Looking Forward to Becoming John Q Public

//PAT,

IN GENERAL, I WOULD SAY THIS IS DRIVEN TOO MUCH BY THE INTERVIEW WITH MESSER. WE ALLOW HIM TO PRAISE HIMSELF A BIT TOO MUCH WITHOUT ANY VOICES BALANCING IT OUT WITH SOME CRITICISM.

THERE ARE HISTORICAL REFERENCES HERE THAT ARE A BIT CONFUSING BECAUSE WE DON’T HAVE QUITE ENOUGH DETAIL ABOUT THEM OR THE WAY THEY ARE DESCRIBED IS A BIT CONFUSING.

ALSO, SOME OF YOUR TRANSITIONS ARE BIT CLUNKY. MAKE SURE YOU ARE NOT USING SUBHEADS AS A CRUTCH FOR A TRANSITION. I SHOULD BE ABLE TO PULL THOSE OUT, AND THE STORY SHOULD STILL FLOW.

IN GENERAL, TRY TO KEEP THE PAPER AND WRITER OUT OF THE STORY. IT’S FINE IF YOU NEED TO REFERENCE A QUOTE OR SOME CONTEXT FROM A STORY IN THE ARCHIVE. BUT KEEP THE INTERVIEWER OUT OF THE STORY AND AVOID EDITORIALIZING – “REFRESHINGLY OPEN” IS BORDERLINE.

I WOULD REDO THE LEDE. TRY TO USE A TELLING DETAIL. SOMETHING INTERESTING THAT STANDS OUT FROM YOUR REPORTING.////

Scarborough –

September 29 –

Looking Forward to Becoming John Q Public:

Jeffrey Messer says that his motto has always been to be prepared; and that without due preparation his job as chairman of the Scarborough Town Council would have been that much more difficult.

In reviewing his achievements during his nine plus years as chairman, Messer demonstrates that skill for preparation through a top-ten listing of his successes, each one carefully documented and expounded upon.

Messer, whose term as chairman is up this this Nov. 5, says that at this stage of his career he plans to return to private life as husband, and father of 21-year-old and 13-year-old sons, and continue to pursue his chosen career as an air traffic controller at the Portland Jetport.

The word around town is that Messer as chairman is dedicated, a hard worker whose commitment to the job cannot be faulted.

Known for his outspoken ways and determined to make Scarborough fiscally responsible and a good place for its citizens to live and businesses to thrive, he sometimes clashed with town, school board officials and interest groups, which, he said, sometimes happens “if you want to get things done.”

“If you want to be everybody’s friend, get a dog,” he added.

These clashes historically revolved around improvements to Scarborough High School buildings, the choice of a new turf field for the High School, improvements to Memorial Park behind Scarborough Town Hall, and public run-ins with members of the council-appointed Conservation Commission over a housing development project.

Councilor Sylvia Most said she was often on the opposite side to Messer on some of the key issues considered during his term. “But I would not diminish Jeff’s work ethic, his

Messer does not shy away from tackling those issues nor from listing those among his top ten achievements. According to Messer his number one achievement – his first as a public official – was to oppose an ash recycling plant from being located in the community.

Based on his own research he said scientific data did not support the recycling of fly ash because of a high degree of toxins. Over the years these toxins were deemed far more harmful than first believed. Through a referendum he and a group of citizens were able to turn away the location of the ash. “It would have been catastrophic had the plant been located here,” he said.

American Ash recycling, wanted to build the ash recycling plant at in 1996. AAR’s process removes and recycles ferrous and non-ferrous metals from the ash and produces an aggregate sold on the market. The process is meant to be a closed-loop process that obviates the need for ash disposal.

The second best thing he said he did was to hire Ron Owens, who according to Messer “has been a tremendous asset to the community during his eight years as Town Manager.”

“Any successful organization has to have strong leadership, we are blessed with Ron’s leadership. He is a man of tremendous dignity…”

Messer’s 12-year-term was interrupted by one year off in 1998 which enabled him to claim his usual term-limited 9 years to 12. He said he took his political life seriously, saying he has only missed one council meeting in 12 years. A working air traffic controller for 30 years, he will be eligible for retirement within a year and then compulsory retirement two years later.

Messer said he was looking forward to “returning to life as John Q. Public.”

