July 26, 1989

Constance Goldman, Gorham’s school superintendent, is retiring. But to her, retirement is a relative term. “I have another 10 years or so before I retire completely,” she said Monday. Goldman originally planned to retire this year, but has agreed to stay on until next summer and help with the selection process of her successor, as well as to administer two grants recently awarded to the Gorham schools. She has held the superintendent’s job since 1983.

The S.D. Warren division of Scott Paper Co., which first said its new pulp mill shouldn’t be taxed at all last year, has now sued Westbrook over the tax it did pay, saying it was overcharged by $431,000. Warren wants the court to order a reduction of its taxes by that amount. Failing that, it wants to make the city hear its request for an abatement of taxes on the $20 million value city Assessor James Jessen put on the pulp digester and recovery boiler. That’s what he said the incomplete $70 million project was worth as of April 1, 1988. The company filed a private appraisal with its lawsuit that puts the equipment’s worth on that date at $7.5 million.

Joel and Patty Titcomb of Gorham are triathletes. They compete in a sport that calls for them to swim, run and bicycle at almost superhuman distances. While they are preparing for the birth of their first baby, Joel still has his sights set on an Iron Man competition, but it will have to wait for now.

Stephen Harris was sworn in Friday as Westbrook’s new postmaster. He is the former superintendent of postal operations in Brunswick with 13 years experience with the postal service.

Gary and Jan Labrecque left their North Gorham home June 1 for a vacation in the Bozeman, Mont., area, and to attend their son’s graduation from Montana State University. The trip was also a celebration of the Labrecques’ 25th wedding anniversary. He works at S.D. Warren and she is employed by L and L Electric.

The Westbrook City Council voted Monday to give first reading approval to hiring the Maine Municipal Association to screen applicants for the job of administrative assistant to the mayor. Marti Blair, who now holds the job, will leave Aug. 1. “Many communities are doing this now,” said Mayor Philip Spiller, citing Gorham in particular. “It helps us with the process some. It’s just a way of speeding up the process. They are familiar with some of those that will apply.”

July 28, 1999

Westbrook Community Hospital’s board of directors will meet July 28 to vote on putting an end to Westbrook Community Hospital as it has been known for the past 37 years. The choice, according to a report filed with the state Department of Human Service, is to file bankruptcy and shut down Aug. 1 or become a division of Mercy Hospital Sept. 1. Approval of the latter option appears likely. With it will come a name change, an elimination of $415,000 worth of positions in Westbrook and pay raises for remaining employees.

Sixty-one freshmen, roughly 30 percent of the class, failed a competency exam in social studies at Westbrook High School this spring. Superintendent Robert Hall found that number alarming and the School Committee this week approved hiring an additional full-time teacher at the high school just to accommodate the extra referrals to a remedial social studies course. Westbrook created the freshman competency exam in 1991 when it reduced social studies and math requirements from three years to two. The idea has been that students who fail the social studies exam must take a third year of the subject, Hall said. Part of the problem this year, he said, could be that freshmen aren’t reading as well as they should be. The issue is being addressed with a number of new literacy programs in the elementary grades, he said.

A committee charged with guiding a Route 25 bypass of Gorham Village through federal environmental regulations met for the first time Monday. Members were told that, although the town has formally chosen a favored route for the bypass running west of Gorham Village from Route 25’s intersection with Cressey Road, crossing Narragansett Street (Route 202) and connecting to South Street (Route 114) near Day Road, they must consider “every alternative,” including not building a bypass at all.

Without providing any public notice and without formal approval from the School Committee, Gorham School Business Manager Dan O’Shea said this week that he is on the verge of signing a contract that would turn the town’s substitute teachers over to a private company. Hiring the Wakefield, Mass.-based Opis Co., which is new to Maine, will cost Gorham $137,299, roughly 30 percent more than it paid for substitute teaching last year. O’Shea said that while the School Committee is aware that Opis is being considered, “there will probably not be a vote on it because it is more of a management choice than anything. As long as the cost is reasonable, I think they would be all for it.”

The Frenchtown Neighborhood Watch in Westbrook will hold a flashlight walk to mark National Night Out at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 3, in the parking lot of St. Hyacinth’s Church, Brown Street. Bring your own flashlight and wear comfortable shoes.

John R. Jackson of Lexington, Mass. was president and Richard C. Gamlin of Wells was vice president and general manager of Jackson Chevrolet at 91 Main St., when this photo was taken in 1964. Rowe Ford now occupies the site. To see more historical photos and artifacts, visit the Westbrook Historical Society at the Fred C. Wescott Building, 426 Bridge St. It is open Tuesdays and Saturdays, 9 a.m.-noon, and the first Wednesday of each month at 1:30 p.m., September-June. Inquiries can be emailed to westhistorical@myfairpoint.net. The website is www.westbrookhistoricalsociety.org. 

