I found it in the most unlikely of places. It was written by the most unlikely of authors. It intrigued me, and its aftermath terrified me.
It was a column headlined: “Let’s talk limits,” a well-written and balanced piece about the hype and rhetoric that surrounds our nation’s gun control debate.
It was published in Guns & Ammo, which describes itself as “the world’s most widely read firearms magazine.”
It was written by Dick Metcalf, a staunch Second Amendment supporter, who had the temerity to opine that reasonable gun regulations do not necessarily constitute an infringement on civil liberties.
“Way too many gun owners still seem to believe that any regulation of the right to keep and bear arms is an infringement,” Metcalf wrote in the December issue
“The fact is, all constitutional rights are regulated, always have been, and need to be.”
Gun advocates went ballistic. They felt betrayed by one of their own.
Jim Bequette, the magazine’s editor immediately apologized to readers for his goal of generating “a healthy exchange of ideas on gun rights.”
But that did not calm the storm. Metcalf was fired, and Bequette resigned his post a month earlier than he planned.
Apparently, too many of those who so staunchly support the Second Amendment have little use for the First Amendment.
If gun advocates feel as is if they are being discounted by the so-called mainstream media as “unreasonable,” perhaps they should try listening to other points of view and refrain from shooting any messenger with a set of talking points that don’t align perfectly with their own script, especially when that message comes from one of their own.
Even with the best of intentions, it’s too easy to screw up.
Case in point: The way Biddeford City Councilor Mike Swanton objected to a state law that allows municipalities to share a portion of proceeds seized following the conviction of a drug crime.
On Wednesday, fewer than 24 hours after the election polls closed, Police Chief Roger Beaupre went before the lame-duck City Council with a rather routine request to allocate roughly $2,100 his department received earlier this year from the Maine Attorney General’s Office.
Beaupre told the council that he wanted to use those funds to buy some new equipment for his department, including cameras for his criminal investigators.
Earlier this year, the same city council voted without objection to allow the fire department to use roughly $100,000 of money it received from the sale of an aging fire truck for the purchase of new equipment.
So far; so good, right? Wrong.
Although Chief Beaupre’s request looked like a routine matter, and the council seemed ready to rubber-stamp it, something ugly was about to happen.
Beaupre was sitting in the audience, and said he was “stunned” by what happened next.
Swanton, voice cracking at times, bristled at Beaupre’s request and didn’t hesitate to do a bit of grandstanding, a tactic usually employed – and always expected from Councilor Richard Rhames.
Swanton said the police should not be getting “incentives.” He wanted the state money to go into the city’s general fund.
Let’s pause here for a moment.
A lot of people, including me, can see the logic of Swanton’s objection to directing funds seized from criminal activity to law enforcement agencies. Perhaps there is a slippery slope of ethical concerns that elected officials should consider.
But Swanton took it a step further, by implying that Beaupre, and by extension, the entire Biddeford Police Department is engaging in some sort of shakedown corruption scheme.
“I don’t believe the police department should profit directly from confiscated money or property,” Swanton said during the meeting. “It’s too much like the Detroit shakedown,” he added, referencing the recent conviction of former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick on fraud and racketeering charges.
Beaupre said it was hard to swallow what he was hearing.
“I could not believe my own ears,” he said. “I have served this city with pride and integrity for than 40 years. By comparison to the funds the Fire Department was allowed to use, my request was a pittance. I was stunned.”
Four other member of the council supported Swanton’s motion to amend the order (Roch Angers, Melissa Bednarowski, David Bourque and Richard Rhames.)
No one, however, raised any objection to Swanton’s swipe. There was no declaration of conscience on Wednesday.
Swanton’s words were allowed to hang in the air and then archived in the public record without question.
Turn you inside out
Why does the City Council have different standards for the police and fire departments? Does the council have a problem with Chief Beaupre or his department?
Councilor Roch Angers seconded Swanton’s motion to move the funds to the city’s general fund.
I asked Angers why he voted earlier this year to let the fire department keep funds it received, but not the police department.
Angers said it was an oversight. “If I thought about it, I would have probably voted differently on the fire department issue,” Angers said.
On Saturday, Swanton apologized for the way he phrased his motion, but remained unapologetic for his intention. “The city should get the money; it should not be used to let the police go through a wish-list catalog.”
Swanton says he has no problems with the Biddeford Police Department.
“I love the police department,” he said. “I have tremendous respect for Chief Beaupre. I just think it’s a slippery slope. There should not even be the appearance of a quid pro quo.”
Swanton also said he has no plans to address the issue at either the state or federal level. “I just don’t think it’s a good way to do things.”
If Swanton has such an ethical concern, why was he willing to take the money in the first place? A more principled position would be to return the “dirty” money to the state.
But I guess when you’re an elected official in a cash-strapped community, there really is no thing such as “dirty” money.
A foolish consistency?
Before making their final decision, the council asked Beaupre whether it was okay to redirect the money for something other than law enforcement related expenses.
Beaupre explained that seized federal funds must be used for law enforcement. State-seized funds, however, do not come with the same requirement.
A day later, on Thursday, Beaupre received an e-mail from Biddeford High School Principal Jeremie Sirois.
According to the e-mail, Sirois is hoping to attract Chris Herren, a former NBA player who today tours the country speaking with youth about the dangers of drug addiction, for an appearance at Biddeford High School.
The cost to have Herren speak in Biddeford is $6,000.
