. There was one challenge, however, in that plan. Angler’s Road is a private road, and as such, state and federal transportation funding would not be available to expand Angler’s Road to accommodate traffic.

“As a result, we (WEDC) had to purchase the land in order to give the town the right of way, making it a public roadway,” explained Windham Economic Development Corporation’s (WEDC) Director, Thomas Bartell. “This purchase facilitated the construction and allowed for Federal and State DOT participation in the funding of the project.”

As Bartell explained in this week’s Real Estate column, the Windham Town Council provided the “patient capital” to finance the purchase of the land via a low-interest loan through the Tax-Increment Financing program. The “patient capital” was vitally important to the success of this project which ended up being ten years in the making.

Bartell explained in an interview that there was much that had to happen in 10 years in order for the
project to be completed successfully. “There was a lot involved such as the planning and design process and market evaluations – all that simply takes time.”

Although it did take some time, the property is now all sold, and the town is paid back what is due to it, including interest.

The original vision of 10 years ago is now a reality. As Bartell stated, the Angler’s Road intersection has been upgraded, Bob’s Seafood has been transformed into a full-scale restaurant, bar and seafood with a 2,000 square foot expansion – adding 25 new jobs, the addition of the community-based Momentum organization as well as the newly built 42 unit condos. Plus, there is more coming in the near future.

And speaking of the future, perhaps it will be good to stop from time to time and recognize the accomplishments that do take place within the town. Whether you are or have been a town manager, a town councilor, town staff or a town volunteer – we take this moment to say thank you for a job well done. Of course, there is always room for improvement….but for now….let us focus on the good that has been accomplished so that we, as a town, can move forward in a positive and solution-based manner.

Santa mailbox adds a touch of magic to Windham neighborhood

4 year-old, Harper Maxfield, sends a letter to Santa

By Elizabeth Richards

Sometimes, Santa needs a little help gathering stories. Windham residents, Joanne Mattiace and Maggie Terry, have set up a festive holiday display outside their home, complete with a mailbox to collect letters for Santa.

The couple encourages children to write letters telling Santa what Christmas means to them. Children who have dropped off letters have received a couple of small presents, an ornament, and a letter from Santa in return. 

Town Councilor Jarrod Maxfield lives in the neighborhood and said his four-year-old daughter, Harper, “couldn’t have been more excited when we walked through the neighborhood to see the display and Santa mailbox.”  She was also very excited to receive a response from Santa, though she was worried that she hadn’t put cookies out until she was reassured that Santa would be back, Maxfield said.

The Santa mailbox is something new for Mattiace and Terry this year. The idea came spontaneously, Mattiace said, when she and Terry were at the Christmas Tree Shop. “We saw this great mailbox and thought ‘let’s decorate it and ask the kids for their letters,” she said.

The display draws people out in the neighborhood, especially at night when it’s all lit up. “It’s a nice thing for the neighborhood to bring people together,” Maxfield said.

Although giving Santa a helping hand is new to the pair, charitable giving is not.  “We’ve done a lot of charitable events at Christmas time,” Mattiace said. Each year the products attorney reaches out to clients for product donations. “They almost all come through for us,” she said.  Clients donate many household items, like blankets, comforters, sheets and pillows, as well as personal items. This year, Samsonite donated 120 backpacks. So, they reached out to other clients for things like toiletries, gloves or mittens, and hats, and donated the stuffed backpacks to the Preble Street Resource Center and the women’s crisis center.

When Mattiace and Terry began their holiday giving projects, they focused on the women’s crisis center. The first year they put some products under the tree for the women and their children. Over time, they collected enough donations to give things to the center to hold for women so that when they found a new place to live, they had some things to get them started.  Then Samsonite donated backpacks, and the charitable giving was extended to Preble Street.  “This year, we had so many additional donations of cash and checks from our family and friends that we extended the donation to the Windham Food Pantry,” Mattiace said.

Her clients respond eagerly to her requests for donations, and this year over $7000 worth of products went out, Mattiace said.  She added that they only donate to 501c3 organizations and tell clients that they can provide tax documentation if requested. “In the eleven years we’ve done this, one company, one time, has asked us for documentation. These companies are doing it because we ask them to, not because they want a write off,” she said.

Next year, Mattiace said they plan to expand their giving to Westbrook, after a recent visit to that city reminded them that there are some organizations there who also need some help. When she retires, in the next year or so, Mattiace said she hopes to start a foundation that will reach out to at-risk teens, children, and residents of nursing homes.

“I really think that Maggie and I have focused on charitable giving at Christmas time because we adopted a young boy years ago…and Christmas has meant a lot to him,” Mattiace said.  “Everybody needs a little holiday cheer, whether you’re Christian or Jewish or whatever, whether you’re old or young, straight or gay. We all just need to be a little kinder to each other,” she said.