Sept. 7, 1988

Two-thirds of Westbrook teachers agreed Thursday to accept a new two-year contract that raises base salaries from $15,700 to $16,900, a 7 percent raise. The new contract also raises that $16,900 to $18,000 in the 1989-90 school year. The teachers’ vote was followed Friday by the School Committee’s unanimous vote to also accept the terms negotiated over the past seven months with the Westbrook Teachers Association. One of the main stumbling black to the negotiations was health insurance. The new contract provides for the school department to cover 90 percent of the costs. That’s down from the 96 to 100 percent that was paid under the old contract.

Loose sewer connections that resulted from “substandard contractor work” were the cause of over half the excess flow of water discovered this spring in the Little Falls sewer system. That’s the conclusion of Douglas Miller, a superintendent in charge of the wastewater systems at the Portland Water District, which sent TV cameras down into the lines two times to pinpoint the problem. The other half of the excess flows were traced to several homes where sump pumps, foundation drains and drains from gutters are still feeding into the building sewer. That wasn’t a problem when the drains went into the river of private septic systems, but it is when they feed directly into the sewer system.

A citizen’s alertness, followed by some detective work by Police Sgt. Michael Sanphy, has cost an insurance company $12,000 and saved Westbrook taxpayers half the cost of new traffic-actuated traffic lights now on order for Forest and Main streets. The citizen caught the identity of a Midwestern tractor-trailer truck that hit the pole that carried controls for the present Forest-Main signals. Sanphy located the truck at an S.D. Warren yard and established its ownership and responsibility. The insurance company for the trucker agreed to the $12,000 settlement. The new set of lights cost $23,000, “but they’ll be coming at half price to the taxpayers, thanks to the good work of the citizen and Sanphy,” said Police Chief Ronald Allanach.

A surprise retirement party was held for Ralph L. Burnham of Gorham as he completed 371?2 years at the S.D. Warren Co. The party was held at the Tennis Racquet, Portland, and was given by his wife Nancy and their children Fred, Dana, Craig and wife Nancy, and daughter Darcy Nicely, helped by Ralph’s cousin Jean E. Robinson.

Westbrook Music Boosters treasurer Roy Leighton and his family are spending their spare time rolling pennies – lots of them. “We’re asking the Band Boosters and all our band friends to save pennies and bring them to our yard sale on Sept. 17 at the high school,” said Leighton. “One mile of pennies on our way to Florida will bring us about $8,000.” The boosters are raising funds to send the band on a trip to Disney World.

The Gorham School Committee has hired roof design specialists Gale Associates of Weymouth, Mass., for $7,300 to design a new roof over the high school gym. Gale is to provide the plans by Sept. 23. Worsening leaks since a major reworking December 1984 culminated in a very bad leak at the 1988 graduation, and have caused damage to the present floor, which will now also have to be replaced.

Sept. 9, 1998

Athletic field improvements at Westbrook High School that were expected to cost $825,000 now are costing close to $1.4 million. The overrun is making waves in city government. Adding to the worries is the slow progress of a fund drive that was expected to raise $225,000. At last reports it was barely off the ground. The latest additions to the field project’s costs came before the City Council this week: A third retention pond, $19,000 (state also to pay $19,000); moving the track events location and improving it, $11,500; 10 pieces of motorized groundskeeping equipment, $83,930.

Olympic alpine skier Kirsten Clark will visit students at Westbrook’s Canal School Sept. 10. Clark, 20, of Raymond, competed in the 1998 winter Olympic games in Nagano, Japan, finishing 18th in the combined and 28th in the downhill. At 18, she became the youngest ever U.S. National ski champion, and she will compete in the World Cup tour this winter with hopes of representing the United States in the 2002 Winter Olympic games in Salt Lake City.

For a growing photography studio business from Gorham, the Dana Warp Mill’s wide open spaces and large windows overlooking the Presumpscot River have provided not only room to expand, but also a touch of class. “People say, ‘I feel like I’m in New York City,’” said Brenda Pelletier, who operated Brenda’s Studio out of her Gorham home for 14 year before moving to space on the second floor of the Bridge Street, Westbrook, building last April. “It’s a New York-style studio,” she said.

Lewis and Anna Miller, Bridgton Road, Westbrook, celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in the company of their immediate family. The afternoon began with a walk on the beach at Kettle Cove, with picture taking, followed by a seafood feast at The Good Table Restaurant in Cape Elizabeth. To commemorate the Golden Day, Lewis and Anna were presented with matching engraved watches.

Albert Riopel, Lawrence Street, Gorham, got a special 80th birthday present – a one-hour helicopter ride, the gift of his grandson, Greg Brown, of Watertown Mass., and granddaughter, Jessica Factor and her husband Mike Factor, Brunswick.

A flea market to benefit the First Congregational Church of Buxton restoration fund will be held Sept. 12 in Weymouth Park, routes 202 and 112, Buxton. Food, crafts, antiques, attic treasures, homemade items and collectibles will be sold. Luncheon will also be available.

Westbrook’s Robert Guitard, a U.S. Army veteran, has been installed as the new commander of the Stephen W. Manchester Post of the American Legion.

50 YEARS AGO

The Westbrook American reported on Sept. 4, 1963, that Mr. and Mrs. Theodore Lunt of College Avenue in Gorham had returned home after visiting their son-in-law and daughter, Mr. and Mrs., David Flewelling of Presque Isle.

Mr. and Mrs. George Clark of West Buxton spent Labor Day weekend visiting a couple at York Beach.

This photo was taken in the 1970s from the parking area at the end of Carpenter Street. The building on the left was the rear of Moderne Rug Cleaning Co., at 22 Fitch St. The next building was the woodworking mill of long time Westbrook general contractor O.G.K. Robinson Co. The photo shows the side and rear of the building that was located at 14 Fitch St. The next building is the Westbrook Police Station that was at 4 Carpenter St. The large brick building is the rear of the Scates Building at 868 Main St. Notable tenants at one time were Westbrook City Hall, Westbrook Municipal Court, Masonic Temple Lodge 86, LaChance Drug Store and Cumberland Power & Light Co. The last tenants in the building were the Westbrook Urban Renewal Offices, Hub Furniture Co. and Phil’s Pizza. The building on the right was the Westbrook Star Laundry with attached boiler room at 1 Carpenter St. All these buildings were demolished by urban renewal. Today, the area is home to the CVS Pharmacy and parking lots. To see more historical photos and artifacts, visit the Westbrook Historical Society at the Fred C. Wescott Building, 426 Bridge St. Inquiries can be emailed to westhistorical@myfairpoint.net. The website is www.westbrookhistoricalsociety.org.