JULY
Farmington Selectmen on June 28 approved funds for the town’s skateboard park and a new police cruiser. The $8,000 was taken from the Dragon’s Nest Skateboard Park reserve account. Selectmen approved a $4,000 donation from the Chamber for the skateboard park last December. A $4,700 donation was accepted in February of 2021. Selectmen also voted to allow Police Chief Kenneth Charles to accept the $35,361 bid from Hight Ford for a 2022 Ford Interceptor SUV police cruiser. Estimated upfitting costs made the total $45,361.
The town of Wilton hired Perry Ellsworth as the new town manager. His hiring was approved by the Select Board on June 28. Ellsworth, a Strong resident, was previously the town manager in Rangeley and South Berwick, where he served in the role for over a decade until 2021. He replaced Rhonda Irish, who retired after 13 years as town manager. Select Board Chair David Leavitt said the hiring committee, which was comprised of selectpersons, members of the public and Irish, ultimately went with Ellsworth because of his years of experience and history in project management.
Regional School Unit 9 moved forward with plans to establish a career and technical education center at Mt. Blue Middle School. RSU 9’s Board of Directors unanimously approved next steps for establishing the CTE, which will be funded by a $2.5 million donation from the Bjorn Foundation. Directors unanimously approved next steps for establishing the CTE, which will be funded by a $2.5 million donation from the Bjorn Foundation. Superintendent Chris Elkington said in an interview the Bjorn Foundation approached RSU 9 a number of years ago about opening a CTE at the middle school, but the conversations were put on hold in 2020.
The Wilton Select Board on July 12 voted 3-2 to allocate American Rescue Plan Act funds as hazard pay stipends for the town’s police department. The stipends offered each officer $160-200 a week, totaling $54,560, according to Chair David Leavitt. Former Police Chief Heidi Wilcox was supposed to receive $300 a week, but Leavitt said in an interview she declined the stipend following the meeting. The hazard pay was part of an effort to help retain the town’s police officers amid regional, statewide and nationwide officer shortages.
A fire broke out in a materials shed at Lignetics of Maine, a sawdust processing facility, in Strong on July 21. Strong Fire Department Chief Duane Boyd said the fire broke out in Lignetic’s open sawdust shed at 30 Norton Hill Rd. around 1:30 p.m. due to sparks from the smokestack in the mill. It was quickly contained without any injuries, he reported. The conditions of the fire presented difficulty for the Strong Fire Department. Boyd and the Strong Fire Department had the assistance of 10 different regional departments throughout the day, including Farmington, Phillips, Kingfield, Salem, New Vineyard, New Portland, Temple, Wilton, New Sharon and Rangeley.
Farmington Selectmen unanimously confirmed Tim “T.D.” Hardy as the new Fire Chief on July 26. “Chief Hardy’s community knowledge, technical capacity, and leadership made him the clear choice for chief,” a release stated. It noted Hardy had 25 years with the department and was a 1997 graduate of Mt. Blue High School. Hardy served as Farmington Fire Rescue Department Interim Fire Chief for eight months and was previously the Training Coordinator for the Franklin County Firemen’s Association. He also served as Firefighter, Senior Fire Instructor, Captain, Fire Chief of Livermore Falls, and Emergency Medical Technician with NorthStar EMS.
AUGUST
MaineHousing awarded Western Maine Community Action a $7 million grant from American Rescue Plan Act to build affordable housing and emergency shelter space in Farmington. The grant will help convert two properties in order to serve individuals in the region who are homeless, at risk of losing housing or struggling with housing instability. Western Maine Community Action was one of just three organizations in the state given a total of $13.2 million in grants by MaineHousing, with WMCA receiving the largest portion of the grant.
The 2022 Wilton Blueberry Festival was held Aug. 5 through Aug. 7 and featured many of it’s longtime classics, such as a children’s fun run, 5K and 10K races across town, Free Street Dance, the Lion’s Annual Blueberry Pancake Breakfast, the morning parade, blueberry-pie eating competition, activities and bounce houses at Kineowatha Park, and fireworks over Wilson Lake in the evening. The famous Wilton Blueberry Festival parade, as well as the entire festival, was themed “Summertime Fun.”
A 20-year Capital Improvement Plan was developed in Farmington to help with the budget process and separate needs from wants. An email was sent to all department heads that asked them to complete a spreadsheet by Sept. 9. Items were to include the department, project name, project category, priority, estimated useful life [in years], estimated cost, year item will be needed, number of years needed to save for purchase or number of years needed for financing, and justification. Each department could have a needs list and a wish list, Selectman Chair Matthew Smith said.