Old Orchard Beach is reportedly willing to co-sponsor the event with Biddeford and could kick-in $1,500 from its police department’s drug grant funds.
Beaupre said he could have used the $2,100 he just received from the state, but the city council took the money for its general fund.
Swanton said it was a missed opportunity that could be easily corrected at the next council meeting.
“I think that would be the most appropriate use for those funds,” Swanton said.
It remains to be seen whether the council will reverse its position on the money it received from the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency, but a few things are crystal clear:
1.) Intentionally or not, Councilor Swanton smeared the reputation and dignity of one of the city’s longest serving public servants by connecting Beaupre’s routine request to a criminal conspiracy case in Detroit.
2.) Swanton had ample time to review his council packet prior to the meeting. He could have approached Beaupre privately to raise his questions and concerns.
3.) If Swanton feels so passionately about this issue, he should seek to change the state law or at least return the money to the state.
4.) Roger Beaupre has served the city of Biddeford with distinction and honor for more than 40 years. This is Biddeford, not Detroit.
5.) $2,100 is a piddly amount of money on which to make some half-assed stand on principle, especially if the Fire Department has a separate set of rules.
Mayor Alan Casavant and the rest of the city council screwed up by not objecting to Swanton’s callous remarks. Biddeford voters overwhelmingly opted for professionalism and civility on Tuesday. We didn’t see it on Wednesday.
The city of Biddeford should have a consistent policy on how funds are used by city departments.
When you are elected to public office, you ought to refrain from generalizations, especially when publicly discussing the men and women who serve your community every day to the best of their ability.
We ought to be rewarding our employees who present extra sources of revenue, increased efficiencies or cost savings, not shame or humiliate them in public.
Councilor Swanton owes Chief Beaupre a public apology, and the city council ought to take that $2,100 and direct it to bringing Chris Herren for a speaking engagement at Biddeford High School.
I have a friend — let’s call him Todd — who thinks that the city of Portland, Maine is so hip, so cool and oh so wonderful.
Todd fled the pace and grind of Boston in order to raise his family in place that is consistently ranked as one of the country’s most “livable” cities, whatever that means. Today, Todd has become one of Portland’s biggest fans.
I like Todd. He is a smart guy. He has a law degree. Generally speaking, Todd arrives at his conclusions following a painstaking and multi-layered process of analytical and critical thinking. Todd has jumped into Portland with both feet. He recently bought a home in North Deering. He is a civic volunteer. He is an under-40 professional with a beautiful wife, two small children and a promising life ahead of him.
I admire Todd, but I want to vomit every time he feels compelled to tell me how great it is to live, work and play in Portland.
I know what you’re thinking: Dude, you live in Biddeford. You ought to shut to eff up and call U-Haul before you start dissing Maine’s largest city.
Go ahead and laugh. I can handle it. It’s not exactly an original thought.
Before we proceed any further, let me assure you that I know a thing or two about the city of Portland. I have some street cred when it comes to discussing the city I call pretentious-ville, a city that so transparently and desperately wants to be a mini-Boston.
I’ve lived in a brownstone, I’ve lived in a ghetto
I lived in Portland before it was considered hip; before you thought it was actually possible to bump into Jack Kerouac’s ghost.
I worked in the kitchen at 39 Exchange Street, a restaurant that has since been replaced by a much-needed boutique store in the Old Port. I worked as a janitor at the McDonald’s that was located on the corner of Oak and Congress streets. I made pizzas at The Bag on Free Street. I also had a corner office across the street from Brian Boru.
I lived on “The Hill” (Vesper Street) and the West End (well, sort of the edge . .Walker Street) I lived on the fourth floor of the Trewlawny building and survived on Italian sandwiches from Joe’s Smoke Shop. I remember the State Theater when it showed pornos. Christ, I saw mainstream movies at the Fine Arts Cinema before it decided to give the State a run for its money with John Holmes flicks. I was thrown out of Horsefeathers.
I remember when Dewey’s was located on Fore Street; when DiMillo’s was just a hole in the wall on the other side of Commercial Street. I rented a room on Sherman Street. We used to call that neighborhood “the student slums.” Today, we call it “Parkside.” I lost my virginity on Alba Street in Deering Center. I got picked up by the police on Canco Road, and I was there when the cranes arrived at the Golden Triangle to begin construction of One City Center.
I ate mushrooms in the basement of a friend’s house on Spring Street and then swore I could see telephone poles melting on Winter Street. I worked third shift at the 7-11 on Congress Street; and passed out in the median of the Franklin Arterial. I shared an apartment with a gay roommate on Park Street. I lived on Peaks Island when the Portland ferry terminal was little more than a dilapidated building. I sold pipe, valves and fittings at W.L. Blake, an industrial supply wholesale distributor that is today the Old Port Sea Grill and up-scale office spaces.
I was evicted from an apartment on Preble Street; and fell madly in love with a girl who attended the Portland School of Art (today: Maine College of Art). I rode the escalators at Porteous, Mitchell and Braun. I ate scrambled eggs while hungover at Ye Olde Pancake Shoppe. I bumped into Sammy Hagar at the Sonesta Hotel, which quickly changed its name back to the Eastland.
I remember when WMGX had a studio on Cumberland Avenue and when Frank Fixaris announced high school sports scores on Channel 13 and Fred Nutter did televised editorials on Channel 6. I remember when you could get a great sandwich at Carbur’s or see the Kopterz play at Cayo’s.
