Windham resident to receive Congressional Gold Medal for late father’s service as ‘Ghost Army’ officer

By Ed Pierce

If he were still alive, former U.S. Army Captain William Barton Skelton, Jr. would shrug off being awarded the Congressional Gold Medal for his exploits during World War II and say he didn’t deserve it. But for his daughter, Malinda “Mindy” McKinney of Windham and her two sisters, it’s long overdue recognition for their father’s participation in a top-secret unit that ultimately helped the Allies defeat the Nazis and change the world.

U.S. Army Captain William Barton Skelton, Jr.
served with the Camouflage Engineers Unit of
the 23rd Headquarters Special Troops Unit,
also known as the 'Ghost Army' during 
World War II. His daughter, Malinda
'Mindy' McKinney of Windham will join her
sisters in Washington, D.C. on March 21 to
receive the Congressional Golf Medal 
recognizing her late father's service with
the top secret unit. COURTESY PHOTO

Skelton was part of the 23rd Headquarters Special Troops, known as the “Ghost Army,” which was the first mobile, multimedia, tactical deception unit in U.S. Army history. The unique unit was able to simulate the activities of 30,000 troops or two entire American divisions by using visual, sonic, and radio deception tactics to fool German forces during World War II’s final year.

A highly anticipated ceremony to present the Congressional Gold Medal to Ghost Army soldiers and members of their families will be held at the U.S. Capitol on March 21 and McKinney will attend the event along with her sisters, Helen and Anne, who both live in Wilmington, North Carolina. Speaker of the House Mike Johnson will host the medal presentation along with U.S. House and U.S. Senate leaders and sponsors of the legislation which passed in 2022 and authorized the award, Congress's highest expression of national appreciation for distinguished achievements by individuals or institutions. The ceremony will be the first time the Gold Medal, designed and produced by the U.S. Treasury Department, will be unveiled to the public.

House sponsors of the bill to honor Ghost Army veterans with the Gold Medal include U.S. Rep. Annie Kuster of New Hampshire, U.S. Rep. Chris Stewart of Utah and U.S. Senators Edward Markey of Massachusetts and Susan Collins of Maine.

“What made the Ghost Army special was not just their extraordinary courage, but their creativity,” Kuster said. “Their story reminds us that listening to unconventional ideas, like using visual and sound deception, can help us solve existential challenges like defeating tyranny.”

TOP SECRET

The Ghost Army consisted of 82 officers and 1,023 enlisted soldiers and its existence were unknown and a closely held secret for more than 50 years until its activities and operations were declassified in 1996. At that time, the Ghost Army’s bold and daring techniques created to fool and distract the enemy about the strength and location of American troops was disclosed, including the use of inflatable tanks, sound effects, radio trickery, and impersonations.

The 23rd Headquarters Special Troops Unit took part in 22 large-scale deceptions in the European theater from Normandy to the Rhine River, with the bulk of the unit arriving in England in May 1944, just before D-Day on June 6, 1944. Troops assigned to the unit included artists, engineers, professional soldiers, and Army draftees.

The brainchild of Colonel Billy Harris and Major Ralph Ingersoll, who served as American military planners based in London, the unit included famed artists such as fashion designer Bill Blass, painter Ellsworth Kelly, and Art Kane, one of the most influential photographers of the 20th century.

Skelton’s unit waged war by deploying inflatable tanks and vehicles, broadcasting fake radio traffic and troop statistics, sound effects, and creating messages between fake generals. It harnessed imagination and illusion to trick the enemy and saved thousands of lives in the process.

At the war’s end, soldiers of the 23rd Headquarters Special Troops Unit were sworn to secrecy, and unit records were classified, and its equipment was carefully dismantled and stored. An article in Smithsonian Magazine in 1985 mentioned some of its activities but the project remained classified for 11 more years.

KEPT HIS OATH

McKinney, a retired Raymond Elementary School secretary, said that her father served in the Ghost Army as a member of the 603rd Camouflage Engineers Unit of the 23rd Headquarters Special Troops Unit.

“When Daddy would talk about the war before his oath was up, he just said ‘I blew things up.’ We didn’t even think that his military service involved deceiving the German army into believing that the Allies had more troops and equipment that what they did have,” McKinney said. “He never spoke of specifics of the five battles that he was part of but rather wanted to share stories about the bonds among the men of his unit and the good things that happened such as wild boar hunting in France with locals that then fed all the troops, discovering a tank of beer at a German brewery that they requisitioned, and when a wild boar startled them as they ate K-rations at the edge of the woods near the Moselle River. They tried their best to get that boar for a barbecue, but it did not happen. The Battle of the Bulge started the day after that.”

Following World War II, Skelton completed chemical engineering studies at Carnegie-Melon Institute of Technology and worked briefly for Goodyear Tire in Akron, Ohio before embarking upon a 33-year career with DuPont in Delaware, Kinston, N.C., and finally in Wilmington, N.C. where he retired. He passed way in 2011 and was predeceased by his wife, Jessica Matthews Skelton, in 2007.

He kept his oath to remain silent for 50 years about his service in the Ghost Army but once that time passed and the unit was declassified, Skelton shared many fascinating stories with his family about his service and the activities of the Ghost Army, McKinney said.

OVERDUE RECOGNITION

Three of the seven surviving Ghost Army soldiers, all 100 years old, are planning on attending the medal presentation which wraps up a nearly 20-year effort by members and volunteers of the Ghost Army Legacy Project to raise awareness and win recognition for the little-known Army units that played a unique but unheralded part in the Allied victory of World War II.

According to McKinney, none of this recognition would have been possible but for the efforts of the Ghost Army Legacy Project and their supporters. She said she is grateful to Senator Collins for being one of the primary sponsors of the legislation.

She said once she moved to Maine, her father would come to visit her about every other year if not every year at times.

“He even went to Raymond Elementary and gave some of the classes a magic show,” she said.

But on March 21 when McKinney and her family will be in Washington to receive the Gold Medal, she says her thoughts will be of her late father, who was previously awarded the Bronze Star by the Army for Meritorious Service with five battle engagements for his valor and distinction in World War II.

“Receiving this highest honor that one can receive, the Congressional Gold Medal, is very humbling,” McKinney said. “If my father were still alive, he would say that he didn’t deserve it. Much as what he had to say about being awarded the Bronze Star.” <

Raymond residents continue efforts to block solar project in neighborhood

By Ed Pierce

With a decision nearing by members of the Raymond Planning Board whether to allow installation of a 1MW ground-mounted solar power generation facility on a residential property in the Pulpit Rock Road and Twin Pines neighborhood near Thomas Pond off Route 302, area residents are growing increasingly frustrated and determined to make their opposition to the project known.

A small stream at 30m Pulpit Rock Road adjacent to a
proposed solar farm in a residential neighborhood runs
downhill into Thomas Pond in Raymond. Residents are
concerned that runoff from the proposed solar farm could
harm wildlife in the stream and damage nearby vernal pools.
COURTESY PHOTO 

Laurie Wallace, whose property abuts the proposed solar project said a lot has happened in the past month including two Maine Department of Environmental Protection permits being requested by the project applicant, one for stormwater and one for environmental approval. Project abutters have retained an attorney, and a complaint has been filed with Maine DEP regarding the clearing of trees inside of vernal pools and wetlands on the proposed project property and it remains unclear who arranged for the timber harvest, the lot owner, or the project lessee.

Wallace said concerned residents discussed some of their objections to the project at the Raymond Select Board meeting on Feb. 13 and that included environmental concerns and placement of such a project in a residential neighborhood. The group requested a town moratorium on ground-mounted large solar projects but the select board said that was something the Raymond Planning Board could do.

“At the Feb. 13 Select Board meeting, the Code Enforcement Officer gave us three business days to offer ordinance language changes that would protect residential areas and the environment,” Wallace said. “The attorney provided our recommended changes in a timely manner. We added the names of 43 households supporting our moratorium request we collected during those three business days.”

During the Feb. 21 Raymond Planning Board meeting, board members requested more time to evaluate the changes, with the understanding that the public would again be able to provide input at its March 13 meeting.

