Frats face uncertain future in Gorham
The seizure of the Phi Kappa Sigma house over back taxes and code violations prompts a proposed town fraternity ban.
By Melanie Creamer mcreamer@mainetoday.com
Staff Writer
GORHAM - Town officials are developing a proposal to ban new fraternity and sorority houses in the town of Gorham, home to a University of Southern Maine campus.
The Phi Kappa Sigma house in Gorham was seized last month by the town, which cited the fact that the fraternity owes more than $27,000 in taxes and has 140 code violations.
John Ewing/Staff Photographer
The nearby Delta Chi house, which owes $6,463 in taxes, is at risk of being seized.
John Ewing/Staff Photographer
The proposal follows a Town Council decision to seize the Phi Kappa Sigma house at 27 Preble St. The house owes more than $27,000 in property taxes and has serious code violations.
A second house, Delta Chi at 23 Preble St., is under the threat of seizure for unpaid taxes and code violations.
The Phi Kappa Sigma house was seized in June for its tax delinquency and 140 code violations, ranging from a chair blocking a doorway to sewage in the basement. Police have been called to the house for service 149 times since 2005.
On July 6, the council voted 6-1 to look into banning future fraternities and sororities by eliminating them as a permitted use under the zoning ordinance. Councilor Noah Miner cast the dissenting vote.
The Planning Board will hold a public hearing next month to consider the proposal. The Town Council will take its final vote after another public hearing.
The proposed ban would not affect the town's two remaining fraternity houses: Delta Chi and Sigma Nu on School Street. However, the council's ordinance committee is developing a separate proposal to regulate them.
Councilor Matthew Robinson serves on the committee that is developing the ordinance. He said if fraternities and sororities are important to USM, then it can provide the land on its campus to house them.
"This is about protecting the residents in Gorham," Robinson said.
"We've had nothing but complaints from the neighbors. They didn't stick to their payment plan. How many chances can you give someone?"
Bob Caswell, USM's spokesman, said the university plans to meet with town officials to develop the proposals.
"The university's top priority is to remain a good neighbor," Caswell said. "We need to find a solution that is in everyone's best interests."
When the Phi Kappa Sigma house was seized last month, 10 members were living there. The doors were padlocked last week, and a sign on the door directed fraternity members to call the Fire Department to gain access to their belongings.
The fraternity has until the end of this month to move out. Brian Longfellow, president of the fraternity, said it has seen a steady membership decline over the past few years.
Longfellow said Phi Kappa Sigma pays roughly $16,000 a year in dues and other fees to its national chapter. With only five fraternity members living in the house during the school year, the house could afford to pay only the mortgage and utility bills, he said.
Longfellow said the proposal to ban fraternity houses is a bad idea. Fraternity members have worked hard to be good neighbors, he said.
"It's a college town," he said. "Fraternities and sororities should be allowed to prosper."
The Delta Chi fraternity, next door to the Phi Kappa house, could be the next to go.
Maureen Finger, the town's finance director, said Delta Chi owes $6,463 in property taxes, including the current year's bill, which is $3,273.
Finger said if the group doesn't pay $3,066 by February, the property will be foreclosed.
Police Chief Ronald Shepard said his department received 32 calls for service at the Delta Chi house from January 2009 to June 2010.
"It's a lot of calls for one residence in one year," Shepard said. "It's disturbing."
Delta Chi's taxes are paid by Gorham State Delta Chi Building Corp., a group of alumni fraternity members who own the property.
Jon Taylor, the group's secretary, said the fraternity is working with its national chapter to obtain a loan to pay its remaining taxes and bring the house up to code.
Taylor said the Fire Department told the fraternity it has until 2012 to install a sprinkler system in the building.
"The system is going to cost $20,000," Taylor said. "We need to raise money. We have a lot of bills, just like everyone. We are very, very confident these bills will be paid shortly."
If the council approves the ban, it would keep Alpha Xi Delta from buying an off-campus house for its sorority.
Anastasia Skibicki, a member of the sorority, said last week that Alpha Xi Delta has been looking for an off-campus house.
That would help increase the organization's membership and get more women involved in its charitable work, Skibicki said.
