People
(from the February 2007 Maine Townsman)

Turner Town Manager James Catlin and Wayne Town Manager Greg Davis were not offered contract renewals last month.

Thomas Fortier has been hired as Richmond’s new town manager, replacing David Peppard. Fortier most recently worked for the City of Portland.

Larry Post inked a new contract in St. Albans, after working nearly a year without one. Post was fired last year after 27 years in the job, but was rehired after voters turned out two of the selectmen who had fired him.

The town of Clinton has hired James Rhodes, formerly holding manager positions in Hallowell and Oxford. Rhodes replaces Dale Morris, who left the post for personal reasons.

Jim Brann Jr. was named Firefighter of the Year and David Bryant was honored for 45 years of service to the Whitefield Volunteer Fire Department during ceremonies January 20.

Sanford patrolman Mark Dyer was awarded the police department’s first “Combat Cross” for pulling a man away from two women he had stabbed, and then suffering a stab wound to his arm. The assailant first attempted to stab Dyer in the chest, but the blow was deflected by body armor.

Nearly a year after being wounded in the line of duty, Waldoboro patrolman Jeff Fuller returned to the police department in early January. Fuller was severely injured while pursing bank robbery suspects on January 17, 2006.

The city of Presque Isle recently honored a group of employees who had logged a combined 260 years on the job, including Peter Greenier of the public works department, who has worked for the city for 45 years; Tax Collector Sharon Willette, with 40 years of service; and Ralph LaPointe of the parks and recreation department, with 35 years.

Bill Hahn was elected Thomaston selectman in a special election on January 9. Hahn defeated Wayne Linscott by a vote of 184-126 to fill the term of Marquita Chambers, who resigned last fall when she moved out of town. Hahn will serve until the June municipal election.

Bethel Assistant Fire Chief Mike Jodrey was promoted to chief in early January after Jim Young resigned. Young, who did not give a reason for giving up the top post he held for 17 years, will now work as assistant chief until department elections in June.

Sanford Police Chief Thomas Jones will retire in May after serving as chief for more than four years. Jones joined the department in 1994 after serving as Standish police chief. He started his career in Farmington, where he worked for 14 years.

Leroy Jones will retire as Waldoboro’s police chief on August 30, a dozen years after he joined the department. Jones said he was uncertain what he would do after retiring. Jones has been a police chief for about 30 years, including eight in Norridgewock before taking the Waldoboro job.

Fayette Fire Chief Ronald McLallen resigned effective February 1 after serving the department for 24 years, including the last six as chief. Selectmen named Deputy Fire Warden Marty Maxwell to replace McLallen.

Heather McLaughlin has been appointed Swanville town clerk, excise tax collector and registrar of voters until the town’s annual meeting March 12, following the resignation of Meg Stockwell.

Joanna Moran was elected Kennebunk town clerk in an emergency election January 30. Moran replaces her mother, Ethelyn Marthia, who died of cancer in December at the age of 62. Moran has worked in the town office in various capacities since 1989 and had promised her mother she would run for clerk.

Oakland Fire Chief Charles Pullen has retired effective March 29, ending a 25-year career as the town’s top fire official. Pullen will be succeeded by David Coughlin, who has 16 years of service to the department. Coughlin is a third-generation Oakland firefighter who said he has aspired to be chief his entire life.

David Nelson, chairman of the Millinocket Town Council, will resign in May to take an out-of-state job at Medical College in Wisconsin. A councilor for four years, Nelson has been chairman since November 2005.

Tom Stanton Jr. graduated from the Maine Criminal Justice Academy in December and has joined his namesake at the Lisbon Police Department. Tom Stanton Sr. has 30 years of experience on the Lisbon force and now works as a reserve officer. Stanton Jr. is the third-generation cop; his grandfather served as a police officer in Ossining, NY.

Among the municipal officials who died in January include Selectman Harry Gordon of Strong, who died January 3 at the age of 70; former Jay Selectman Parker Kinney, 70, recipient of the Ethel Kelley Memorial Award in 2004 for outstanding public service, on January 20; Arthur J. Reno Sr., West Bath road commissioner for 50 years and the 2000 recipient of the Ethel Kelley award, on January 19; former state representative and Shapleigh Selectman Vinton “Wink” Ridley, on January 21 at the age of 78; and Mary Wright, 74, a Farmington selectman for 14 years and a community activist for 30, on January 14.