According to Wallace, during a Planning Board discussion the town is proposing only a single, minor change to the buffer for the project from 20 feet to 50 feet.

“They are not proposing any of the other reasonable changes that we offered,” Wallace said. “It sounds like we will be able to discuss additional ordinance changes at the next Planning Board meeting. It will be too late to enact anything without a special election. There are many Raymond residents from all over the town who are not in favor of both this solar project and the continued use of a vague solar ordinance. We are up against an artificial deadline tied to getting the ordinance changes on the town’s warrant papers for the June town vote. Those we have contacted are in favor of the town slowing down to get the proper language in place. A member of the Planning Board said that it wouldn’t be fair to the applicant to push back on their project because they’ve invested so much into it. The Planning Board is not listening to the concerns of the townspeople. We are getting frustrated by their inaction and their bias towards the solar array applicant.”

Allen Solar, LLC submitted the proposal to the Raymond Planning Board in October and seeks to locate the Mainely Solar facility on Roosevelt Trail on a lot owned by Scott and Aimme Allen with access to the project area through a lot owned by Scott Allen using the existing Raymond Marine entrance to Roosevelt Trail. The project lots amount to 17,817 square feet and intend to occupy about 6.8 acres located within the town’s Rural Residential District and portions are within the Shoreland Zone, Limited Residential/Recreation District.

The solar project will also require approval from the Maine Department of Environmental Protection and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers filling a small 325-square-foot wetland to support project access. The solar company says the property will be fenced and buffers and setbacks will be deployed to minimize visual impact.

Wallace said that acreage for the proposed site is hilly, heavily wooded and filled with vernal pools, critical wetlands and streams that run downhill directly into Thomas Pond.

“It is the habitat of many birds, four-legged animals, and amphibians,” she said. “We support energy sources other than fossil fuels. But placing a commercial solar farm in this sensitive ecosystem can ultimately do more harm than good. Raymond is considering making commitments to an industry that could, if unchecked, harm the pristine environment in which we’ve chosen to live. If this specific project is allowed to move forward, it could set a dangerous precedent in Raymond and the Lakes Region. The Thomas Pond watershed feeds directly into Sebago Lake, the source of drinking water for thousands in the Greater Portland region.”

Research into the environmental assessment report by Watershed Resources Consultants which was paid for by the applicants for their submission excluded part of a wetland that is on both the applicant’s leased property and an abutter’s property, Wallace said.

Because the Allen Solar proposal was accepted for review by the town in October and changes since then made to the ordinance, Wallace said the project should fall under provision of the updated ordinance.

“To that end, we requested a retroactive moratorium by the Planning Board, but they unanimously rejected the request and punted the moratorium initiation back to the Raymond Select Board,” Wallace said.

Raymond Select Board Chair Joe Bruno said concerns about the solar project is an ongoing issue that Select Board members were waiting for the Planning Board to address at their last meeting.

“I have added it to the Select Board meeting for March 12 to discuss again. We are all very concerned about the environmental impact on the waterway,” Bruno said. “The current ordinance went into effect I believe in 2021 when nobody considered that someone would build a commercial solar farm in a residential area. There may need to be some changes to that ordinance to make sure there is enough buffering from the neighbors, and also from the water. Everyone seems very supportive of solar for residential use. It’s the commercial aspect that most have hesitancy with.”

Bruno said the Select Board also needs to be cognizant that the applicant submitted the application under the current ordinance and followed the rules as laid out in the ordinance.

“This is a tough situation that nobody anticipated years ago when the ordinance was written,” Bruno said. “We will do our best to deal with this from a Select Board perspective and also the Planning Board process. The Select Board has to listen to why the Planning Board has moved ahead since this is their charge and not the Select Board’s area.”

Dave Fowler of Mainely Solar says his company followed town policy in its current solar ordinance and has addressed neighborhood concerns.

“Our project meets all of the land use standards that Raymond has adopted,” he said. Given the feedback from the planning board process, we have voluntarily agreed to increase the setback from the abutting property line. While we will be clearing approximately 4.5 acres of land for the solar panels, equal to 2 to 3 house lots, the environmental and life safety impacts will be significantly less.”

Fowler said Allen Solar, LLC has agreed to a 70-foot step back and the project will include a fire suppression system consisting of a 10,000 cistern and a network of piping and fire standpipes and the fence surrounding the project will include multiple gates with knock boxes, allowing Raymond Fire and Rescue to respond to emergencies. <

Maine Association of Basketball Coaches honors Pulkkinen as ‘Coach of the Year’

By Matt Pascarella

Windham boys’ varsity basketball coach Chad Pulkkinen has been honored as 2024 North AA Coach of the Year by the Maine Association of Basketball Coaches. He describes the award as a representation of his team and says he gratefully shares it with his players and assistant coaches George McCrillis, Geoff Grigsby, and Noah Estey.

Windham High School boys' varsity
basketball coach Chad Pulkkinen has
been honored by the Maine Association
of Basketball Coaches as the 2024
Coach of the Year. He has coached
at WHS since the 2015-2016 season.
PHOTO BY MATT PASCARELLA

“For me it means I have great kids and great players,” said Pulkkinen. “I have honestly been overwhelmed with the praise from the community. Our community is extremely passionate about Windham and our kids feed off that passion. I do not get this award without the play and effort from our guys.”

Pulkkinen graduated from Windham High School in 2002 and has been very successful on and off the court. He played professional basketball in England after playing for Saint Joseph’s College and majoring in business administration.

“All four years of high school, he’s always believed in me and seen the best in me,’ said Windham senior Matt Searway. “The countless hours and time he’s spent on our team and this program with our guys creating a relationship with every single one of us has brought us close together.”

It’s an honor for Pulkkinen to be recognized by his peers and he has mutual respect for all of them.

“He’s become part of my family, he’s just a really good guy,” said McCrillis. “He’s a great family man. It’s always been his dream to coach in his hometown. The reason I love the guy and love working with him so much is it’s not just about basketball. Basketball is the vehicle; we’re trying to help young men and teach them, through basketball ... the importance of school, community, being a good person. Chad makes me better; both as a person and certainly as a basketball coach because he has a vast knowledge. He will tell you it's not about him. He doesn't need to feed his ego by winning a lot of basketball games. He’s had [quite] a career. And it's not about that for him. It's way beyond that.”

Pulkkinen has become a positive influence for his players.

“The biggest thing I have learned from Coach Pulkkinen is to never give up,” said Windham senior Blake McPherson. “He always tells me and my teammates to be the best version of ourselves we can be. He never gets down on any of us. He’s always just keeps telling us to keep fighting. Coach Pulkkinen is the best coach we could’ve ever asked for our team. He leads us in the right direction on and off the court. Coach isn’t just a coach to our team, he’s part of our family.”

Continuous learner

Pulkkinen considers himself a continuous learner and observer. He’s been lucky to coach against some of the best coaches in the state and he tries to learn from his peers, asking as many questions as possible, especially starting out. Now, there are many coaches who consult him.

“Chad has done an incredible job building the culture over his career,” said Edward Little boys’ basketball coach Michael Adams. “It's one thing to be 'good' because you have good players. It's another to be consistently good because of the work that you and your athletes put in over the years. Chad leads his players and program in doing things the 'right way.' I've enjoyed, and respected, watching Windham play over Chad's coaching career as he has influenced and taught his players to play fundamental, team oriented, basketball.”

After graduation, Pulkkinen tries to stay in touch with players. He offers any help he can to outgoing seniors. Often past players come back to help out with the team in some way and those players know he cares about them beyond basketball.

“Coach is more than deserving of the Coach of the Year award ... although he would credit it to his players and assistant coaches,” said Windham senior Erik Bowen. “Coach puts in an unreal amount of time that is unseen. Coach has an incredible basketball mind and is really dedicated; he truly cares about his players and community.”

Mentoring younger athletes and establishing relationships early is very important to Pulkkinen and his coaching staff. They want eighth graders and even fifth and sixth graders to establish connections before they reach high school. Varsity players assist with basketball camps, referee youth games, or watch younger athletes play and basketball comes second to relationship building among individuals.