"This is definitely affecting us," she said of the proposed ban. "It's such a bummer."
Some neighbors feel differently.
Rhonda Laughlin, who lives a few houses away from the fraternities on Elm Street, said students who are presumably drunk urinate and vomit on her property, pull up her plants and cut through her driveway at all hours of the night.
"Would I like to see them out of our neighborhoods? Absolutely," Laughlin said. "This has been going on a long time."
Jeff Earl, who lives across the street from the two fraternity houses on Preble Street, said they've been good neighbors for the past year or so.
"It's been kind of weird not having them here," Earl said. "It's a little strange."
Staff Writer Melanie Creamer can be contacted at 791-6361 or at:
mcreamer@pressherald.com
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36 COMMENTS
UofA said...
Too many of them do not care about anything but being punks. The ones in Brunswick made a lot of neighbors happy when Bowdoin's closed. A small problem of High School kids visiting them and drinking beer was also stopped. Look at the problem that student apt. building next to I-295 has caused since opening! Too many college kids are not capable of living away from their parents!
July 19, 2010 at 4:58 AM Report abuse
heyjoe said...
Just a matter of time before "I Felta Thigh" and "Signa Phi Nothin" will be gone....Boola-boola!!!
July 19, 2010 at 6:33 AM Report abuse
Aikidokan1 said...
Good riddance to them. I am a recent graduate of USM, and I can say that the "charitable" work they do is nothing more than a cover up for the lifestyle they truly want to live - drinking, drugs, and sex. The USM frat houses are excuses for underage drinking, sexual assault, domestic violence, fighting, drugs, and a bunch of kids who think that they are doing the community good by occasionally volunteering for a blood drive. I'm speaking from experience as a student who went there. Most of the members are derelicts. GOOD RIDDANCE.
July 19, 2010 at 6:41 AM Report abuse
Aikidokan1 said...
Good riddance to them. I am a recent graduate of USM, and I can say that the "charitable" work they do is nothing more than a cover up for the lifestyle they truly want to live - drinking, drugs, and sex. The USM frat houses are excuses for underage drinking, sexual assault, domestic violence, fighting, drugs, and a bunch of kids who think that they are doing the community good by occasionally volunteering for a blood drive. I'm speaking from experience as a student who went there. Most of the members are derelicts, and I know several women who have complaints of date rape drugs and misogynistic behaviors that make me disgusted at times to be associated with this university. GOOD RIDDANCE.
July 19, 2010 at 6:43 AM Report abuse
punk51 said...
such a poor example of community and responsibility ---on one hand we have brave young men that help save a womans life near fox island than we have these college educated losers...the parents of these scumboy fratboys ought to held accountable for all taxes.
July 19, 2010 at 7:31 AM Report abuse
JazzBox said...
Wow, I never thought the behavior of a select few idjits would incite the people of these forums to make brash, sweeping generalizations. Whodathunkit.
July 19, 2010 at 7:41 AM Report abuse
SMGray said...
Only 5 live there? That's a lot of house for just 5. Could it be that there's a reason there aren't more who choose to live in the house? A fraternity or sorority should be for the purpose of encouraging one another to do well in school and well in life. IMHO
July 19, 2010 at 8:08 AM Report abuse
Justincase said...
The issue here is not whether we broke a few rules, or took a few liberties with our female party guests -- we did. But you can't hold a whole fraternity responsible for the behavior of a few, sick twisted individuals. For if you do, then shouldn't we blame the whole fraternity system? And if the whole fraternity system is guilty, then isn't this an indictment of our educational institutions in general? I put it to you, Greg -- isn't this an indictment of our entire American society? Well, you can do whatever you want to us, but we're not going to sit here and listen to you badmouth the United States of America. Gentlemen!
July 19, 2010 at 8:10 AM Report abuse
fakename said...
Old School.
July 19, 2010 at 8:31 AM Report abuse
KJC said...
"They confiscated everything, even the stuff we didn't steal!" -Hoover "They took the bar! The whole #@!$ing bar!" -Blutarsky "Christ. Seven years of college down the drain. Might as well join the *&^%ing Peace Corps." - Blutarsky
July 19, 2010 at 8:56 AM Report abuse
Ayuh23 said...
