February 1982

Mayor William B. O’Gara has asked 100 or more Westbrook residents to serve in an industrial development advisory board. He said he has long sought a new position in city government, a person with responsibility for industrial and commercial development. But he has found “no great support” for that position, and hopes the board will perform some of those functions and perhaps help to get the position established.

James Foley, an employee of Noyes Tire Co., and newly elected Democratic alderman from Ward l, is chairman of the advisory board.

Relaxed rules to permit the newer mobile homes on single lots all over the city have been proposed for Westbrook by City Planner Mark Eyerman. His suggestions would allow double-width homes “with the exterior appearance of conventional housing” to be placed on any residential lot in the city. Single-width homes with the exterior appearance of conventional housing should be permitted in “manufactured housing subdivisions,” he said.

Melinda Curran, 25, an employee of the Westbrook Recreation Department since 1978, has been chosen by Mayor William B. O’Gara as Westbrook’s next recreation director. She succeeds Bruce Doughty, who resigned. Fifty persons applied for the job.

Gorham’s superintendent of schools, Woodbury D. Saunders, told the Gorham School Committee he will retire during the summer of 1983. Saunders explained, “I think it’s time to make a change.” He has held the position for 10 years.

The Legislature’s Local and County Government Committee is holding a public hearing in Augusta on Rep. Linwood Higgins’ bill to establish a Cumberland County Baseball Stadium District and build a $1.5 million baseball field at a still-to-be-decided location. Former State Rep. Stanley Laffin, Westbrook, who is promoting the proposal, said he modeled it after the $5 million stadium in Columbus, Ohio, and the $963,000 one in Jackson Miss. Laffin believes the new stadium could draw a professional baseball franchise, possibly at the Triple A level.

Westbrook High School’s gymnastic team has tallied its highest score ever. Defeating Biddeford and Kennebunk in a triangular meet, the Blazes posted 117.7 points. They followed that performance a week later with 116.5 points in a season-ending win over Lewiston.

February 1992

Plans for a billiard hall over C & R Tile, 1 Chabot St., Westbrook, are before the Westbrook Planning Board. Lou Ann Murray, 2 Otter Creek, Sebago Lake, and Katrina Thomas, Windham, as The Par Group, expect to lease the 15,000 square-foot second floor and use 4,800 square feet for 16 pool tables, five video games and a sandwich bar. Next year they want to add a sports lounge and banquet center. The building is owned by Corriveau-Routhier Inc., Manchester, N.H.

Westbrook’s capital improvement plan calls for a new City Council meeting room, said Kenneth Lefebvre, council president. The Americans With Disabilities Act requires that the council meet where handicapped people can attend, and though the city faces no immediate deadline, “We’ve go to do something,” Lefebvre said. One area under consideration, he said, is the ground floor of the City Hall Annex building.

Westbrook Fire Chief James Rulman is seeking residents willing to clear snow from around fire hydrants in their neighborhoods as participants in the city’s Adopt a Hydrant Program. The fire department is responsible for clearing snow from the 479 hydrants in the city and the volunteer assistance will help reduce expenses for the department.

In a press release, Westbrook police said Deborah Allanach, Lyman, wife of Westbrook Police Chief Ronald Allanach, had been charged with criminal speeding, eluding a police officer, assault and having a loaded weapon in a motor vehicle. There were no injuries or damage, and the matter was under investigation.”

The Westbrook School Committee will vote on a plan to furlough all school employees one day to save money without cutting students’ time in class. The plan is to cancel three scheduled half-days of teacher workshops, when students are sent home. Superintendent Edward Connolly will also ask the Westbrook school Committee to approve a plan to pay as much as $20,000 to get employees to retire early.

A 77-year-old Gorham woman was killed in a house fire that officials have blamed on smoking in bed. Beatrice Nichols, 33 Shaws Mill Road, died from smoke inhalation in a two-alarm blaze that required men and equipment from four Gorham fire stations and a tanker from North Scarborough, according to Fire Chief Robert Lefebvre.

Copy the Story Link