Okay; you get the picture.
So, forgive me if I have a different perspective of Portland, Maine. Forgive me if I don’t buy into all the laddi-da crap about how wonderful and “livable” the city is. Forgive me for believing that Portland is the most self-absorbed and obnoxious of Maine’s 457 cities and towns. Livable? Tell that to the people living in my old apartment on the third-floor of a Greenleaf Street triple-decker. Take a walk down Valley Street at 2 a.m. on a Thursday and tell me all about “livable.”
Suffragette City
Ironically, voters in the same city where the Temperance movement got its beginnings recently approved a referendum that allows the use of limited amounts of marijuana.
Neal Dow, the father of Prohibition and a former Portland mayor, must be rolling in his grave.
The referendum’s success was a much celebrated event among the city’s uber liberal progressives who spend their days dreaming about being free of “the man” and his corporate control over their lives; while simultaneously devising new ways to control and restrict the lives of their neighbors with a mountain of nanny-state regulations, from outlawing the use of Styrofoam to forbidding soft drinks on school grounds.
Portland — a once proud, prosperous and industrious community that hosted the North Atlantic Fleet during WWII — has today become the capital of hypocrisy and self-absorption.
I have no problem with legalizing the use or possession of marijuana. I am a Libertarian. But I wonder how a city that wants to celebrate individualism and diversity over everything else can keep a straight face when explaining the tobacco smoking ordinance the city council approved earlier this year.
In a March 6, 2013 Portland Press Herald story, Portland Mayor Michael Brennan said the city’s tobacco ordinance was created to address a serious public health issue: second-hand smoke.
“Secondhand smoke is a dangerous toxin,” Brennan told the newspaper. “Whether it’s children on a swing set or joggers circling the Back Cove or someone walking their dog along the Eastern Prom, we need to make sure we are doing everything we can to reduce the exposure to such a serious health hazard.”
Sure, it’s hard to argue with Brennan on this point, but I wonder if he can answer my next question: Why does the ban also apply to electronic cigarettes, which emit only a water-based vapor while delivering nicotine to the user?
I’m a smoker, so I can’t hold my breath waiting for Brennan to answer the question, but it’s really quite simple: Even the appearance of smoking does not fit with the fluff and pompoms of Maine’s most “livable” city.
Hiding behind the pretense of a public health concern (what is the city doing to control automobile fumes that I am forced to inhale while walking through the Old Port?) is little more than a ruse. Smokers are the ugly people, the less-than people. The NASCAR-watchin’, beer drinkin’ types who probably buy their clothes at Wal-Mart. That doesn’t quite match the image, does it?
And if there’s one thing we know about Portland, it’s that image is everything.
So, go ahead, Portland . . . keep patting yourselves on your collective backs.
Me? I’ll take cities and towns like Lewiston, Rumford, Sanford or Biddeford every day of the week.
Source: City Clerk’s office; 2004 data not available
I was speaking with a friend yesterday about the recent municipal elections in Biddeford.
“I bet you’re glad it’s over,” he said.
“Over?” I responded. “It’s hardly over. Already candidates are lining up for local legislative races that will be decided next November. There’s always another election around the corner.”
He shook his head and smiled. “Who cares about who we send to Augusta,” he said. “It’s not like it matters.”
It’s understandable that most people feel a bit burned out by the political process.
Only a few weeks after arguing and ranting about Mitt Romney and Barack Obama, political junkies turned their attention to controversial referendum questions pending in South Portland and Portland. While local candidates were seeking city council and mayoral seats, Congressman Mike Michaud, the likely Democratic nominee for the Blaine House, announced that he was gay and thus strategically overshadowed Republican Gov. Paul LePage’s announcement about his own official re-election campaign this week.
I almost expected Independent Eliot Cutler to announce that he was bi-sexual, pledging allegiance to neither heterosexual nor homosexual preferences; a true Independent — just like Maine — in a desperate attempt for some much needed press during a tough news cycle.
It’s no wonder that voters have become a bit apathetic and cynical about politics.
For the record, I could not care less about a candidate’s sexual orientation. I also don’t care about their favorite color or whether they like their chicken original or extra crispy. I want the candidates and the media to focus on the issues that are affecting every day people who are struggling under the weight of a difficult economy. I want to hear new ideas. I want to hear each candidate describe their vision.
Although I am pleased that an overwhelming majority of voters in my hometown chose vision over fear, positive over negative; I also expect those who won their seats to get real busy, real quick and to focus with laser-precision on economic development, creating streamlined efficiencies and encouraging private investment.
Voter turnout in Biddeford this year hit a 10-year low. Fewer than one-third of the city’s voters bothered to cast a ballot. Sure, there were no sexy referendum issues like a casino or marriage equality driving people to the polls; but the decisions we made yesterday impact every part of our lives: our roads, our schools, public safety, our sewers and yes . . . our tax bills. The people chosen on Tuesday will be responsible for making decisions that could have long-lasting impacts.
So why was voter turnout so pathetic? The weather was beautiful. There were no long lines at the polling places. What gives?
It’s always difficult to gauge voter sentiment, but there are a few likely reasons:
a.) Voters are content with the way Biddeford is being managed. They sensed Alan Casavant had a commanding lead and, therefore, their vote was unnecessary;
b.) Voters are upset with the way Biddeford is being managed and feel disenfranchised. You can’t fight City Hall;
Or c.) the most likely reason: voters just didn’t care. Period.