So much for the brotherhood of the Greeks- why isn't the national bailing them out? With so many kids having to borrow vast amounts of money to attend college, it's no wonder fraternity membership is declining. I doubt that many have the time or cash to spend to belong to a social club when there are so many other choices for housing and parties. Did anyone notice the editing here- the story about the frats just above the story about delivering kegs?
July 19, 2010 at 9:00 AM Report abuse
fakename said...
I like how the article under this one is about delivering kegs. Was that intentional PPH?
July 19, 2010 at 9:15 AM Report abuse
Mainedog said...
If the police need to respond that many times in a year than it needs to be closed! Time for these spoiled young men to grow up and see that the world doesn't revolve around their feet!
July 19, 2010 at 9:25 AM Report abuse
T3V0aG91c2VSYXQ%3D said...
Come on you old farts....let the kids have some fun. kidokan lighten up. The college experience is more than commuting to school. Do some research, Greeks donate much more $$$ than non-Greeks to the schools and have a higher graduation rate. Many of your most successful people and politicians are Greeks. Keeping them in line is fine, but lets not get crazy. Are you telling me the athletic teams or freshman dorms do not have the same problems?
July 19, 2010 at 9:26 AM Report abuse
hank said...
"Fat, drunk, and stupid is no way to go through life, son." Dean Wormer.
July 19, 2010 at 9:58 AM Report abuse
SL said...
Why are these places still occupied? They provide little to no value to the surrounding neighborhoods and bring nothing to the campuses. Animal House is over, go study or go get a job.
July 19, 2010 at 10:03 AM Report abuse
SL said...
For all of you, 'A few bads apples doesn't make us all bad' or 'you're painting with a broad brush'. If you hang out with trash long enough you will either stink of it or become it! The lowest of your lows will define you, that is life, welcome to it.
July 19, 2010 at 10:06 AM Report abuse
Pablo said...
Let's be honest. This is not about the fraternities vs. Gorham, this is about USM vs. Gorham. USM has forced all fraternities and sororities off campus because they do not approve of any groups unless they are GLBTQ friendly. Since fraternities or sororities don't do anything for GLBTQ USM decided to cast them away off campus which no decent school does. If the fraternities and sororities were on campus and USM worked with them there would be much fewer problems, more community involvement and might actually make USM look like a decent place to go. Now USM is struggling to find students and is being forced to go through masive cuts. It all comes back in the end........
July 19, 2010 at 10:21 AM Report abuse
Ayup said...
Why hasn't the college provided any oversight and regulation? Most colleges do. This is just one more case of ineptness and gross negligence by the USM Administration.
July 19, 2010 at 10:39 AM Report abuse
T3V0aG91c2VSYXQ%3D said...
Well said Pablo. They also should drop the drinking age back down to 18 or 19. They legalized pot for cring out loud, keg parties are easier to control if they are not hidden out of site.
July 19, 2010 at 11:23 AM Report abuse
ModerateOne said...
Didn't USM close the frats on campus? How are off campus frats their fault?
July 19, 2010 at 11:59 AM Report abuse
Pilllory said...
T3V0aG91c2VSYXQ%3D said... You'd really have to define "successful" for someone to buy that argument.... You're saying because later in life they make donations to ease their tax liability their current in your face drunken/diorderly/tax delinquint/general nuisance behavior should be tolerated? Really? I went to a school that didn't have fraternities...but they still had the same behaviors, lie, cheat, steal, get daddy to bail you out of the mischief you get in and fast forward to today those same lying, cheating(for grades and relationships) dishonest creatures are lauded for their "exemplary" service to the school and even serve on the board! I laugh every time I see one of their faces on the alumni newsletter because I remember how their "success" started. Fraternities are just "polite" society's version of a biker gang.
July 19, 2010 at 12:13 PM Report abuse
said...
Irresponsibility should not be rewarded. The town of Gorham has tried to work with these organizations for over 40 years that I know of. The University of Southern Maine was successful in removing them from University property several years ago. This moved their presence directly into the community. Unfortunately for the most part they have not behaved as adults and should not be allowed.