“It was intimidating yet you just want to be part of it,” said Windham eighth grader Carter Ammons. “There’s an energy meeting Coach Pulkkinen and the team only made me want to work harder to be at that level.”

Every year there are several players that inspire or amaze Pulkkinen for a variety of reasons over the season. He’s able to use these examples to inspire new players or to inspire or motivate past players. According to Pulkkinen, the impact the kids have on him is more powerful than the impact he has on them.

“Working with Chad has been one of the best experiences for me personally,” said Estey. “He allowed me to work with the guys as a brand-new high school coach and empowered me to share my knowledge and passion. He asked questions and made me feel I was a vital part to our success. Chad will give every ounce of passion and energy he has if it means having a positive impact on our guys. He preaches the lessons of life through the game, and ties everything to valuable life lessons. He is truly a maker of men as well as a basketball coach.”

Humbled by award

During his first season as WHS coach in the 2015-2016 season, the Eagles finished 7-11 but by the following year, WHS was 13-7 and Pulkkinen was honored as SMAA Coach of the Year. As a collegiate player at Saint Joseph’s College, he was team captain for three years and helped the Monks to an NCAA tournament appearance in 2003 and an ECAC championship in 2007.

Besides coaching prep basketball, Pulkkinen serves as Chief Executive Officer for Windham Millwork, a third-generation, family-owned custom woodworking business in Windham.

He said he would like to thank his wife Ramsey because without her support, coaching wouldn’t be possible. He also would also like to thank his family who have always supported him and the team, Windham Athletic Director Rich Drummond, and his assistant coaches, as well as Peter Brown who helped guide him starting out. They are some of his best friends and mentors. He also credits Pat Moody for pushing him to apply for varsity coach and for being an inspiration to the team and community.

“No one is more passionate or better prepared than Chad,” said Grigsby. “He’s always trying to better himself, find an edge for the team, and study anything he feels can help our program. He has developed a culture within the program that spreads to the larger community, of hard work and togetherness. He isn’t coach of the year this year because of what this team has done over the last three months, he’s ‘Coach of the Year’ because of what he’s developed for years with the basketball families of Windham.” <

Cumberland County Ice Fishing Derby anglers overcome challenge to assist charities

By Ed Pierce

For the second consecutive year, a lack of ice on Sebago Lake couldn’t ruin the fun for participants in the annual Cumberland County Ice Fishing Derby on Feb. 17 and Feb. 18.

Travis Sparks of Bowdoin, left, finished in first place in the
Pickerel competition during the Cumberland County Ice
Fishing Derby sponsored by the Sebago Lake Rotary Club
on Feb. 17-18. Shanna Hudgin of Poland, right, was the
winner of the Perch competition. SUBMITTED PHOTOS
   

Moving to some of the 20-plus remaining lakes and ponds in the outlying area with adequate ice to ensure for their safety, participants fishing in the annual Cumberland County contest sponsored by the Sebago Lake Rotary Club found an abundance of perch and pickerel readily available and waiting to be caught.

This was the 23rd year for the Ice Fishing Derby and despite warmer temperatures preventing the buildup of ice on Sebago Lake again this year, the popular contest proved yet again to be more than just an excuse to get outside for time spent fishing. Proceeds from the Cumberland County Ice Fishing Derby benefit local charities and nonprofit organizations that the Rotary Club donates to, including “Feed the Need,” which assists with funding for 12 different food pantries throughout the Lakes Region of Maine.

Participants found that searching for suitable ice was challenging but the event brought together people from all walks of life, helping forge new friendships among those fishing and leaving them with great stories to tell about their experiences that probably will be shared over the course of their lifetimes.

The warm temperatures and subsequent cancelation of contest fishing on Sebago Lake held down the overall number of registered participants compared to numbers registered in previous colder years, but many dedicated fishermen did sign up for the event, said Cyndy Bell of the Sebago Lake Rotary Club.

Bell said in keeping with tradition from years past, many participating fishermen donated their catches which were then delivered to Nova Seafood to be processed and delivered to assist in feeding the homeless and those facing food insecurity in the Lakes Region.

The Ice Fishing Derby concept itself is credited to Tom Noonan, a Sebago Lake Rotary Club member, who came up with the idea in 2001 in cooperation with the Maine Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Department.

Since then, the event has grown substantially to become the Sebago Lake Rotary Club’s largest annual fundraising initiative and has supported hundreds of charities over the past two decades, with more than $1 million donated to local causes.

“Under the leadership of Sebago Lake Rotarian Toby Pennels, the derby gained additional national notoriety as one of only four fishing derbies in the United States to be featured in a television program filmed for the National Geographic Channel that aired in June 2014,” Bell said.

An Otter Ice Shelter for the event was donated by Sebago Bait’s Rick Boutot. An Ice sled was donated by Sebago Bait’s Shannon Hallgren and a shelter for Ice Fishing Derby participants was donated by Cabela's Sam Eckle.

Here are the 2024 Cumberland County Ice Fishing Derby winners –

Top Prize Winners

The winner of the $5,000 cash grand prize was John Godbout.

Stephen Tufts won the 50/50 raffle drawing of $640.

Pickerel

First place: Travis Sparks of Bowdoin, 3.9 pounds, 25 1/4 inches

Second place: Adam Bryant, 3.86 pounds, 27 inches

Third place: Peter Reinhard, 3.66 pounds, 24 1/2 inches

Perch

First place: Shanna Hudgin of Poland, 1.74 pounds, 15 3/4 inches

Second place: Mark Plowman, 1.57 pounds, 14 inches

Third place: Greg LaChance, 1.56 pounds, 13.75 inches <

Windham council renews annual contract with Animal Refuge League

By Ed Pierce

Some of the most vulnerable members of the community will continue to have someone watching out for them as the Windham Town Council has approved an annual contract with The Animal Refuge League of Greater Portland.

Adoptable dogs Traced and Zinna romp around following a
snowstorm at the Animal Refuge League of Greater Portland
in Westbrook. The Town of Windham has renewed its annual
contract with the Animal Refuge League to help care for
strays picked up locally. COURTESY PHOTO 

The new contract starts July 1 and runs through June 30, 2025 at a cost of $27,098 for the temporary care and shelter for stray, abandoned, confiscated or relinquished animals collected by Windham’s animal Control Officer and transported to the ARLGP shelter in Westbrook.

During a town council meeting Jan. 23, Windham Assistant Town Manager Bob Burns told the council that the rate for the contract’s renewal is based upon 2020 U.S. Census figures for the town, which recorded 18,434 residents living in Windham. Under terms of this year’s contract, the per capita rate charged by the Animal Refuge League for the town rose 4 cents overall, going from $1.43 to $1.47 per resident.

“ARLGP then collects and reimburses Windham $25 for an animal impound fee on animals recovered by the Windham Animal Control Officer,” Burns said. “The impound fee rises to $50 for a second offense and $100 for each subsequent offense.”

Maine law requires municipalities to provide shelter at a state licensed animal control shelter for strayed and lost dogs, cats, and domesticated animals that are a problem in the community and undomesticated animals that pose a threat to public health or safety, and requires that the municipality also must provide services relating to the humane disposition of said animals in the event they are not claimed by their owners.

Funding obtained by the communities it serves allows the shelter to offer veterinary care for strays and provide adoption services for as many pets as possible into responsible and caring homes. The ARLGP organization is an open-admission shelter, giving every pet hope for a new life.

It strives to create awareness and support for the humane treatment of all animals, end animal overpopulation through proper education while promoting spaying and neutering, and only makes end-of-life decisions for animals based on safety, health, and animal welfare considerations.

According to information posted on the ARLGP website, last year the shelter adopted 3,012 pets from its facility including 1,979 cats, 796 dogs, and 237 bunnies, birds, and other animals. It provided training classes for 549 dogs and handlers and reached 2,116 children with its humane education outreach program in the area in 2023.