Chesterville held it’s annual Family Fun Day on Aug. 20 in the field behind the Town Office. Vendors such as JB Farms set up and sold various items and food throughout the day. Parade set up had begun before 8:30 a.m. but it was almost 9:45 when an officer with the Franklin County Sheriff Department parked his truck to block traffic for the parade to make its way from Valley Road to Dutch Gap Road to the Town Office. Families participated in other activities such as a bounce house and a tug of war.
Isabel Greenwood was marked in history at a plaque unveiling in downtown Farmington on Aug. 18. Isabel’s plaque was part of National Votes for Women Trail, which honored suffragists who worked to get women the right to vote with historical markers across America. Ahead of the 100th anniversary of the 19th amendment, granting women the constitutional right to vote, the Farmington Historical Society gradually developed its collection on the history of women’s suffrage in Farmington and Franklin County. They quickly discovered Isabel played a major role in the fight for women’s suffrage in Maine.
SEPTEMBER
Wilton Police Chief Heidi Wilcox announced she was stepping down from the position, effective Nov. 1. She was stepping down to “center her career goals,” and “be present for home and family.” Wilcox had been with the Wilton Police Department 11 years. She looked on her career highlights with Wilton as working with the “good programs” in town such as providing resources to senior citizens and programming for local children. Select Board Chair David Leavitt said that strengthening the police’s relationship with community was also one of Wilcox’s highlights.
University of Maine at Farmington was host to Equality Maine’s leadership camp for LGBTQ+ teenagers in early August. The camp was for teenagers 12 to 17 years old, drawing people from 14 of Maine’s 16 counties. Additionally, the camp offered the campers a place to celebrate their identity in a safe space. The campers also had the opportunity to learn about LGBTQ+ culture, such as the history of ballroom with LGBTQ+ people of color leading the programming.
Thirty people addressed the Regional School Unit 9 Board of Directors meeting Sept. 13 to discuss a poster hanging at Mt. Blue high and middle schools called “Gender 101.” The gender-identity poster displayed in guidance offices at Mt. Blue middle and high schools would remain, the vice chairwoman of the RSU 9 board told those speaking for and against it at the board meeting. Some argued the posters were informational and potentially life-saving. Others said they were “offensive” and “propaganda.”
Over 60 University of Maine at Farmington students, community members, politicians and organizers marched through downtown Farmington to advocate for reproductive rights Sept. 16. The rally was organized by UMF Democrats, led by Reese Remington, Angie Tehuitzil, Zach Laflamme, and Scott Donahue. Remington said the impetus for the rally was the overturning of the landmark Supreme Court case, Roe v. Wade in June. Laflamme was inspired by a march in Winslow to work with the UMF Democrats and organize something similar.
Marilyn “Jo” Josephson passed away at her home in Temple on Sept. 11. Jo was a dedicated member of boards for the High Peaks Alliance, Regional School Unit 9 [RSU 9], Fedco Seeds, the Franklin County Democrats, and more. She was a member of the Farmington Grange, “instrumental” in the Temple recycling program, and taught courses at the University of Maine at Farmington. Jo also worked as a reporter, writing for the Advocate, Morning Sentinel and Maine Municipal Alliance’s Maine Townsman. Jo was also former editor for the Livermore Falls Advertiser during the the International Paper Company strike in Jay in the late 1980s.
Regional School Unit 9 employees were prohibited from engaging in political activities and promoting their political views while working, according to a revised district policy approved unanimously by the board of directors. According to the Staff Participation in Political Activities policy, staff cannot engage in political activities while on the job, no matter the location or time. There were no restrictions placed on employees’ political activities during their personal time, even if those activities occur on school grounds. The policy encourages staff to be “mindful of the potential effect of their position, authority and influence when stating personal opinions in regard to candidates and political issues” while conversing with students.
At the Farmington Selectmen meeting on Sept. 27, officials were presented with the Safety and Health Award for Public Employers. “The Safety and Health Award for Public Employers [SHAPE] recognizes employers who operate an exemplary safety and health management system. Acceptance into SHAPE is an achievement of status that will single you out as the best of the best in workplace safety and health,” Maine Department of Labor/BLS/Workplace Safety and Health Division Director Steven L. Greeley said. Farmington was one of 82 Maine locations to receive the award of which 12 are full cities or towns, Greeley noted. Farmington will be exempt from Bureau of Labor Standards programmed inspections in the next two years for receiving the SHAPE recognition.
