FARMINGTON – Mitch Boulette, known for his innovative thinking and for knowing how to get the most out of the taxpayers’ dollar, is fighting for his life at a Lewiston hospital.

Boulette, 60, of Farmington, has served the town for nearly 23 years as director of the Public Works Department. He was diagnosed with lung cancer in January after insisting on having a chest X-ray during his physical exam, his daughter Tammy White of New Sharon said Thursday.

He just wanted to be proactive, since he worked with asbestos in the 1970s and his father died of lung cancer, she said.

He had surgery Feb. 16 to remove the left lower lobe of his lung and did extremely well at first, White said.

He started radiation and chemotherapy in March, however, and it has been a downhill slide from there, she said. His esophagus was burned during radiation, he developed infections and the cancer has spread to his bones, she said.

He has spent all but one week in a hospital since then and recently developed pneumonia and is in the intensive care unit at St. Mary’s Regional Medical Center.

“He is fighting with all his might,” White said. “He’s hanging in there, but it’s basically a matter of time We don’t know how much time.”

The community is rallying around Boulette and his family. The Farmington Elks Club is sponsoring a spaghetti dinner Friday, July 20, at the lodge, and a dance will follow. A 50/50 raffle will be held at 7 p.m.

“He has done a lot for the community, and everybody loves him in town,” White said. “He always goes above and beyond to help others.”

Farmington Town Manager Richard Davis said Boulette has been an “excellent public works director.”

He has tremendous budgeting skills, is very frugal and knows how to get the work done for the least amount of money, Davis said. He always gets top-quality work done, Davis added.

He and Boulette have always had a very good working relationship, Davis said, and he consults with him on many matters.

“I have to admire the courage he’s shown in fighting this awful disease,” Davis said. “I’m not sure I would handle it as well as he has.”

Public Works foreman Jim Kiernan said he and Boulette started together in the department in 1984.

“He always had the town first order and made sure the work got done,” Kiernan said.

He is a penny-pincher, always looking to get the job done for cheapest cost for the town and to stay in line with his budget, he said.

“He wasn’t a slave driver, but you were expected to get your work done,” Kiernan said.

Boulette has been involved in many projects for the town, including overseeing the building of a highway garage and salt-sand storage building, closing the town landfill and helping get the Sandy River Recycling Association started, Davis said. He’s also helped with the High Street reconstruction, downtown revitalization and devised road improvement and equipment replacement plans.

Boulette has also had success as a grant writer, Davis said, including one he received to build a new sidewalk along a dangerous section of Wilton Road.

“He’s a very forward looking, progressive. He’s always looking to the future,” Davis said.

He is good at holding down costs and very innovative with personnel, including coming up with an early retirement plan and hiring part-time workers for seasonal work.

“All of us working for the town have our thoughts and prayers with him and his family,” Davis said.