The shelter also took in 1,521 animals overall in 2023 from across Maine and the United States and worked to place 981 strays seized from inhumane environments to good homes. Reports also show that a total of 954 pets in the Greater Portland area received clinical care, pet food and reunification services from ARLGP last year and 1,515 animals were placed in foster care situations while awaiting permanent new homes.

Windham has contracted with the Animal Refuge League of Greater Portland for stray care services since 1990.

Statistics compiled by the Animal Refuge League show that 222 pets were adopted by residents of Windham in the last year. Some 142 stray animals were picked up in Windham and housed at the ARL shelter in 2023, and the facility processed 121 surrenders from Windham.

Animal control services in Windham are administered by the Windham Police Department through an annual budget of $77,046. That amount includes the annual salary for the animal control officer, animal control uniforms, equipment and supplies, and the services provided by the shelter.

Councilors voted unanimously to approve the new contract. <

Raymond residents want answers for slow mail delivery

By Kendra Raymond

If you live in Raymond, it is possible that you are asking, “Where is my mail?” United States Postal Service mail delivery in Raymond has become intermittent recently, leaving many residents wondering what is going on and hoping for a solution.

Slow and intermittent mail service in
Raymond since December has left residents
frustrated and seeking answers about how to
improve and speed up delivery by the U.S.
Postal Service to residents there.
PHOTO BY KENDRA RAYMOND  

The unofficial Postman's Motto appears on an inscription above the New York City post office on 8th Avenue. It reads, "Neither snow, nor rain, nor heat, nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds." But Raymond residents are perplexed at the problem and want to find a solution.

Despite numerous phone attempts to find out why mail service is so slow over a week’s time, staff members at the Raymond Post Office said they would not comment on the issue. Phone calls to the national U.S. Postal Service number have been fruitless, as several options to leave a message are offered, but there is no possibility to speak to a live person.

The USPS website lists the postal service mission as, “The Postal Service shall have as its basic function the obligation to provide postal services to bind the nation together through the personal, educational, literary, and business correspondence of the people. It shall provide prompt, reliable, and efficient services to patrons in all areas and shall render postal services to all communities.”

Members of several Raymond area social media groups have reported mail arriving just once or twice a week, sometimes late at night. Some expressed fear about deliveries after dark, while others were concerned about the safety and welfare of the drivers.

People have received pieces of mail for a similar address or even recipients across town. Some are connecting via social media with photos of mail in hopes of getting pieces to the rightful owners. Raymond residents are investing a lot of time into helping their neighbors receive their mail.

Some feel angered about not receiving solicitations and ads as some report it feels like “big brother” choosing what they will receive and when. Others are concerned about missing medications, bills, bank statements, paychecks, tax documents, and appointment letters. One resident said she was unable to file her tax return as her W-2 still has not arrived.

In some areas of town, community members also reported receiving the December holiday edition of The Windham Eagle newspaper just last week, the first delivery in seven weeks. Many are dissatisfied with the irregular delivery schedule of the newspaper and magazines by the postal service and want to receive the missing issues. This has been an ongoing problem since last fall, and concerns have been addressed to the Postmaster General for New England, who indicates they are working on resolving the matter.

Kelly Mank, who owns The Windham Eagle newspaper, said she’s encouraged by recent improvement in delivery of the newspaper in Raymond and said the issue hasn’t affect delivery to all homes, just to some areas.

Sadly, the Raymond Post Office receives a 1.9-star review on Google. Reviewers complain about a 75-minute closure for lunch and unsatisfactory customer service from the Raymond Postmaster.

Gayle Farrell’s review says, “Have not received any mail since December. Filed a complaint and the postmaster of Raymond closed it as “resolved” and three days later still no mail. Medical documents, social security documents, checks, retirement info, and more. Where is my mail? Went to ask and I was told ‘it’s in the truck.’”

Raymond resident KJ Grow submitted this review: “I cannot tell you how much disruption and inconvenience this has caused in my life and for my neighbors. Checks never arrive, health care documents and insurance cards never arrive. Packages usually arrive, but you have to track for yourself, when they are likely sitting at the post office, and if you're like me, take time off work to go pick them up. Somehow The Windham Eagle always makes it to the mailbox. I cannot imagine the stress this must cause for people who rely on USPS for prescription medications.”

After submitting a service request, one resident reported receiving a case number within 24 hours. The email stated that the USPS would investigate the situation and then reach out to resolve the issue. As of this printing, no response has been received by the resident after two weeks have passed.

The USPS offers several contact methods for concerned customers. You can visit your local post office and ask to speak to the Postmaster to inquire about mail concerns. USPS customer service can be reached by email at: https://emailus.usps.com. Or reach out by phone at 1-800-ASK-USPS® (1-800-275-8777). Forms are provided to submit a service request.

Copies of The Windham Eagle are available at locations throughout the Lakes Region as well as on its website at: www.thewindhameagle.com. <

Windham volunteer completes cycling adventure to raise money for Fuller Center

By Masha Yurkevich

How far would you go to help someone in need? A bag of groceries, a tank of gas, a few extra dollars? Diane Dunton Bruni was willing to ride 488 miles through Florida on a bicycle as part of the Fuller Center Bike Adventure to raise funds to eradicate poverty housing.

Sebago Lakes Region Fuller Center for
Housing's President Diane Dunton Bruni of 
Windham recently completed a 488-mile
bike ride through Florida to raise money to
eradicate poverty housing. She rode as part
of a group traveling down the east coast of 
Florida from just south of Orlando to the
southernmost part of the United States in
Key West. COURTESY PHOTO  

Bruni is the Board Chair, President and a founding member of the Sebago Lakes Region Fuller Center for Housing, an organization that launched in 2019 with five churches and Saint Joseph’s College. Original churches involved were Raymond Village Community Church, Windham Hill UCC, Faith Lutheran Church, North Windham Union Church, and the Unity Center for Spiritual Growth. Since then, St. Ann’s Episcopal Church has joined.

“We are connected to a National Fuller Center in Americus, Georgia,” says Bruni. “The Fuller Center for Housing was started in 2005 by the former founder of Habitat for Humanity, Millard Fuller. He left Habitat in 2004 to get back to the grass roots philosophy of building and repairing homes. He called it Theology of the Hammer.”

This was the fourth time Bruni has been part of the Fuller Center Bike Adventure.

“The Fuller Center has rides in different areas of the country and one that is cross country every year. I did the last week of the cross-country trip in July of 2022 from Burlington, Vermont to Windham, Maine. In 2023, I biked the Tour de Florida west coast and the East Coast ride from Tybee Island, Georgia to Wilmington, North Carolina. This year, the Tour de Florida was on the east coast of Florida starting just south of Orlando to Key West.”

Even though the ride was in Florida, it was far from a vacation.

“Every ride keeps a rigorous schedule,” says Bruni. “We are up at 6 in the morning after a night sleeping on thin mattresses, pack our gear and get it to the support van by 6:30, eat breakfast and clean our host church by 7:30 a.m. We circle up and hear about the route for the day, then someone in the group shares a devotional, a prayer is said for our safety, and we are off. The days average ride is 65 to 70 miles. The support vans stop every 20 miles to offer snacks and water or Gatorade.”

After they arrive at their next location, the riders unpack the van, get escorted to showers, share in a community dinner and then do it all again the next day.

There were 34 riders on this year’s ride.

“It is not the ride,” says Bruni, “It is the experience and the people you meet that you are riding with or on teams with or sharing some down time with during the course of the adventure.”

For Bruni, it is listening to people’s life stories, their joys and their hardships. It is listening to their faith stories and how God has shown up in their lives.

Some people ride because it is an inexpensive way to see the country, but many people are changed by the ride. “I have lifelong friendships from the rides I have been on,” she says.

The goal of the ride is to raise funds to eradicate poverty housing. There are 95 Fuller Centers in the United States and 20 global sites.