If you belong to any of the above three groups, you are an idiot.
Members of Group A risked a potential loss and a step backward for the city. Members of Group B missed a real opportunity to send a powerful message about their discontent; and members of Group C ought to be required to take a remedial civics lesson.
Voting is important. You are an equal shareholder in this community. Your voice matters. Imagine how different the election would have been if only 20 percent more of the city’s register voters had bothered to participate?
Of course, it’s too late to speculate. And those who did vote sent a pretty clear message. They want a fiscally responsible council. They want a positive and professional mayor leading the city. They are not afraid of making long-term investments in their community (all five state bond questions passed easily).
Sure, it’s more fun to get wound up about a particular, controversial issue, but if you can’t be bothered to exercise your civic duty, then be prepared to accept whatever comes down your path.
Voters tend to turn out for things they want; things they support.
Throughout this last election cycle, many of Casavant’s loudest critics failed to articulate who they supported. They were against someone, but for no one. A sure-fire prescription for voter apathy and a stunning loss at the polls.
Sure, Casavant’s opponents split their opposition, but looking at the results tells an even stronger story. Even if you add the total votes of each opponent, Casavant’s numbers were still higher. Fifty-seven percent is a clear victory. Winning each of the city’s seven wards reaffirms the voters’ decision.
If the opponents are struggling to accept the results, maybe they ought to spend a little less time bitching and a bit more time convincing their friends and neighbors to get to the polls two years from now.
I said it before, and I will say it again: Campaign signs do NOT win elections; Facebook or other social media tools do NOT win elections; debates or endorsements do NOT win elections. What wins elections? It’s about how many people you get to the polls. Game over.
The city of Biddeford takes its politics seriously. Elections in this city are complex and vibrant, and they too often reveal a community at odds with itself.
Biddeford is a city in transition during difficult economic times. It is a city brimming with potential and possibility, yet it too often remains as one of its own worst enemies.
With another local election season now behind us, it is clear that there are lessons to be learned.
Of the 29 candidates who placed their names on the ballot, only five of them were political newcomers. This year’s ballot was hardly a composite reflection of this city in transformation.
Biddeford’s demographics are rapidly changing. We are attracting new interest and economic investment. We boldly stood up and put an end to burning regional trash in our downtown because we refused to be afraid. We refused to settle for scraps or to believe that was the best we could do for our local economy.
Biddeford recently competed against nine other southern Maine communities and overwhelmingly won a challenge by collecting more than 40,000 pounds of food and donations for the Good Shepard Food Pantry, a result that was more than twice what the second-place finisher was able to deliver.
People in Biddeford are generous. People in Biddeford are hard-working. Biddeford voters have consistently and overwhelmingly supported its local schools, never rejecting investments in public education, even when the economy is at its worst. Our community is far more than the challenges facing our downtown area.
So, why do so few people step up and offer themselves as potential city leaders?
Rebel, Rebel
Most reasonable, normal people loathe the shenanigans that are too often substituted for serious public policy discourse in this city. They have neither the time nor the inclination to suffer through the ad-hominem attacks of local politics, nor the charade of egos masquerading as civic duty. They have more important things to do with their time: their families, their careers or volunteering in civic organizations.
Reasonable people do not have the patience to endure a public process that grinds at a snail’s pace and requires suffering fools with patience. Who could blame them? If we want more people to get involved, we have to set a better tone.
Sure, every community has its own collection of rabble-rousers and malcontents: people who thrive on complaining and negativity.
It’s no different in Biddeford. But what these malcontents and rabble-rousers can’t seem to grasp is that they are grossly out of touch with their larger community. Instead they hide in the shadows, surrounded by their half-dozen fellow malcontents and bitch, and moan, and whine, and bitch, and moan . . .
Over the last few years, Biddeford’s voters have consistently and loudly rejected these errand boys of despair. Biddeford voters are smart enough to see through the half-assed games and political machinations orchestrated by a handful of people who so desperately seek attention.
I spent a fair amount of time in my early adult years working in restaurants. It’s hard work. It’s noble work. I learned some very valuable life lessons while scrubbing pots and pans, slicing tomatoes, flipping burgers, pouring drinks and serving people who had far more money than me.
But today any short-order cook with an internet connection can set up shop as a self-described pundit.
This is the struggle between old media and new media. This is the struggle of modern-day political campaigns. Journalism used to mean something; and juvenile bloggers often forget that public commentary is important and a reflection of something much larger than their desperate need to be noticed.
Sure, every voice matters and every voice should be heard, but whether you’re a short-order cook or a television salesman, you ought to carefully consider the damage you can cause by lowering the bar of civil discourse. You ought to consider what picture you’re painting about your hometown for the world to see.
World Leader Pretend
Enough about the wannabe journalists. What about the wannabe world leaders?
Former Biddeford Mayor Joanne Twomey lost her third consecutive election last night. She gathered just 25 percent of the vote, losing her challenge by a 2-1 margin. Two years ago, voters ousted her from office with just 37.5 percent of the vote. Last year, voters rejected her bid to return to the Maine Legislature.
If Joanne Twomey’s election trends were a hospital chart, it would be time to call the family priest. Two years ago, after learning of her defeat. Twomey told reporters: “The people don’t deserve me.” Funny thing is, I completely agree.