July 19, 2010 at 12:13 PM Report abuse
CCC-Port said...
Welcome to the responsibilities of real life -- pay up or get kicked out. $27,000 is quite a few years of unpaid taxes; 140 code violations (including sewage in the basement :O ) isn't minor; and police called to the house on average 30 times/year! Not being a good neighbor by any stretch of the imagination. If these adults won't pay the bills, maintain their houses or be good neighbors, they shouldn't be surprised the town doesn't want them living anywhere except on campus. Good for the Council looking out for the whole town, not just the school and its interests.
July 19, 2010 at 12:32 PM Report abuse
disgusted said...
bigoted comments and rash generalizations are just a transparent and pathetic way of expressing hatred. who here knows anything about the philanthropic work these FRATERNITIES (not "frats") perform? or the members of these organizations on the USM Dean's List? who has bothered to ask? I don't believe @Aikidokan1 or @UofA have! also, it is appalling the bold exaggerations and language the papers have been using to incite the malignant attitude towards ALL Greeks. @SMGray how are they supposed to survive when NO ONE offers to look past their prejudice and the papers do nothing but sling mud?? “Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you." (Matthew 7:12)
July 19, 2010 at 1:38 PM Report abuse
Bluto said...
Over? Did you say "over"? Nothing is over until we decide it is! Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor?
July 19, 2010 at 1:54 PM Report abuse
said...
Bluto....REALLY?! Germans bombing Pearl Harbor?! REALLY?!
July 19, 2010 at 2:11 PM Report abuse
said...
Anonymous said... Bluto....REALLY?! Germans bombing Pearl Harbor?! REALLY?! In the movie Anonymous. It was a classic, too.
July 19, 2010 at 2:25 PM Report abuse
said...
The only time my educated was interrupted was when I was in school....George Bernard Shaw....
July 19, 2010 at 2:32 PM Report abuse
Common_cents said...
UofA...Bowdoin didn't close the frats; but eventually created social houses with an identity similar to frats; but with tighter regulations. We can complain about noise to either security or town police and have it stopped within minutes. The old days of drunken students plowing through yards, urinating on the lawn, breaking beer bottles on the sidewalk and driveway have become memories. H.S. students still try and sneak into frats, but it's risky. This conversion was done over a few years and is one of the outstanding reversals of anti-social behavior by a college. USM should find out how Bowdoin 'did it'; since it works fairly well.....not that there aren't corners of the campus where drunks rule, and parties rage all weekend, But they are contained and isolated from the community...sad, but it's not our problem any more.
July 19, 2010 at 3:48 PM Report abuse
joe said...
well. I had a great time there. Let the haters hate.
July 19, 2010 at 4:27 PM Report abuse
RenDawg said...
Aikidokan1 didnt take you much to toss in the towel..guess you were one of those frat bothers that sat in the corner and dint quite get along with the more popular kids. you dont like what goes on there move away from the giant school and find a nice quiet place in the country
July 19, 2010 at 6:46 PM Report abuse
Kevin said...
I am an alumni member of one of these fraternities and those who speak badly of us do not truly know of all the GOOD things these organizations do. From sponsoring blood drives to helping elderly neighbors with yard work. Yes, there are a few bad seeds but that doesn't reflect the overall member of these organizations. I am a college graduate and have a good career. I met my wife because I was a member and have made many lifelong friends. I believe the town of Gorham has had it out for these organizations since day one and it's a shame. Because these organizations DO produce a lot of productive, great citizens. Please do your research before you judge.
July 20, 2010 at 3:38 AM Report abuse
said...
USM.....U Stay with MOM...
July 20, 2010 at 7:00 AM Report abuse
suckonegorham said...
The fraternities have been there for over 30 years so how can people who moved in to neighboring houses be surprised that there is noise at night. Thats like moving to Harlem and complaining about the crime. seriously
July 21, 2010 at 2:14 PM Report abuse
suckonegorham said...
The fraternities have been there for over 30 years so how can people who moved in to neighboring houses be surprised that there is noise at night. Thats like moving to Harlem and complaining about the crime. seriously
July 21, 2010 at 2:15 PM Report abuse