Officials at the Sept. 27 Farmington Selectmen meeting decided more information was needed on a request to allow residents of Industry and New Sharon to use the town’s transfer station. Farmington has an agreement with Strong, there are certain fees for different items and the Town of Strong is assessed a per capita fee, Town Manager Christian Waller said. Waller assumed there would be a similar pricing arrangement with Industry and New Sharon. In other business at the meeting, Deb Probert spoke of her passion for cemetery preservation and requested $5,000 be put in the budget annually for it. She got involved with cemetery preservation after retiring from her teaching position.
OCTOBER
Regional School Unit 9 directors voted 12-2 to continue displaying a controversial gender identity poster in the hallway windows of the guidance offices of Mt. Blue middle and high schools. Some directors and community members said they wished to see it moved to a more discrete location within the offices. Directors, students, school staff and community members who attended the meeting overwhelmingly spoke in support of the poster’s current location and in support of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer students at the meeting. Of the 16 people who spoke during public comment, only one person expressed a view opposing the poster.
Voters at a special town meeting approved purchasing land next to the Public Works facility and a new firetruck to replace Engine 2. They removed the article seeking amendments to the Zoning Ordinance and voted not to fund liability insurance costs. Ordinance changes require public hearings by the Planning Board and Zoning Board, Selectman Byron Staples said. Voters also approved spending up to $850,000 from the unassigned fund balance to purchase a firetruck to replace Engine 2. The cost would increase about $51,000 if the order wasn’t placed in October.
The University of Maine Farmington community garden on South Street was open to the public on Oct. 13 to explain how the garden works, raise funds for its continuance and teach people about gardening. Gretchen Legler and Misty Beck, faculty members at UMF taught Dig-It-Gardening for Social Change – an online English course in spring 2020 where students completed experiential projects at home on either ladder or patio gardens. The garden is not funded by UMF, is supported by grants and community funding, Legler noted. The garden is part of Cooperative Extension’s Master Gardening program. Legler hoped to get more master gardeners or people from the community involved.
John Jones, director of special services for Regional School Unit 9, told directors on Oct. 25 the program was facing ongoing challenges due to the number of students and their needs. According to Jones, there were 388 students with disabilities with 27 more in the referral process. From August to October 46 students had transferred to the district, he said, with roughly a third of them having significant needs in many areas. Staff versatility has been key in the strides the programs have taken. Superintendent Christian Elkington commended the staff for their ability to switch functions based on the needs of the students.
NOVEMBER
On Nov. 1, the Wilton Board of Selectpersons announced Sgt. Ethan Kyes as the interim Chief of Police for a period of six months. A decision will then be made on a permanent replacement for former Police Chief Heidi Wilcox, who announced her Nov. 1 retirement in early September. Also present at the meeting was Stephen Charles, who was promoted to Sgt. to replace Kyes. Charles joined the Wilton Police Department in August after serving the Franklin County Sheriff’s Department for 22 years. Charles, who also applied for the Police Chief position stated he will support Kyes to the best of his ability. “I have a lot of faith and respect for Ethan,” Charles said.
On Tuesday, Nov. 8, 10 towns whose students attending Mt. Blue Middle School voted on a referendum to approve the funding for a Career and Technical Center that was to begin construction pending the vote. The funds were donated by Kyes Insurance Owner Richard Bjorn, whom the center will be named after. With this vote passing, RSU 9 and MBMS will proceed with the construction of the CTE Center, with groundbreaking coming in April of 2023. The center is expected to be open by the 2024-2025 school year.
University of Maine Farmington was named one of the most environmentally responsible colleges in the nation by the Princeton Review. The publication, known for assisting students with tutoring and test preparation, released a list of 455 colleges across the country as a guide for the greenest schools. The charge of keeping UMF environmentally friendly goes to UMF’s Sustainability Campus Coalition [SCC], led by Mark Pires. Founded in 2001, the SCC mission expanded to include addressing food insecurity among UMF students and in the local community, promotion of composting and recycling, and public education and activism on issues related to sustainability.
The Wilton Select board voted unanimously on Nov. 15 to approve water rate increases for 2023 and 2024. Prior to the vote, the board held a public hearing to discuss any concerns or comments about the increases. For 2023, Wilton’s water rates will increase by 10%, which estimates to roughly $59,609 in increased revenue. In 2024, the revenue is estimated to be $64,656 following an increase of 9.86%. According to Water and Wastewater Superintendent Heinz Grossman, the water rate increases are necessary to draw in state and federal funding for Wilton to replace its water transmission line.
