March 1982

State Sen. Ronald Usher of Westbrook is co-sponsor of legislation that would effectively remove free hunting, trapping and fishing privileges now enjoyed by 10,000 Maine Indians, but a pending compromise from the Maine Indian Tribal-State Commission, and a request from Gov. Joseph Brennan, may give Usher and his co-sponsors reason to withdraw the bill. “If the agreement sounds legal, I’d go along with it,” said Usher. The bill is called “An Act To Eliminate Discrimination in the Granting of Hunting, Fishing and Trapping Licenses,” and would repeal the law authorizing the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife “to issue free hunting, fishing and trapping licenses to members of the Passamaquaddy, Penobscot, Maliseet and Micmac Indian Tribes.”

Westbrook aldermen rejected Mayor William O’Gara’s advice and voted 5-1 on first reading to hire Gowen Professional Association, Westbrook, to do the next four city audits. O’Gara stood on the advice of his department heads and favored Burrell & Associates, P.A., South Portland, the present auditor, although its bid was higher.

The Westbrook High School Stage Band earned a No. 1 rating at the local festival, thus qualifying for the State Jazz Festival to be held at Stearns High School in Millinocket.

A group of Gorham recall supporters has decided the town council’s recent decision to form a charter review commission will be the easiest way to add a recall provision to Gorham’s municipal charter. The recall referendum, if passed, would have amended the town charter to allow voters to recall town council and school committee members before their three-year terms expire.

The federally funded Rural Housing Rehabilitation Program which Gorham officials feel has been extremely successful in their town, is being phased out due to budget cuts. Local program director Robert S. Howe sent a closing report to Tow Manager Donald Gerrish regarding housing rehabilitation efforts in Gorham. The program has been sponsored by Cumberland County and the Greater Portland Council of Governments, and has had its office in Gorham.

The Gorham Town Council voted unanimously to approve the renewal of a Class 1 liquor license for the Gorham Station Restaurant, Elm Street. Asked if the town “has had any incidences of problems with spirituous licenses down there,” Police Chief Edmund Hagan replied, “We’ve had no problems at all.”

Upon recommendation of the Gorham Planning Board, the council voted unanimously to set a public hearing to discuss the possible closing of the Rust Road from Nov. 1 to April 30 each year. Rust Road area residents say they want the road closed because people take four-wheel-drive vehicles across farmland, destroying it.

March1992

Mayor Fred Wescott returned to his office in Westbrook City Hall after a week of golf in Myrtle Beach, S.C. He told the city council that it was a nice trip, even though two of the vans in his group were broken into. Two sets of golf clubs and a VCR were stolen. He returned to a redecorated office – new paint and wallpaper, put on in his absence.

The People’s Regional Opportunity Program gave Westbrook aldermen a tour of their Head Start Center on Reserve Street and gave an overview of their services to the city. PROP has asked for $23,092 in funding this year, the same amount as last year. Last year, some 2,100 Westbrook residents needed help from PROP in the form of fuel checks, food vouchers, children’s meals, housing assistance, surplus foods and crisis intervention.

Members of the Gorham School Committee may host a rare packed house when Superintendent Timothy McCormack presents his initial budget Students who learned of administration plans to cut up to 15 positions to meet budgetary restrictions are intent on letting officials know that they are upset.

Cold temperatures froze a heating coil in the ceiling of the music room at Village School, Gorham, damaging a piano, carpeting and ceiling tiles. The incident is the latest of several similar problems that have occurred in a newly constructed portion of the school.

Calling themselves “We’re On Track,” a group of Gorham citizens, students and school personnel aim to raise $60,000 in two years to transform the aging high school running track into a regulation, rubberized all-weather track. The track, behind the high school baseball field, is the only clay-based one in the area, said Barbara Caiazzo, chairman of the campaign.

The Westbrook United Methodist Church has been notified by the University of Southern Maine’s Music Department that Erik Rahn, their church organist, pianist and choir director, has been chosen to participate in the 1992 Honors Recital to be held in Corthell Concert Hall on the Gorham campus. Rahn was selected by audition from a competitive group of USM’s most talented music students who were nominated by their teachers.