People
(from the January 2007 Maine Townsman)

Julie Anderson has been hired as the new Monson town manager. Formerly the town’s longtime clerk, Anderson was selected from a field of 19. She replaces Robert Nicholson.

York County gained a new deputy sheriff last month, but the town of Kennebunk lost a police chief. Kennebunk Police Chief Matthew Baker resigned his municipal position to serve under newly-elected Sheriff MauriceOuellette. Former Ogunquit Police Chief Michael Pardue has been named acting chief in Kennebunk beginning January 1.

Pleasant Point Police Chief Joseph Barnes has been named police chief of the year by the National Native American Law Enforcement Association. Barnes was noted for improving communication between residents and police, among other achievements. The award was the first for Maine.

Woolwich Town Administrator Lloyd Coombs has announced he will retire on April 20. Coombs has served the town for 15 years, the first five as a selectman.

The communications director for the city of Portland, Peter DeWitt, has resigned to take a similar job with Time Warner Cable of Maine.

The Orono Town Council has appointed Gary Duquette as police chief and Norman “Buddy” Webb as fire chief. Duquette joined the police department in 1993 and was promoted several times rising to the rank of deputy police chief in 2005. Webb was hired by the fire department in 1983 and worked as a firefighter until he was promoted to captain in 1992. He became deputy chief in 2005.

Livermore Falls selectmen accepted the resignation of Selectman Russell Flagg last month after Flagg bought a second logging and excavation business in Jackman.

Pamela Fogg has been named the first human resources director of the town of Wells. Fogg, formerly Brunswick assistant town manager, has almost 20 years of experience in Maine local government.

Richard Grindall has been named Winslow police chief, replacing Michael Heavener, who was recently named town manager there.

Brunswick Assistant Town Manager Patricia Harrington has resigned, effective January 2, for what she called “a break” in a letter to colleagues. Harrington has worked for the town for five years.

Tom Luttrell has been named Rockland’s new finance director. Luttrell, who replaces Robert Armelin, worked as SAD 5’s business manager before taking the city job.

Former Camden Town Manager Roger Moody was named “Townsperson of the Year” by the Camden-Rockport-Lincolnville Chamber of Commerce last month. Moody retired from public administration in 2002.

New Gloucester Town Planner Amanda Stearns resigned in late December after less than a year on the job. The town plans to hire the Greater Portland Council of Governments to provide interim planning until a new town planner is hired.

Hebron firefighter James Trundy continues to recover from a heart attack he suffered in early December while battling a house fire in neighboring Minot. He was said to be “responding quite well to treatment,” according to a Hebron selectman.

After 40 years in the job, Brewer City Clerk Arthur “Archie” Verow has announced he will retire on April 1. Verow, who has presided over 102 elections since joining the city in 1967, said he plans to continue his lifelong interest in writing and “has not ruled out running for elective office in the future.” Howard Kroll, Brewer’s assistant city manager and deputy city clerk, is expected to be named as Verow’s successor.

A number of Maine public servants died last month, including former Rockland City Councilor Charles Allen Jr., who died on December 9 at the age of 66 after a long illness; Diane Dorais, 49, retired assistant tax collector for the city of Biddeford, who died on December 20 of cancer; Bath City Councilor and former city firefighter John “Jack” Hart Jr., who died on December 12 at the age of 71 following an undisclosed illness; Kennebunk Town Clerk Ethelyn Marthia, 62, who died of cancer on December 13; Cynthia Pepper-Morin, an Augusta police dispatcher for 26 years until her death on December 30 of cancer at the age of 49; Chester Murray, longtime Topsham assistant fire chief, who died on December 2 at the age of 91; and Richard Tompson, a former Standish town councilor and code enforcement officer, who died on December 19 at the age of 77.