On Nov. 11, the history of the two local men American Legion Post 28 is named for was shared during a Veterans Day program in Meetinghouse Park. “Our American Legion post in Farmington is named in honor of Lt. Thaddeus L. Roderick, the only Farmington casualty of The Great War, and George E. Crosby, the first Farmington man to die in World War II,” Commander Stephan Bunker said. Several youth from the two Boy Scout troops placed wreaths at monuments located throughout the park. They were accompanied by veterans and saluted alongside the veterans afterwards. The American Legion color guard and others later went to the Teague World War I Memorial Arch to lay a wreath there, then a luncheon was served at the post.
Andrew Hutchins, director of food services for Regional School Unit 9, announced on Nov. 22 that more students than ever are eating breakfast and lunch served in the school cafeteria within the district. In the month of October alone, over 110,000 more meals were served this year than October 2021 with the same number of school days. “That’s an additional 580 meals per day,” Hutchins’ report stated. Food cost, however, continues to be an issue. As Maine enters its colder months, reliance on produce shipped from the rest of the country is becoming critical, but costly. “I’ve been doing this for over 30 years now,” Hutchins commented. “And I’ve never seen a case of romaine lettuce cost $126. It used to be on average $40 to $50 on it in this time of year.”
DECEMBER
Chester Greenwood Day took over downtown Farmington on Dec. 3. With ears warmly covered and umbrellas overhead, residents of the Farmington area and beyond enjoyed hot cocoa, crafts, and a parade all in honor of Chester Greenwood. This year’s theme was “Winter Wonderland”, which many embraced with their festive decorations and fake snow. Despite poor weather conditions, hundreds took part in honor of Greenwood and his contributions to the community. The winning parade floats were announced on Dec. 6, with Kyes Insurance taking first place, United Way of the Tri-Valley Area taking second place and Franklin Savings Bank grabbing third place.
On Dec. 7, a small group of people gathered in the park and ride next to Center Bridge to pay tribute to those impacted by the attack on Pearl Harbor 81 years ago. Farmington Police provided a lead escort as the group made its way to about the Sandy River midpoint. Another cruiser with lights flashing stopped near the entrance to the bridge to warn traffic to change lanes. “Here it is another Pearl Harbor Day,” Gordon Webber said. “This is number 80 or 81, it’s hard to keep up.”
At the Nov. 22 Farmington Selectmen meeting, Lorri Brown with Healthy Community Coalition shared data regarding health issues in the greater Franklin County community and ways the coalition was working to further improve health and wellbeing in the region. Every few years the state does a community health needs assessment, Brown noted. Franklin County data from eight to ten years ago was compared with that from the last three or four year cycle and the current state average, she said. She shared slides showing comparisons for several categories. Potential life loss rates – those who died before age 75 from injury, accident, not just old age – have risen from about 5,750 to just under 7,000, are almost at state level. Injury and overdose death rates have also increased in this region. Cancer death rates had dropped, but was still the number one early death rate cause in Franklin County, Brown said. Diabetes was showing a pretty significant increase and HCC was doing a lot of work on diabetes prevention, she noted. Cardiovascular death rates had dropped but were still above state level, she added.
Farmington Selectmen, on Dec. 13, unanimously approved $43,772.40 for the purchase of a 2023 Chevrolet Tahoe SSV and up to $5,000 to outfit it for the Fire Rescue Department. “We have been looking at options,” Chief TD Hardy said. “Both our SUV and pickup are at the end of their lifespans.” This vehicle would be Hardy’s response vehicle, he expected it to last about 10 years. He said 10,000 to 15,000 miles per year were put on the current vehicle. Local dealers had been approached but they either weren’t sure of availability or only had consumer models, Hardy said.
On Dec. 13, Regional School Unit 9 Superintendent Christian Elkington shared with the Board of Directors an update on the condition of the well water at Cape Cod Hill School [CCHS] and the test results of PFAS levels that were taken in June. According to the Report, PFAS levels came in at 8.4 parts per trillion [ppt]. The standard in the state of Maine is 20 ppt, which means CCHS’s well water is well below the state standard. A second set of tests had been submitted to the state to rule out the possibility of a false positive. Despite the test indicating PFAS levels at CCHS were low enough where no further action beyond annual testing was required, RSU 9 would continue to take extra steps in ensuring the safety of students and faculty at the school until the second test results come in.
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