If his top achievement was the fly-ash recycling plant, his singular disappointment, he said, was an inability to provide more amenities for Scarborough’s elderly who he said make up 30 percent of the town’s population. Early on he opposed the development of Pine Point retirement community////STILL NOT SURE YOU HAVE THE RIGHT NAME HERE//// saying it’s expense put it beyond the reach of ordinary citizens. But at each stage he was outvoted.

Another achievement he was proud of was the turnaround of RWS/Ecomaine, a quasi-municipal organization of 33-member municipalities. “This was a solid waste recycling unit whose lack of accountability and poor decision-making led to massive debt and operation that was a drain on the taxpayer.” Working with local officials, Messer said he tried to lead a total transformation of the organization, the net result of which was to turn a loss into a $5 million surplus over the past three years.

Commenting on his organization’s working relationship with Messer, Ecomaine general manager Kevin Roche said, “Jeff is an action guy and a tough progressive thinker who had a positive impact overcoming difficulties; forced us to tighten our belts; made sure the plant is running at full capacity and achieved results that led to ratchet down expenses.”

Turning to the tax structure of Scarborough, Messer said when he was first elected in 1996, the average increases in tax rate for 1991-1996 was 7 percent a year and he had pledged to keep the tax rate in line with the rate of inflation. Referring to this as “mission accomplished,” the increases in the tax rate averaged 2.8 percent per year during his 12-year tenure which reduces to 2.4 percent when voter approved debt is excluded.

During his tenure, a real challenge for Scarborough was managing growth in a balanced way that would offset a fast growing population with improved infrastructure, to slow down traffic, expand school services and balance development. “Growth is inevitable; it’s just how you manage it. We had to do something to stop overwhelming our infrastructure including more school enrollments; and we had to do something to slow it down.”

His first step was to propose to the Council vote in impact fees to pay for infrastructure costs caused by new growth. This included a $27 million project to improve Scarborough High School – about $3,200 for each new home to help pay for a new Scarborough High School. Right now, he said, the fees are paying for 20 percent of the bond on the HS project’s cost.

Aligned to the impact fees, was the introduction of a growth management ordinance that reduced the number of permits available to 135 per year from 200. That growth management ordinance “put brakes on” development on the fastest growing community in Maine.

The last part of the strategy was a conservation land bond, two of which went to the voters, that used $2.5 million voter-approved funds to purchase open space to take property off the market. It was used to buy the Fuller Farm and the Meserve Farm a multi-faceted growth strategy.

To build Haigis Parkway developers wanted tax payers to “be on the hook for everything”, and Messer said he commissioned a study at that time that plead for shared costs, which a committee of local people ratified.” The Council levied special assessments, so that of $10 million infrastructure costs for sewers and utilities etc., 40 percent would be borne by property tax payers on the parkway and the remaining 60 percent from the increased assessed value from businesses such as Cabela’s – valued at $20 million. The taxpayers were left are off the hook, landowners make money and landowners are not forced to pay a special assessment until they sell.

Fairchild Semi Conductor is breaking ground on a property there Oct. 9 and Kinder Care broke ground September 11. Messer said, 70 percent of the property on the Cabela’s development on Route 1 is still available, but the lease take-up is on pace to complete occupation 5 years ahead of schedule.

A $27-million renovation project that doubled the size of the school from 135,000 square feet to 270,000 square feet took place under Messer’s watch. Referendums allowed the project to go ahead, soon after which quality control issues surfaced about shoddy construction leading to sewage back up on the first floor.

Feeling duty bound to get involved in what proved to be a contentious issue with the school board, Messer said that “as Council Chair be had an absolute responsibility to at least raise the issues” in the Council and do what he could to rectify the workmanship. He believed Council oversight brought improvements.

______________________________________________________________________________

Messer’s claims of shoddy management were not shared by school officials and the Board and that an independent engineering inspection of portions of the high school found no major defects. At the time then////IS HE NO LONGER?Correct District Facilities Manager Norm Justice said “to spend $25,000 to second guess the top architect firm in the state was a little ludicrous to me,” (Current, September 8, 2005).