“During the ride, there are always days when we work on building a home or repairing a home," says Bruni. “This becomes a shared experience and riders see the true impact of what the Fuller Center is all about. My faith in God is always renewed by the connections I have with the people we meet and strangers along the way. We rode in rain, thunderstorms, wind, and nice weather but we all looked after each other. If someone stops, we make sure we do not pass the person without making sure they are okay. Strangers listen to our story and are in awe of what we do. We are so divided today and yet but having a shared experience and listening to each other, we are connected. As one of my very good cycling friends told me on my very first ride, ‘It is not about the ride, it is about the people you ride with and meet along the way.’”

Bruni tries to stay in shape by riding her road bike year-round, even during the winter in Windham.

“I had foot surgery on Sept. 7, so I had not been on my bike since Sept. 6, the day before my surgery,” she says. “I did strength training. I have to be honest, my foot was in pain the whole ride. I persevered though and completed the whole 488 miles.”

To date, Bruni has raised $3,000 this year for materials for home repairs in the Sebago Lakes Region community.

“We are in Windham, Standish and Raymond,” she says. “All of the funds I raise stay local. We are an all-volunteer organization repairing homes for seniors and veterans. Last year, we worked on over 15 projects to help people in our community stay safe in their homes.”

The January Tour de Florida is the first ride of each year. There are multiple rides from January until October across the country. While Bruni will not ride again this year, she will ride next year in some part of the country that she has not seen before.

Bruni has always been active with nonprofits. She is an author, entrepreneur, photographer, and artist. She is also a former Board volunteer and Chair of the Good Shepherd Food Bank, a volunteer for Junior Achievement of Maine, Relay for Life and the Dempsey Center.

She is married to Jeff Bruni and the couple makes her home on the shores of Sebago Lake with their two dogs, Mia and Charlie. <

Presumpscot Regional Land Trust announces partnership with local libraries for Nature Story Times

By Ed Pierce

Combine the beauty of the outdoors with some fantastic children’s literature and you have the basis for some memorable times for kids. That’s the premise of an exciting new partnership between the Presumpscot Regional Land Trust and Baxter Memorial Library in Gorham, the Gray Public Library, Walker Memorial Library in Westbrook, and Windham Public Library.

Families and children will gather for a Nature Story Time
at Black Brook Preserve in Windham on April 10 as part
of a new partnership series between local libraries and
Presumpscot Regional Land Trust. SUBMITTED PHOTO  

According to a press release issued by the land trust, this new collaboration aims to bring the joy of reading and the wonders of nature together through a series of Nature Story Times on Presumpscot Regional Land Trust trails.

Presumpscot Regional Land Trust Community Engagement Manager Brenna Crothers says that the Nature Story Times are set to take place at local preserves within each town.

She said the free Nature Story Times events will incorporate themes such as streams, fish migration, fairies, gnomes, and more. Each event will be around an hour long, including one or two books read aloud, followed by a nature hike. These outings are geared toward families with kids ages 2 to 5, although older children will be welcome as well.

Families and nature enthusiasts alike can look forward to engaging storytelling sessions surrounded by the serene beauty of these preserved areas, Crothers said.

The Presumpscot Regional Land Trust believes that connecting children and families with the outdoors fosters a love for nature and a sense of environmental stewardship from an early age, she said, and the Nature Story Time Series offers engaging and interactive experiences for children and families to connect with the outdoors.

The first Nature Story Time was held at Pride Preserve in Westbrook in conjunction with Walker Memorial Library on Wednesday. Crothers said the theme revolved around fairies and gnomes, allowing participants to create their own fairy/gnome crown and explore the wooded terrain of Pride Preserve while searching for enchanting fairy houses along the trails.

The next event is what is being called a “Stream Explore Nature Story Time” at Black Brook Preserve in Windham with the Windham Public Library from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. April 10.

Crothers says Black Brook Preserve offers diverse habitats including meadows, woods, and wetlands where a variety of critters can be discovered along the trails, making it a perfect setting for children to explore and learn about nature.

“On May 15th, there will be another Nature Story Time event in anticipation of the annual Alewife Migration at Mill Brook Preserve in Westbrook with Walker Memorial Library from 10 to 11 a.m.,” Crothers said. “Participants can immerse themselves in this beautiful preserve, as they search for signs of fish making their way upstream every spring.”

She said Presumpscot Regional Land Trust staff members are enthusiastic about this new Nature Story Times project.

"We are thrilled to collaborate with our local libraries to combine the magic of storytelling with the natural wonders of our region,” Crothers said. “It's a fantastic opportunity for families to bond, learn, and create lasting memories in the great outdoors."

The Presumpscot Regional Land Trust is dedicated to preserving and protecting the natural landscapes in the Presumpscot River watershed. Through conservation efforts, educational programs, and community engagement, the land trust strives to ensure that these valuable natural resources are enjoyed by generations to come.

PRLT has 20 public access preserves and 3,000 acres of conserved lands with miles of public access trails and water access in the area and partnered with the Town of Windham Land to create the East Windham Conservation Area. That site opened in December and is 99 percent forested and includes 661 acres with 1,545 feet of undeveloped water frontage on Little Duck Pond, some 38 acres of wetlands and numerous headwater streams.

For more details about the land trust’s collaborative project with the libraries, call Crothers at 207-200-4067 or send an email to brenna@prlt.org <

Lewiston presentation reaffirms faith in human spirit for Windham poet

By Ed Pierce

A Windham resident who believes that written words can soothe emotional pain presented a framed copy of a 14-line poem he composed to Lewiston city councilors during their meeting on Jan. 23.

Windham poet Bob Clark was honored by members of the
Lewiston City Council during a meeting on Jan. 23 for a
poem he wrote last October recognizing the bravery shown
by Lewiston residents following a mass shooting there on
Oct. 25 which killed 18 people and injured 13 others.
COURTESY PHOTO     

Bob Clark composed the poem “Our Candle Vigil” in response to the Oct. 25 news of two separate shooting incidents in Lewiston in which 18 people died and 11 more were injured by a lone gunman.

“I wanted to communicate support for people victimized by the deaths and wounds,” Clark said. “I wanted to acknowledge the collective bravery being shown by citizens as they were directed to shelter in place. Peoples’ plans shifted, and a manhunt was on. I became fearful since Windham was within striking distance of the shooter’s escape. Eventually the danger ended, allowing recovery to begin.”

Clark grew up and spent a great deal of time only a few towns away from Lewiston and said that his aunt had graduated from Bates College there. He had worked for an adult education program in Lewiston after serving in the U.S. Peace Corps in El Salvador in 1980 and has many connections to the area.

“I felt unsettled learning of death and injury details. The ugly truth was on my mind, so I wrote and edited and placed feelings directly into poetry,” he said. “Once the lyrical stanzas were complete, I contacted the Lewiston Sun Journal in the hope that if it was published it might ease some of the shocking pain. In that way, I wanted to communicate with victims that they were not alone in their grief.”

His poem “Our Candle Vigil” was published in the Lewiston Sun Journal in its Nov. 4 editorial section.

At the end of December, Clark visited Lewiston Mayor Carl Sheline and took him a copy of the poem. That led Sheline to invite Clark to present a framed copy of “Our Candle Vigil” to the Lewiston City Council at its next scheduled meeting.

According to Clark he is thankful to have found the will to compose the poem and feels it has had a positive effect upon a grieving community.

“It was not pleasant work to align tortuous words that questioned reality and at the same time reflect feelings of agony,” he said. “By contrast it was uplifting to convey the strength of community-wide solidarity. The poem includes both types. Many candlelight vigils have taken place. Those images became my visual connecting point. Above the poem’s title I presented to the council is pictured the glow of 18 candles. This assault is nothing I take lightly.”

Clark told Lewiston city councilors during his presentation that the community showed resolve and determination during the ordeal.

“So, these traits continue and no doubt in the same way that Bostonians showed strength in their battles of Breeds and Bunker Hill. These traits are helping heal and helping move forward, and to gain our footing again,” he said. “Learning about those October crimes caught me off guard and in disbelief. I was listening, watching, and fearful. Realizing the senseless harm, and injury, and death just plain hurts. Soon after, in open grief, gatherings started taking place, community prayers were raised, and candlelight vigils were held. As heartfelt as ideas are, no words erase scars or do away with pain but this short poem arrangement I hope will serve, alongside others, to honor victims of this gruesome assault.”