Joanne has become a sad and pathetic caricature of herself. Her veneer has long since worn off. The voters see her clearly as vindictive and ego-centric. She keeps an enemies list and she will say or do whatever she needs to draw attention to herself under the guise of “it’s for the people.”
In 2009, just days before her election for a second term as mayor, she orchestrated a press conference to announce she had negotiated a deal to stop burning trash in the downtown area. She publicly hugged MERC representatives in front of the television cameras. People throughout the city were excited. Joanne had figured out a way forward. She easily won that election (the only time in her political career when she received more than 50 percent of the vote).
But a few days later, after securing her election, Twomey did a 180 and walked away from the negotiating table. She was passionately opposed to casinos, but then happy to jump in bed with a casino developer when she thought it would help get her re-elected.
Has Twomey learned that Biddeford’s voters are smarter than she gives them credit for?
Joanne Twomey is a Biddeford native who started her political career with the best of intentions. In the 1970s, former mayor Gilbert Boucher created a lasting legacy by keeping Biddeford’s beaches open to the public. Twomey fought to keep more open land available for all residents in the face of increasing sprawl, development and neighborhood gentrification.
But somewhere along the way she became bitter and jaded. She was corrupted by the thrill of political power and became everything that she once so adamantly opposed: a self-serving politician with an enemies list who would not tolerate anything less than complete conformity with her ideas.
Joanne Twomey could learn a lesson from Perry Aberle, the other mayoral candidate who finished third in the three-way race. As the results were announced, Aberle took a deep breath, left his supporters behind and walked over to Alan Casavant’s election party. He held his head high, shook hands with the mayor and congratulated him for his success.
Twomey, however, has yet to concede her first loss to Casavant in 2011. She sulked and cried, and stormed and raged. She was a victim. Once again, it was about her, not about Biddeford. She was the only living mayor who refused to attend Casavant’s inauguration.
Thus, Joanne Twomey is in a tough spot. She doesn’t understand how to win, and she doesn’t know how to lose. That’s just sad.
While a handful of folks have put a lot of energy into telling the world who not to vote for, I decided to share who I am going to vote for in Biddeford’s municipal election on Tuesday.
All of the 29 candidates on the ballot deserve our thanks and appreciation for their willingness to step up to the plate and serve their community. It’s not an easy job. It’s a thankless, time-consuming endeavor that comes with criticism at every turn.
It’s not just one meeting every other Tuesday night (as if those are not long enough); the job also requires hundreds of hours attending various committee meetings and workshops. The pay is lousy, the hours are long and there is no glory in serving one’s community.
Here are the folks I will be voting for.
Mayor Alan Casavant
Mayor: Alan Casavant. Although he is not a perfect candidate (there is no such thing as a perfect candidate) he is the clear choice for another term. His administration has moved Biddeford forward toward a brighter, more prosperous future.
Yes, taxes have increased. Why?
1.) Two years ago, we needed to start repaying the $35 million bond that voters approved under the previous administration. I supported that bond because our high school desperately needed the renovations that were stalled for years and years because too few politicians had the guts to tell folks we needed this investment. We stalled. We argued.
The needed repair list got longer and more expensive. We kept arguing right past the deadline for state funds that would have cushioned the blow for local property taxpayers like you and me, Those bond repayments began in 2011, just as Alan Casavant was beginning his first term as mayor.
2.) As Casavant began the second year of his two-year term, the state opted to shift portions of its budget back onto local communities. Our mayor and city council struggled to absorb these cuts without cutting services that residents want and expect.
Mayor Casavant and the city council were able to finally solve Biddeford’s long-term problems with the controversial MERC trash incinerator. The city spent a lot of money, time and resources in trying to address resident and business concerns associated with MERC over 30 years.
MERC was forced to close because CMP did not renew its electricity purchase agreements. The loss of those contracts devalued MERC’s worth and tax rate. The city saw an opportunity to purchase the eight acres of riverfront land at a fraction of its worth. The city is now poised to attract new development to its downtown area.
How are we paying for that purchase? By a slight increase in tipping fees (waste disposal costs) from $45/ton to $55/ton (approximately) still some of the lowest tipping fees anywhere in southern Maine. The deal also provided the city of Biddeford an opportunity to begin a curbside recycling program, which is already saving tax dollars by reducing the amount of trash that needs to be disposed of.
Roch Angers
In the at-large council races, voters have six qualified candidates hoping for one of two seats on the council.
I will be voting to re-elect Roch Angers. Roch represents the city well. He understands its dynamics and is deeply connected to the community he serves. He is old-school Biddeford politics; a careful eye on the budget and a cautious skeptic.
On the other hand, I will also be voting for Daniel Parenteau for the other at-large seat. Like many of my neighbors and friends, I believe the city needs a fresh perspective and some new blood on the council.
Parenteau is one of only five new faces seeking election in Biddeford. He has a vision for the city. He is thoughtful and purposeful. He will provide a good balance to the council. He is a man motivated more by vision than fear.
Daniel Parenteau
Our city needs that.
Regardless of who you are supporting, please join me in voting on November 5. It is our civic duty and our responsibility as members of a community.
As he always does, General Wallace Nutting answered the door with a grin and his blue eyes sparkling.
We agreed to meet at his home, and he apologized for “being a bit disheveled.” He had just finished his daily workout, and was still wearing his workout sweats.
He is 85 years old.
