The Spagettification incident

It’s no easy task getting groups of teens interested in city government. It helps if you know the secret word.

Outgoing Ward 7 City Councilor Robert Reed revealed that during his two year term he relied on a secret word scheme to get his son and some of his son’s Lewiston High School friends interested in following council politics. One of the students would give Reed a word that he would try to work into his discussions during that night’s meeting.

As his term progressed, the words became more obscure and harder to fit into the discussions without giving the game away.

“But I’d come home at the end of the meeting, and my living room would be filled, with eight to ten kids sitting around watching the meeting,” he said. 

Reed said he’s forgotten most of the words, but a few stand out. “Applesauce” was one. “Labrador retriever” was another. But the doozy was “spagettification,” a word coined by physicist Stephen Hawking to describe the effect of black-hole gravity on matter.

“It describes tearing something apart at the molecular level, and this one kid had learned it in his AP physics class and wrote it down especially for me,” Reed said.

He managed to fit into into council politics when called for the end, and the utter spagettification, of the city’s solid waste committee.

— Scott Taylor

 Unintended insights, or, double-check that resume

As of early this week, 25 people had applied to be the next town manager of Sabattus, but a number already run the risk of making a poor first impression.

The reason?

“Most people don’t follow directions,” said interim town manger Jim Bennett, who designed a recruitment brochure for the post.

The town is only welcoming e-mailed applications — “it gives us some sense about what the applicants have for computer skills” — that are to include a cover letter, resume, professional references and compensation history. Only sometimes, at least one of the four is missing. And that’s after candidates receive an auto-e-mail from Bennett with the prod: “I would encourage you to make sure that you have submitted all of the requested items, as outlined in the brochure.”

So, whether applying for a town manager’s position or any other post, better to double-check everything — maybe even twice — before hitting send.

— Kathryn Skelton

Lighten up, ME!

The annual Maine Games Lighten ME launches Jan. 21, a 100-day effort for Mainers to get well and lighten up. 

This statewide team wellness and weight loss competition runs until April 30, and has become so successful that the program is being licensed for use in Massachusetts, Virginia and Pennsylvania.

First, it requires a commitment from participants to get fit, and second it offers a Web-based cheering section for teams to get fitness and wellness information and post results so a winner can be named. Participants can get information about exercise, diet, wellness events and other resources to help people become more active.

The program costs $15 to play and registration is open now. If you register by Dec. 15, you get a 20 percent discount.

Go to lightenme.org for more.

— Judith Meyer

Water yes, sewer maybe

POLAND — A proposed water and sewer project that could bring both to the South Village area is good news for residents of the area, but it’s not a done deal yet, and it’s possible only a portion of the project will be taken on at first.

A story Wednesday in the Sun Journal on a public hearing on the proposal was trimmed for space, and left out the fact that discussion is ongoing as to the fate of the plan.

The proposed project in the South Village area would extend water and sewer lines from the point on Route 122 near the Poland Spring bottling plant, where they now end, out Route 122 to Route 26 and then south of Route 26, serving as far as Shaker Hill Nursery, and north an equal distance on Route 26 toward the Poland Spring Inn. Cost would run betwen $3.4 million and $4.2 million, depending on the option chosen and if both water and sewer lines were to be extended.

According to the feasibility study, money is there for the water line, which many see as a priority. However, the lower-priority sewer line could be addressed at some future date. Revenue from a Poland Spring tax increment financing (TIF) agreement, earmarked for the development of this area, amounts to about $400,000 a year, which is enough to support a $2.3 million to $2.4 million project, according to consultants.

One issue to be resolved is whether the Auburn Sewer and Water District trustees will agree to take on the extension. They are expected to discuss it with consultants at a Dec. 9 meeting. Several property owners in the Route 122/ Route 26 area expressed strong support for the project at the public hearing.

— Win Durgin