Since its publication, Clark says that responses to his poem and the Lewiston City Council presentation have furnished him with faith in the importance of humane connections.

“The composition of ‘Our Candle Vigil’ became positioned with an unexpected outcome. My usual writing themes relate nature to people and people to nature, I’ve never characterized crime or punishment,” Clark said. “The events had jarred my senses. I related with deeply seated sorrow. I was hopeful it could bring some comfort. The poem seems to carry that affect. Work with words is a labor of love, I feel rewarded to realize the use of poetical lyrics does benefit recovery.”

He said that the events before and during the Lewiston shootings had a dismal effect on him and for his home state of Maine.

“I never envisioned a type of support that would have me reading a poem at a televised, open city council meeting. But it has happened,” Clark said. “Words are surely not a medical remedy for the fatigue of emotional pain, though they are a way to communicate. They can relate a positive intent. They can show concern. They can calm nerves. I am gladdened that my words have found a positive place in all the stress and madness of these past crazed events. I am also being inspired to find that compassion remains at the ready, it continues to be reliable. I am glad to have joined in to help victims heal from the shooter’s mind-numbing cruelties.” 

Our Candle Vigil

What pain is there when too much has been ground

Into the heart as if a dagger speared

Would cause to suffer wild screaming sounds

’Til eyes are left to grieve alone in tears?

What prayer verse could have been keeping guard

Where people work and prosper next to each

Among their kin and friends from yard to yard

And ask to only practice what they preach?

These shocking deaths for whom we now do bear

A witness to when love is lost to hate

Does rob us all of playfulness and cheer

Until the burden heals its own weight.

Tonight our candle vigil air is filled

With light that reaches far into the hills.

 

Governor nominates Windham resident for new Paid Family and Medical Leave Benefits Authority board

Maine Gov. Janet Mills has nominated 11 individuals to serve on the board of the Maine Paid Family and Medical Leave Benefits Authority and one of the individuals she nominated is from Windham.

Christopher K. Washburn
of Windham is the Manager
of Benefits and Leave
Administration at Retail
Business Services for
Delhaize America and
has  been nominated to 
serve on the board of the
Maine Paid Family and
Medical Leave Benefits
Authority.
COURTESY PHOTO
   

Created as part of the statewide paid family and medical leave program signed into law by the governor last July, the 15-member Maine Paid Family and Medical Leave Benefits Authority is responsible for overseeing the implementation and administration of the new program that will make available 12 weeks of paid time off to eligible public and private sector workers.

"I am proud to nominate each of these qualified individuals to serve on the Maine Paid Family and Medical Leave Benefits Authority,” Mills said. "I am confident that each will work hard to ensure that Maine's new Paid Family and Medical Leave Program serves its intended purpose of helping Maine people deal with life's unexpected challenges while accommodating potential hardships for Maine employers."

Among the governor's nominees is Christopher K. Washburn of Windham.

Washburn has served as Manager, Benefits and Leave Administration at Retail Business Services, Delhaize America since 2010. He previously supervised employee benefits at Hannaford Bros Co./Delhaize America from 2004 to 2010. He has extensive background in benefits and leave of absence administration design.

According to Mills, Washburn has been nominated to serve in the Authority seat reserved for a member with expertise in issues related to paid family leave benefits and paid medical leave benefits.

Each of the governor's appointments is subject to review by the Maine Legislature's Joint Standing Committee on Labor and Housing and Confirmation by the Maine Senate and each appointment is for a three-year term.

In addition to the 11 Authority members appointed by the governor, four seats on the Maine Paid Family and Medical Leave Benefits Authority are reserved for the Commissioner of Labor or a designee; the State Controller or a designee; the Commissioner of Professional and Financial Regulation or a designee; and an employee of the Department of Health & Human Services with expertise in foster care and adoption.

The Maine Department of Labor has announced that Luke Monahan has been hired to serve as Director of the Paid Family and Medical Leave Program. Monahan, a Maine native, most recently served as the Associate Director for the Division of Disability Determination Services with the Department of Health and Human Services, an office that was tasked with making the medical determinations of the Social Security Disability Insurance program. He is a graduate of Bowdoin College and Northeastern University.

"As someone who has worked with people with disabilities and marginalized populations for my whole career, as a working parent, and as the son of small business owner, I understand the importance of building a streamlined, transparent, and effective program for the Maine people," Monahan said.

Maine Labor Commissioner Laura Fortman said she looks forward to working with the talented people nominated to the Maine Paid Family and Medical Leave Benefits Authority and Monahan.

"There is much work to be done before the program is fully implemented in 2026, and I encourage everyone to engage in the process through the upcoming listening sessions," Fortman said.

Payroll contributions for the Paid Family and Medical Leave Program begin January 1, 2025. Benefits will be available beginning in 2026.

Beginning May 1, 2026, Maine’s new paid family leave law will allow Maine employees to take up to 12 weeks of family and medical leave benefits over a one-year period.

Its benefits will be financed by a mandatory “premium” based on employee wages of up to 1 percent, to be split evenly between employee and employer, with each bearing a maximum burden of 0.5 percent of weekly wages as a premium. Maine employers with fewer than 15 employees will not be subject to the payment of the employer’s portion of the premium, though they will still be obliged to collect and remit the employee portion. While coverage starts May 1, 2026, Maine employers and employees will initially begin paying the 1 percent premium beginning on Jan. 1, 2025.

The program will be administered by the Maine Department of Labor and will cover virtually all employees in Maine, including public employees except for employees of the federal government. Self-employed Mainers will have the option of voluntarily participating in the program,

Up-to-date information on the new Paid Family and Medical Leave Program, its rulemaking process, and upcoming listening sessions is available at /labor/pfml/. <

Sebago Lakes Region Chamber welcomes new board chair and recognizes award recipients

By Kaysa Jalbert

The Sebago Lakes Region Chamber of Commerce celebrated 60 years with the theme “Honoring the Past, Treasuring the Present & Shaping the Future” at the Chamber’s Annual Meeting and Awards Dinner held on Thursday, Jan. 18 at Camp Sunshine in Casco.

From left, Vickie Bartlett, Jane Bartlett, President/CEO Robin
Mullins and Board Chair Jonathan Priest gather during the
Sebago Lakes Region Chamber of Commerce's annual
meeting and awards ceremony on Jan. 18 at Camp Sunshine
in Casco. The Bartletts attended the ceremony representing
the Bartlett family as the late George Bartlett was honored
with the Frank Koenig Chamber Hall of Fame Award.
SUBMITTED PHOTO  

“We shared a video on the Chamber’s incredible history and discussed how the organization continues to thrive and evolve as the region changes,” said Robin Mullins, President of the Sebago Lakes Region of Commerce. A table at the event highlighted the 60 years of the Chamber’s history, including regional guides and photo albums.

Two new Board Members were added to the chamber’s leadership team for 2024. Tricia Zwirner of the Nominating Committee introduced the new board members, Maureen LaSalle of Northern Lights Mechanical, and Maureen Mazur of Taro Health.

The Chamber Board also voted Jonathan Priest of J. Priest Insurance to succeed Jennifer Arsenault of Edward Jones as the new Board Chair. Arsenault was awarded a plaque to commemorate her term of service as Board Chair.

The Annual Meeting also included a social hour, a buffet dinner, a business meeting, and ended by recognizing the following award recipients:

Dave Pollard presented the Chamber’s Community Service Leadership Award to Lacy Antonson for her work in Gray, especially at the Gray Wild Blueberry Festival. Mullins said that the Community Service Leadership Award recognizes a civic-minded individual or group that has made a significant contribution to the quality of life in the Sebago Lakes Region. Nominees are passionate about a cause and work tirelessly for the greater good and to inspire others to become involved in their community.