To be in the same room with Gen. Wallace Nutting is simultaneously inspiring and intimidating.
This is a man who graduated from West Point and then spent a lifetime in service to his nation, his community and his family. As always, his wonderfully sweet wife, Jane, was standing beside him. They have been married for 62 years, longer than most of us have been alive.
Nutting is a four-star general. He is undeniably proud of his career, which included serving as commander of the U.S. Southern Command and as an advisor to President Ronald Reagan during a stint with the Pentagon. His modest condominium is adorned with mementos of his career, a living, breathing museum of an exemplary life lived with distinction.
But I was not there to talk about his distinguished military career.
It was just about 10 years ago, when Nutting was elected as Biddeford’s mayor. In many ways, he was an unlikely candidate: a Republican, protestant in a city chock full of Democratic Catholics. He once championed the secession of Biddeford Pool.
For a man who had spent the bulk of his life on battlefields all over the globe; life and death situations that required the execution of expert strategy, he was like a fish out of water when it came to Biddeford politics. He had previously lost a state senate bid a few years before, and it seemed like he fumbled his way into the mayor’s race.
But he won that election in a three-way race against two more traditional candidates.
Two years later, in 2005, he opted to seek a second term and for the first time in a very long time, the city of Biddeford had a mayoral election with just one candidate.
Today, some 10 years after he was first elected to office, Nutting remains as one of the city’s most popular and beloved mayors.
In 2011, Mayor Alan Casavant asked me to serve as the Master of Ceremonies at his inaugural. As part of that ceremony, I asked the audience to recognize and thank the city’s previous mayors who were in attendance that evening: Robert Farley, James Grattelo, Donna Dion and Nutting.
As I called out their names one at a time, each received appreciative applause from the packed audience at City Theater. But when I spoke Nutting’s name, a bolt of electricity shot through the room with wild cheers and a standing ovation.
I wondered that night what made Nutting so popular? How had he achieved such support from his hometown?
And then I recalled an interview I conducted with him shortly after his first election. I asked him what he attributed to his unlikely election as Biddeford’s mayor:
“People have told me that they feel as if I speak with sincerity, truth,” he said. “I articulated my message positively. You have to radiate integrity. You don’t lead soldiers into battle in a half-assed manner.”
I find it sad that so many of can so quickly gravitate toward negativity; toward tearing down the ideas and the people with whom we disagree.
Driving away from Nutting’s home, I reflected on his words and his familiar trademark quote: “One should always be prepared to answer the call when one is asked to serve.” Nutting has volunteered for countless non-profits. He has been a champion for education and community service. He has lived his life with honor and distinction.
We should all aspire to be a bit more like Wallace Nutting, ready to serve, full of optimism and positive energy.
You don’t need an impressive resume or four-stars on your epaulet to be a role model and a community leader. You don’t need to graduate from West Point or be a trusted advisor to world leaders. You can lead by simply being positive and by a willingness to serve when asked.
In so many ways, Mayor Alan Casavant and former Mayor Wallace Nutting are very different men, but when it comes to community service, integrity, honor and a commitment to serving others, it is easy to understand that both men are true leaders, and it becomes crystal clear why Casavant is the clear choice to lead our community for another two years.
It was one of the worst places to watch the final game of the World Series.
But it turned out that it was the best place to watch the final game of the World Series.
I would dare say that watching the World Series from the confines of an in-patient psychiatric unit is about the most bizarre experience one can imagine.
I would have preferred to watch it on my flat screen, from the comfort of my living room with my wife and sons. I would have preferred to be among the throngs of fans hovering over Kenmore Square. I would have preferred to be hanging with friends, drinking beer and wildly cheering during the top of the ninth inning.
But instead I watched it with three other men who had few choices last night about where they would watch the historic event.
No, it was nothing like the scene from One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, in which patient Randle McMurphy (Jack Nicholson) battles with Nurse Ratched (Louise Fletcher) for the “privilege” of watching the World Series, but there is an undeniable spirit to the World Series. Unlike the Super Bowl, it is a series of games that drains and demands the very best from its players.
In fact, our charge nurse made popcorn and watched the game with us. We were bonded in our situation, yet simultaneously celebrating with a much larger community.
Last night, we celebrated triumph over adversity; hope over despair; light over darkness.
No matter where we are, no matter what we are doing or experiencing, it’s always good to celebrate.
Obviously, there are a lot of correlations between politics and football.
In both, I have been little more than a spectator. I know my limitations, but I admire those who suit up, take the field and are willing to take some hard hits to accomplish their objective.
Today our community celebrates the annual Battle of the Bridge, the longstanding and sometimes intense high school football rivalry between Biddeford High School and Thornton Academy in Saco.
I have lived in both communities. My passport is worn and tattered from so many trips across that bridge.
In so many ways Biddeford and Saco are one community; one regional economic engine. Most of us have family, friends and neighbors on both sides of the Saco River.
But today, we must choose sides. Today, we will be rooting for one team, despite whatever complications come from a dual citizenship or allegiance to Thornton or BHS.
There are some historic overtones associated with today’s game.
In the early 1920s, the Klu Klux Klan organized a rally and march in Saco. While the KKK is better known as belligerent, asinine racists, they also don’t care much for Catholics, especially those foreign Catholics who were working in the mill buildings across the river.
The men in white sheets, which reportedly included the mayor of Saco, gathered near the former Mutual Theater on Main Street in Saco. The old theater was being relocated across the street and its former home was being renovated and soon would become Most Holy Trinity Church.