July 26, 1989

Constance Goldman, Gorham’s school superintendent, is retiring. But to her, retirement is a relative term. “I have another 10 years or so before I retire completely,” she said Monday. Goldman originally planned to retire this year, but has agreed to stay on until next summer and help with the selection process of her successor, as well as to administer two grants recently awarded to the Gorham schools. She has held the superintendent’s job since 1983.

The S.D. Warren division of Scott Paper Co., which first said its new pulp mill shouldn’t be taxed at all last year, has now sued Westbrook over the tax it did pay, saying it was overcharged by $431,000. Warren wants the court to order a reduction of its taxes by that amount. Failing that, it wants to make the city hear its request for an abatement of taxes on the $20 million value city Assessor James Jessen put on the pulp digester and recovery boiler. That’s what he said the incomplete $70 million project was worth as of April 1, 1988. The company filed a private appraisal with its lawsuit that puts the equipment’s worth on that date at $7.5 million.

Joel and Patty Titcomb of Gorham are triathletes. They compete in a sport that calls for them to swim, run and bicycle at almost superhuman distances. While they are preparing for the birth of their first baby, Joel still has his sights set on an Iron Man competition, but it will have to wait for now.

Stephen Harris was sworn in Friday as Westbrook’s new postmaster. He is the former superintendent of postal operations in Brunswick with 13 years experience with the postal service.

Gary and Jan Labrecque left their North Gorham home June 1 for a vacation in the Bozeman, Mont., area, and to attend their son’s graduation from Montana State University. The trip was also a celebration of the Labrecques’ 25th wedding anniversary. He works at S.D. Warren and she is employed by L and L Electric.

The Westbrook City Council voted Monday to give first reading approval to hiring the Maine Municipal Association to screen applicants for the job of administrative assistant to the mayor. Marti Blair, who now holds the job, will leave Aug. 1. “Many communities are doing this now,” said Mayor Philip Spiller, citing Gorham in particular. “It helps us with the process some. It’s just a way of speeding up the process. They are familiar with some of those that will apply.”

July 28, 1999

Westbrook Community Hospital’s board of directors will meet July 28 to vote on putting an end to Westbrook Community Hospital as it has been known for the past 37 years. The choice, according to a report filed with the state Department of Human Service, is to file bankruptcy and shut down Aug. 1 or become a division of Mercy Hospital Sept. 1. Approval of the latter option appears likely. With it will come a name change, an elimination of $415,000 worth of positions in Westbrook and pay raises for remaining employees.

Sixty-one freshmen, roughly 30 percent of the class, failed a competency exam in social studies at Westbrook High School this spring. Superintendent Robert Hall found that number alarming and the School Committee this week approved hiring an additional full-time teacher at the high school just to accommodate the extra referrals to a remedial social studies course. Westbrook created the freshman competency exam in 1991 when it reduced social studies and math requirements from three years to two. The idea has been that students who fail the social studies exam must take a third year of the subject, Hall said. Part of the problem this year, he said, could be that freshmen aren’t reading as well as they should be. The issue is being addressed with a number of new literacy programs in the elementary grades, he said.

A committee charged with guiding a Route 25 bypass of Gorham Village through federal environmental regulations met for the first time Monday. Members were told that, although the town has formally chosen a favored route for the bypass running west of Gorham Village from Route 25’s intersection with Cressey Road, crossing Narragansett Street (Route 202) and connecting to South Street (Route 114) near Day Road, they must consider “every alternative,” including not building a bypass at all.

Without providing any public notice and without formal approval from the School Committee, Gorham School Business Manager Dan O’Shea said this week that he is on the verge of signing a contract that would turn the town’s substitute teachers over to a private company. Hiring the Wakefield, Mass.-based Opis Co., which is new to Maine, will cost Gorham $137,299, roughly 30 percent more than it paid for substitute teaching last year. O’Shea said that while the School Committee is aware that Opis is being considered, “there will probably not be a vote on it because it is more of a management choice than anything. As long as the cost is reasonable, I think they would be all for it.”

The Frenchtown Neighborhood Watch in Westbrook will hold a flashlight walk to mark National Night Out at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 3, in the parking lot of St. Hyacinth’s Church, Brown Street. Bring your own flashlight and wear comfortable shoes.

John R. Jackson of Lexington, Mass. was president and Richard C. Gamlin of Wells was vice president and general manager of Jackson Chevrolet at 91 Main St., when this photo was taken in 1964. Rowe Ford now occupies the site. To see more historical photos and artifacts, visit the Westbrook Historical Society at the Fred C. Wescott Building, 426 Bridge St. It is open Tuesdays and Saturdays, 9 a.m.-noon, and the first Wednesday of each month at 1:30 p.m., September-June. Inquiries can be emailed to westhistorical@myfairpoint.net. The website is www.westbrookhistoricalsociety.org.