The Chamber’s Entrepreneur of the Year Award is presented annually to a Chamber member operating in the Lakes Region whose innovation and creativity have succeeded in starting their own successful business while opening new economic opportunities for the Sebago Lakes Region. This member has donated their time and/or resources unselfishly for the good of their local community, Mullins said. This year, the Entrepreneur of the Year Award was presented to Shaw Dwight of Paul's Boutique in Windham. He thanked his team, his father, and his wife for helping him become successful.

Richie Vraux presented the Business of the Year Award to Kenny Cianchette and his team at Erik's Church in Windham. “This award is presented to a Chamber member operating in the region that has set an example in leadership, innovation, and quality, and has provided noteworthy economic opportunity to the people of the Sebago Lakes Region,” said Mullins. “This business should also have donated their time and/or resources unselfishly for the good of their local community.”

Mullins announced the winner of the Frank Koenig Chamber Hall of Fame Award. This specific award is presented to an individual whose commitment of time, resources and talent have made the Sebago Lakes Region a better place to pursue one’s livelihood and dreams.

“Frank Koenig was passionate about the chamber and worked tirelessly for the betterment of our region and his local Chamber of Commerce,” says Mullins. “Like Frank, the recipient should have a history of passionate and active contributions to the Sebago Lakes Region Chamber of Commerce. This person should have made an impact on the chamber and the local community all while maintaining the highest of integrity. The award is presented posthumously to George Bartlett, who we sadly lost in July of 2023.”

The Frank Koenig Chamber Hall of Fame Award given to Bartlett was accepted by his wife, Jane, and his daughter, Vickie, who spoke on behalf of the family, expressing their gratitude for recognizing how much George meant to the community, and how much he would have loved this award.

Mullins said that the Chamber looks forward to another busy year of events in 2024 such as the monthly Business Breaks, the Polar Dip in February, Member Appreciation Week in May, the Scholarship Golf Open in June, the Golf Ball Drop at Summerfest, a Pancake Breakfast at the Gray Wild Blueberry Festival, community Trunk or Treats, the Sebago Spirits Festival, and other community holiday events including the Bid of Christmas.

The Sebago Lakes Region Chamber of Commerce was launched 60 years ago by a group of innovative business owners and was called the North Windham Business Association and is now made up of 14 Board Directors and seven officers whose mission is to foster economic growth and prosperity throughout the region. <

Raymond residents oppose solar farm installation in neighborhood

By Ed Pierce

Residents living in the Pulpit Rock Road and Twin Pines neighborhood near Thomas Pond off Route 302 in Raymond are hoping the Raymond Planning Board rejects a proposal when it meets in March to install a 996 kWac ground mounted solar power generation facility on a property near their homes.

The Wallace home at 30 Pulpit Rock Road is in sight of the 
fence line of a proposed solar farm project in Raymond.
SUBMITTED PHOTO

Allen Solar, LLC submitted the proposal to the Raymond Planning Board in October and seeks to locate the Mainely Solar facility on Roosevelt Trail on a lot owned by Scott and Aimme Allen with access to the project area through a lot owned by Scott Allen using the existing Raymond Marine entrance to Roosevelt Trail. The project lots amount to 17,817 square feet and intend to occupy about 6.8 acres located within the town’s Rural Residential District and portions are within the Shoreland Zone, Limited Residential/Recreation District.

The project will also require approval from the Maine Department of Environmental Protection and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers filling a small 325-square-foot wetland to support project access. The solar company says the property will be fenced and buffers and setbacks will be deployed to minimize visual impact.

Objections

Laurie Wallace, whose property abuts the proposed project, says that acreage for the proposed site is hilly, heavily wooded and filled with vernal pools, critical wetlands and streams that run downhill directly into Thomas Pond.

“It is the habitat of many birds, four-legged animals, and amphibians,” she said. “We support energy sources other than fossil fuels. But placing a commercial solar farm in this sensitive ecosystem can ultimately do more harm than good. Raymond is considering making commitments to an industry that could, if unchecked, harm the pristine environment in which we’ve chosen to live. If this specific project is allowed to move forward, it could set a dangerous precedent in Raymond and the Lakes Region.”

Wallace said the Thomas Pond watershed feeds directly into Sebago Lake, the source of drinking water for thousands in the Greater Portland region.

Dave Hall, another abutter to the proposed solar farm who lives at 32 Pulpit Rock Road, said this project doesn’t fit in that neighborhood.

“My family has lived in the neighborhood since the houses were built in 1983. What I object to about the proposed solar project is leasing the land for a commercial project does not seem like something that should happen in a residential neighborhood,” Hall said. “The planning board seems to have allowed solar projects in residential zones with no safeguards to protect the surrounding property owners. They did not create reasonable setbacks or other rules that would have kept this project from being planned to have seven acres of solar panels start 150 feet from a person’s house. The property is a watershed of Thomas Pond, just below the project is a stream running into Thomas Pond. We are concerned our property values will go down with an industrial business venture going on behind our houses. The town’s comprehensive plan states that proposals and projects should not impact way of life and property values. When asked at the public forum the planning board said," that is not the basis of decision making. " It seems like it should be. Our neighborhoods are in danger from plans like this. We keep saying this is the wrong property for a project like this.”

Jennifer Danzig also lives in a home which abuts the project. She and her husband have lived there since 1998 and raised three children and says she taught her children to be good stewards of the environment and the community and for those reasons she opposes the project.

“The proposed solar project is a private, for-profit, commercial solar farm which requires clearing 7-plus acres of forest land designated as rural residential located in between Route 302 and the shoreland zone of Thomas Pond. It is an environmentally sensitive area that just isn’t the right location for this project,” Danzig said. “This forested area is the home to many birds, four-legged animals, and amphibians that will be displaced which will impact the local ecosystem. In addition, the proposed site is hilly and full of vernal pools, wetlands, and streams that run downhill directly into Thomas Pond.”

Danzig says without the current acreage of forested canopy in this area providing protection against increasingly severe rain and windstorms that residents there could experience even more runoff and potential flooding.

“The Thomas Pond watershed feeds directly into the Sebago Lake watershed which provides drinking water to local residents, and to the City of Portland. So not only will this project severely impact the privacy and serenity of the Thomas Pond residents, but health and safety issues could arise, and property values could be adversely impacted,” she said. “Many other Maine towns have moratoriums on these projects until more research becomes available regarding all of the unintended consequences of such installations. Raymond Waterways Protective Association states all of the lakes, ponds, and brooks in Raymond are physically connected; consequently, many people in Raymond and neighboring towns beyond those on Thomas Pond could be affected by this proposed project. If allowed to move forward, it could set a dangerous precedent for this type of installation in other rural residential neighborhoods around the lakes in our community.”

Company response

Dave Fowler of Mainely Solar says that his company has more than 22 years of experience developing responsible renewable energy projects across Maine and that the proposed Allen Solar project is a 1MW solar facility that will help ensure that Maine reaches its goal of 100 percent clean energy by 2040.

“Landowner rights are among the most important aspects to consider when developing any project. The town has adopted a solar ordinance that allows the use in the Town of Raymond to ensure those rights don’t burden the neighbors,” Fowler said. “Our project meets all of the land use standards that Raymond has adopted. Given the feedback from the planning board process, we have voluntarily agreed to increase the setback from the abutting property line. While we will be clearing approximately 4.5 acres of land for the solar panels, equal to 2 to 3 house lots, the environmental and life safety impacts will be significantly less.”

Fowler said the field will be mowed no more than two times per year, compared to lawns, which are mowed as frequently as needed and that minimizes runoff.

“We will not be using any fertilizers, herbicides, or pesticides frequently used by many of the homes in the Thomas Pond watershed,” he said. “Stormwater from the project’s impervious surface and the existing impervious and developed areas will be captured, treated, and discharged at the same peak flow rate as it does today. To further protect Thomas Pond's water quality, a site-specific erosion and sedimentation control plan has been developed for construction. The seed mix used will be pollinator-friendly and fire-resistant.”

According to Fowler, the project will include a fire suppression system consisting of a 10,000 cistern and a network of piping and fire standpipes and the fence surrounding the project will include multiple gates with knock boxes, allowing Raymond Fire and Rescue to respond to emergencies.