Although the cowardly protestors planned to march down York Hill and across the bridge into the neighboring city of Biddeford, things did not go exactly as planned.
The dozens of KKK members, garbed in their white sheets, proceeded down York Hill, turning the corner toward the bridge and then suddenly froze in their tracks.
Waiting for them on that bridge was a contingent of Franco-Canadians, Greeks, Albanians and many others who refused to yield. These gritty, working-class men with their cheap clothes, worn shoes and funny accents were accompanied by a couple of pumper trucks from the Biddeford Fire Department, not to mention a contingent of police officers, farmers with pitchforks, fishermen with grappling hooks and dozens of men with steel bars and wooden bats.
Historical accounts are sketchy, but rumors persist that a shotgun or two could be spotted in the crowd of angry mill workers.
There was no bloodshed. No violence. There was only a few seconds of an eerie and lingering silence.
The KKK took a step back, pivoted 180 degrees and wisely marched back up the Hill toward Saco. And that was that.
They never made a second attempt to cross that bridge.
A lingering sense of envy and elitism
That battle of the bridge was a long time ago. Most of those wounds have healed but there is ample evidence to show that event had a lasting impression on both cities.
There is a strange dynamic of envy that still exists in Biddeford. On this side of the river, we too often tend to eat our own and tear down those among us who achieve even a modicum of success.
In Saco, there remains a lingering sense of elitism.
We don’t like to talk about it. We like to believe it is urban legend, an urban myth of bygone days. But it is there.
I recently interviewed Saco Mayor Mark Johnston. I have long admired Mark as a man never afraid to tell you exactly what he is thinking.
Sure, he is a politician. He knows and executes political strategy better than anyone I know. Mark can look you in the eye and say, “I have to raise taxes because it’s the right thing to do for our community,” shake your hand and count on your vote at the ballot box.
Mark acknowledged the air of elitism that exists in his community, but he also talked about his city proudly. He spoke about his neighbors in Biddeford with respect and admiration. He (and so many others) would like to see the cities work more cooperatively to solve mutual concerns and problems.
Today’s football game will be played with dignity, respect and a certain sense of appreciation.
Sure, on both sides of the field, there will be a bit of trash talk, but one team will go home and celebrate and the other will mutter “wait ’til next year” as it leaves the field.
Do it like this, or do it like that
There are two ways to play a football game. A good football game is intense, raw and fiercely competitive. But it is also played by a set of rules, spoken and unspoken.
It’s no different in politics.
In Biddeford, we take our football and politics seriously.
Over the last couple days, as we head into the final stretch of the local campaign season, we have witnessed some distinct differences between the candidates seeking the mayor’s seat in Biddeford.
One candidate has opted to drag my wife and youngest son into the campaign. Another candidate has spent the bulk of the last 24 hours scouring social media to tell the world about a perceived sense of injustice he is enduring and threatening to file a lawsuit against me simply because I am actively supporting one of his opponents.
The third candidate? The one I am supporting? He never talks about his opponents. He is focused like a laser on achieving progress in his community. He is sharing his ideas and enthusiasm and looking forward to the end zone.
If you were to awake from a coma, and have no access to any information except for Alan Casavant’s website or his Facebook page, you would never know he was being opposed. Instead, you would see a man who repeatedly talks about the potential of his community. You would see videos of him discussing the city’s needs and its limitations.
You would see photos and read words that capture his enthusiasm for Biddeford. You would see a positive and professional leader who has proven he can get big things done to help our city move forward.
I do not know who is going to win today’s game, nor do I know whether Mayor Casavant will be successful in his re-election bid.
Former Saco Mayor Mark Johnston/ Marlee Hayes photo
Something strange is about to happen on the other side of the Saco River. It’s as rare as a blue moon and perhaps more difficult to understand.
Mark Johnston will not be running for mayor in Saco.
Johnston, 61, says he has spent nearly 40 years in service to his community. Now, he says, it’s time to let someone else take the reins.
“I’m tired. I’m going to be 62, and now it’s time for Mark,” he said during a recent interview at his Main Street delicatessen, which is often mistaken as City Hall with an amazing selection of wines and good sandwiches.
Johnston came into the world of politics in the usual way: He was a malcontent, a young man worried about a used car lot that was planned near his home.
That was nearly 40 years ago, when he was appointed to the Saco Zoning Board of Appeals. His political career would extend over the next four decades and he served under five different mayors, including Sam Zaitlin, Paul Jansen, Haley Booth, Fred Clark and Eric Cote. He also served on the planning board and the city council.
Of course, Johnston also served as the city’s mayor for the better part of two decades, beginning in 1989 with four consecutive terms that ended in 1997. Six years later, in 2003 he was again elected as the city’s mayor and served another three terms, 2003-2007; and 2011-2013.
Every time his name was on the ballot he easily won his election . . . except the first time.
Despite the fact that he was unopposed and his name was the only one on the ballot, Johnston was forced to sue the city in order to become its mayor because he did not get enough votes to meet the criteria of a provision in the city’s charter.
A superior court judge sided with the politician over the city, but Johnston did not escape unscathed. He was mocked on national television by David Letterman and Jay Leno.
Round and round
Johnston runs Vic & Whit’s with his ex-wife, Beth. They have been divorced 25 years but seem to have a successful working relationship.
He’s Bugsy Seigel, Charlie Lucianno and Meyer Lansky all rolled into one affable, near-sighted man with an uncanny resemblance to Sir Elton John.
______
This is not the first time you announced that you were stepping down from politics. You always seem to come back for more?
(Laughs) “I really meant it the last time, but I had to come back to correct some very serious mistakes that were made during the Ron Michaud Administration. My intent (in 2011) was to correct those mistakes: our bond rating was lowered, the city had blown through its reserve balances. It was a lot of smoke and mirrors because no one had the courage to raise taxes slightly in order to keep up with very basic infrastructure.”
Are you leaving now because people are angry about significant tax hikes?
“No. I think most people understand the position we were facing. It’s not easy to raise taxes, even a little bit. But leaders are not elected to do easy things. Leaders are elected to lead.”
What was your proudest moment as mayor?
“The train station, hands down. We were entering a new century and thinking about new transportation. Passenger rail had long been abandoned, but having it come back has paid huge dividends for Saco. It really redefined this community. We have people who live here because of the train and such easy access to their jobs in Boston.”
You told residents it would not cost ‘one red cent’ in taxes. That didn’t quite work out, did it?
(Laughs) “People misunderstood me. I said not one red cent, it ended up being a whole lot of red cents. But seriously, this has become a huge asset for our community. We wanted to embrace it. A lot of things changed in midstream. None of us knew then that Guilford Rail was going to require us to have a $250 million liability policy. But we were able to use the Saco Island TIF and revenues from the MERC settlement and rental fees from the Chamber of Commerce.
“I am very proud of that station. It was the first green station built in the United States. It has geo-thermal heating; and the roof was made with a composite material from recyclables. It meets every standard of LEED certification. It was built by all Maine contractors, with wood beams from Maine forests.”
And the wind turbine
“I’ll take all the fault for that. It’s not the one I wanted, but I couldn’t get the council to approve the one I wanted. What we have is basically a kit that cost us $250,000. I wanted the million dollar one, which would have been much taller and as a result much more efficient.
“The council didn’t want to spend $10,000 for a wind survey study. But what we have is iconic, and it sends a message about our community: we are embracing the future, we are recognizing that we must wean ourselves off fossil fuels.”
What was the worst moment of your time as mayor?
(Pauses) “It happened roughly three minutes after I was sworn in for my very first term, when I publicly fired the city attorney (Mary Kahl). She was a good attorney, but I thought she was interfering too much in the city’s day-to-day business. She ended up going to work for the city of South Portland. I don’t regret what I did, but I deeply regret the way I did it.
“I humiliated her in public, and that’s not leadership. That’s not how you should treat people. We were able to be civil, but the wounds never healed. Unfortunately, she passed away a while ago, and I don’t know if she ever forgave me. I was young and brash, but I learned a valuable lesson: always be willing to talk to those with whom you disagree. Never embarrass or humiliate someone in the public arena.”
Who do you think will be Saco’s next mayor?
(Smiles) “All I can say is that I will have to work with whoever becomes the next mayor.”
Ok, so who do you think will be Biddeford’s next mayor?
“Alan Casavant. He is an outstanding leader; a leader for the future. He is helping Biddeford make huge strides forward. He is also professional, calm and always a gentleman; all those tiny words that define character.”
Who was your favorite Biddeford mayor?
“Roger Normand. He was a man of integrity. He was a normal, average guy who never let the power of being mayor go to his head.”
Do you think there should be term limits for mayors and city councilors?
“Yes. Absolutely. After four terms, it’s time for a change. It’s too easy to get cocky.”
What are your thoughts about the RSU 23 issue, considering some in Saco are advocating for leaving the regional school district?
“I’m a little disappointed by the way some members of our community have acted during this debate. I think it’s a disgrace that some folks have called Old Orchard Beach residents “free-loaders.” RSU 23 has failed because of Saco’s penchant for elitism. We never talked about test scores, we never talked about how to bring teachers up through the ranks. We never talked about the important stuff. I want Thornton Academy to have the test scores that Scarborough is getting, and stop hiding behind the façade of a beautiful campus.”
Elitism in Saco?
“Yes, without a doubt. I grew up on Middle Street, a neighborhood that was known as Little Greece. Many of those people from that neighborhood became important and respected members of our community, civic leaders. It’s like we never got beyond the days of the “Battle of the Bridge.” Why do we still use that name? We never used it when Thornton played St. Louis. There has always been a false air of superiority in Saco. It’s been here a long time.”
What advice would you give to the city’s next mayor?
“Talk less and listen more.”
What will be your legacy?
“The elimination of Maine Energy. It took a long time, but I helped (and so did a lot of other people) keep the pressure on. Joanne Twomey and others never let up the pressure. I honestly never thought I would see the day. I am so proud of what Mayor Casavant and the Biddeford City Council did. That took leadership and vision, but they were not alone. A lot of people helped set the stage for finally getting MERC gone.”
So, will you be back as mayor?
“No, I really don’t think so. I have a new woman in my life, and it’s turning into something special. I was mayor when I got divorced, when I had a granddaughter, when one of my sons went to the battlefield. I’ve given a lot to this city. It’s time for me to take some time for myself and my family.”
I found it in the most unlikely of places. It was written by the most unlikely of authors. It intrigued me, and its aftermath terrified me.
LESSONS IN MEDIOCRITY | OUTLAW JOURNALIST 