He refuted objections about lowered property values, saying numerous studies show that solar projects of this size do not impact property values.

“At the same time, you can undoubtedly find studies on the internet that have contradictory opinions. There is no study with conclusive findings of adverse impact,” Fowler said. “We understand that there are concerns regarding impacts to the environmental resource. All protected natural resources within the parcel have been identified by licensed professional scientists in accordance with Maine DEP and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers standards. The project has been designed to avoid and minimize impacts to these resources to the greatest extent, meeting all local, Maine DEP, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers rules and standards. The local code enforcement officer, the local civil engineer, and the fire department have reviewed the project. Many abutting lot owners who have expressed concerns, enjoy using the Allen property without verbal or written permission. That is expected to continue except for the 4.5 acres that will be fenced.”

The Raymond Planning Board will meet on March 13 to discuss the proposal. <

Raymond Select Board appoints Look permanent town manager

By Ed Pierce

Pending working out specific details of a contract, the Town of Raymond has a new Town Manager after the Raymond Select Board offered Susan L. Look the position during a Select Board meeting on Jan. 9.

Members of the Raymond Select Board have
appointed Susan Look as the new Raymond
Town Manager. Look had been serving in
the role since July 2023 on an interim basis
after longtime Town Manager Don Willard
went on Paid Family Medical Leave and 
then officially retired Jan. 2. FILE PHOTO

Look, who also serves as Raymond’s Town Clerk and Registrar of Voters, has been filling the Town Manager position on an interim basis since July 2023. Coming out of an Executive Session during the meeting, members of the Select Board voted unanimously to offer Look the permanent job as Raymond Town Manager.

Don Willard had served as the Raymond Town Manager for more than 22 years when he left on Paid Family Medical Leave in July 2023, and he officially retired on Jan. 2. When Willard went out on leave last year, the Raymond Select Board then asked Look to stand in for Willard until his situation was resolved.

“From my perspective Sue, you have done a spectacular job in the last 6 ½ months,” said Joe Bruno, Raymond Select Board chair. “You’ve earned this. Well deserved. You’ve stepped up and it’s really appreciated.”

Prior to stepping in to act as the Interim Town Manager, Look’s service as Raymond Town Clerk and Registrar of Voters were not the only duties she had undertaken in her role with the town since she came to work there almost decade ago.

Through the years she has organized the Raymond Select Board’s monthly meetings, taken the Select Board meeting minutes, coordinated with all the people who want to be in the meeting and compiled requests for items to be placed on the agenda. In addition to organizing the town’s scheduled monthly Select Board meetings, and an occasional as-needed emergency meeting, Look has also prepared the warrant for Raymond’s Annual Town Meeting held on the first Tuesday in June every year.

As detailed in an August 2021 profile of her in The Windham Eagle, Look’s history of organizing and planning extends well beyond her time working in elections at the state level and although she was born in Maine, Look has lived all over the east coast and gained valuable experience along the way.

“My dad was in the woolen industry, and we followed the mill closings north,” Look said.

Altogether Look said in 2021 that she moved 40 times before settling into her current home. “I can pack out a kitchen quick,” she said. “And every time I moved, I would always make sure the beds were made before we finished for the day.”

The skills needed to pack up a household and keep calm while moving have helped Look obtain plenty of confidence needed to succeed in her new role as the Raymond Town Manager.

Look was born in Lewiston and has worked for the Town of Raymond since July 2014. She formerly served as the Town Clerk for the Town of West Bath and she was originally hired by Willard to replace longtime town clerk Louise Lester, who was retiring at the time.

Her father grew up in New Gloucester, and she has family connections in both Raymond and Windham. She is married and has two married daughters and two grandchildren, and lives in Richmond.

During her professional career, Look worked for L.L. Bean for 15 years and was promoted to manage the company’s customer name and address filing system. She was appointed as the Town Clerk in West Bath in 2004 and served in that role for five years before working for the Maine Division of Elections for another five years.

According to Bruno, the Raymond Select Board is currently formulating a transition plan to appoint a new Town Clerk and Registrar of Voters to succeed Look in those roles. <

New director settles into leadership role for BTI

By Kaysa Jalbert

Windham’s Be The Influence Coalition has welcomed a new Director, Patrice Leary-Forrey, to the team as it enters year eight of a 10-year grant awarded by the Drug Free Communities to help prevent youth substance abuse in the towns of Windham and Raymond.

Patrice Leary-Forrey is the new director
of the Be The Influence Coalition. She
will lead BTI initiatives in Windham and
Raymond to help deter substance abuse
by youth in the community.
COURTESY PHOTO 

“It’s been amazing so far,” says Leary-Forrey. “The community has been so welcoming and responsive to the program over the years. We have a great leadership team, and I am excited to work with everyone.”

Leary-Forrey says she has been working with other members of the leadership program to carry out on-going initiatives by the coalition in efforts to raise more awareness about substance abuse to the community’s youth, however the new director has some ideas of her own to implement as well.

“I would like to hone-in on prevention of protecting kids from access to substances,” she said. “A new initiative would be to offer lock boxes for families during the Drug Take Back Days that the public safety hosts.”

Drug Take Back Day, according to the official DEA website, encourages the public to remove unneeded medications from their homes as a measure of preventing medication misuse and opioid addiction. It also acts as a reminder to keep medications out of reach of children and locked away.

The lock box initiative would allow parents, grandparents, and guardians to keep personal products and medications locked and secure out of the hands of toddlers and teenagers.

“I'm going to be working hopefully with poison control and Maine CDC to help support that initiative and bring that opportunity to families,” says Leary-Forrey.

Until then, Leary-Forrey plans to focus on executing projects that are already in the works alongside her leadership team. Along with Crystal Aldrich, the Project Coordinator for BTI, they are working together on a youth mattering initiative with the Maine Resiliency Building Network, a program that focuses on community involvement in promoting mental health and well-being amongst young people.

Another plan includes a sequel event to the Jammin’ for Mental Health through the Arts event that was held in May 2023. Be The Influence organizes this event annually with community partners Maine Behavioral Healthcare and RSU 14.

BTI and partners have been hosting a series of “Arts of Prevention” events for years using different forms of art such as painting, music, film, and theater to help the youth express themselves and find healthy coping outlets.

“We will be there hosting other not-for-profits and Maine Health and we will be providing information and support to the families who might need resources in the community,” said Leary-Forrey.

The new director is now in week four of her BTI leadership role and has been keeping busy handling grant requirements, meeting folks in the community, and attending meetings. This week’s mission is to attend club meetings such as Youth Leadership at Windham High School as a means to meet the students and explore ways to support them in their everyday activities at school and to provide prevention education regarding substance use and advice about how to make good choices for themselves.

Leary-Forrey said she hopes to soon meet with the health teachers at Windham High School to bring in some evidence-based programming education into the health classes.

“I am so excited to meet the kids and to work with them and support them in their initiatives,” she said.

Prior to this new role, Leary-Forrey worked as a director for a nonprofit in York County for prevention of child abuse and neglect. She explains it was similar work just with a different focus but also required supporting parents and kids in schools.

According to Leary-Forrey, Be The Influence community coalition meetings will be held on the second Tuesday of the month at 10 a.m. in the training room at the Windham Public Safety building. It is open to the public to hear updates from the community and what BTI is currently working on.

Leary-Forrey grew up in a small rural town in Southern New Hampshire in the Monadnock Region called Fitzwilliam.

“It was a great place to grow up and shares many similarities to Southern Maine,” she says.

She attended high school at Gould Academy and later pursued her undergraduate degree in Psychology and English at New England College. Afterward, Leary-Forrey moved to California to study at Pepperdine University before transferring to Argosy University in Chicago where she obtained a master’s degree in Clinical Psychology.

Now, she is a mother of four daughters who are living in Charlotte, North Carolina; Montreal, Canada; and Paris, France. In her free time, Leary-Forrey says she enjoys lots of outdoor activities and sports, watercolor painting, vegetable gardening in the summer and listening to a variety of music and podcasts. <