Another controversy involved the constructioneady////ALREADY?//// required extensive repairs///WHAT WERE THE REPAIRS?//// and that and the field cost the town just under $400,000 limit///HE CLAIMED THIS? ISN’T IT VERIFIABLE?/// for any project that does not have voter approval. Messer said the money spent is recouped by renting the field out///TO WHOM?//// at $20,000 per year and that is going on a reserve account. and the cost of installing a new turf field at the school to replace a field that is unplayable in October. Current archives (August 17, 2008)///ATTRIBUTE STUFF LIKE THIS AT THE END NOT THE BEGINNING OF THE SENTENCE//// show that Norm Justice, the school employee in charge of maintaining school grounds and buildings, claimed the field alr

Memorial Park

“Why was that a battle?” It///WHAT’S IT?/// took six years to get through because the school people wanted to put another school building. It also divided the community. Messer said he had vision for more green space in the town and the placement of the park////NEED MORE DESCRIPTION OF PARK. HOW BIG IS IT? WHAT’ THERE?//// behind City Hall he believed enhanced the town. Sharing that vision is Brad White a political mentor to Messer who told the Current that Messer and Councilor Suzanne Foley-Ferguson were instrumental in bringing a beautiful and much-used facility////FACILITY? THE PARK?///// to the town. Other recreational facilities he is proud of two Isaac Wiley Park in Pleasant Hill section and Spring Brook Park in West Scarborough.

School Budget

Messer said the town charter is set up for conflict///DON’T GET THIS. HOW IS IT SET UP FOR CONFLICT?//// and the Town Council controls the purse strings for the school. So the school is no different from any other town department and each has its needs to be met within budget. “Though at times people say I am an anti-education councilor the school budget went up 150 percent in my 12 years from $11.5 million to $27.5 million. “I think we have more than met the needs of our young children.

Asked about his assessment of working with Messer, Scarborough Assistant Superintendent of schools Andrew Dolloff said that a former Principal and now administrator he saw Messer as persistent, in an athletic visible way and appreciated the efforts that Messer and the Council did to make Scarborough High School into a beautiful architectically sound building. perseverwas///WHAT?//// a huge influence in the school system and played an important role and persevered around in an athletically visible way///WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?///// appreciated his input. The end result was we have a high school that a beautiful structure that is well designed and a facility that will have a lasting impact in the community.

Political Know How

Long-term Messer political mentor, White///WHO IS WHITE, OTHER THAN HIS POLITICAL MENTOR?//// called Messer “politically astute” and passionate about what he did as a public servant and that he worked hard for the people of Scarborough.

“He is passionate for the good of the people, relentless and has the drive and ability and motivation to get things done,” White said. His (political) skills are deceptive, go far beyond conservation issues, and become one of personality.” End////DON’T NEED THIS////

Scarborough –

Messer praised Scarborough Town Manager Ron Owens, who is retiring the same day and being replaced by Tom Hall from Rockland, as well as the professionalism of his colleagues on the Council///DON’T NEED THIS SO HIGH. POLITICIANS ALWAYS SAY THIS STUFF////.

Scarborough –

September 11 –

Looking Forward to Becoming John Q Public:

Jeffrey Messer cannot be described as self-effacing; but he is expansive, and refreshingly open////SHOW DON’T TELL///// when it comes to talking about his 12 years as a member of the Scarborough Town Council, most recently as Council Chairman.(redo the lede)

In a 90-minute interview with the Current////LEAVE US OUT OF IT////, Messer, whose term is up this this Nov. 5, plans to return to private life as husband, and father of 21-year-old and 13-year-old sons, Messer praised Scarborough Town Manager Ron Owens, who is retiring the same day and being replaced by Tom Hall from Rockland, as well as the professionalism of his colleagues on the Council///DON’T NEED THIS SO HIGH. POLITICIANS ALWAYS SAY THIS STUFF////.

Known for his outspoken ways and determined to bring Scarborough to be fiscally responsible and a good place for its citizens to live and businesses to thrive, he sometimes clashed with town, school board officials and interest groups, which, he said, sometimes happens “if you want to get things done.”

“If you want to be everybody’s friend, get a dog, “he added////GOOD QUOTE////.

Messer was well prepared for his interview///GOOD DETAIL, BUT, AGAIN, TRY TO KEEP US OUT OF IT////: listing his accomplishments from one to 10.

His number one achievement///ACCORDING TO HIM?//// – his first as a public official – was to oppose an ash recycling plant from being located in the community. He believed that scientific data did not support the recycling of fly ash because of a high degree of toxins. Over the years these toxins were deemed far more harmful than first believed///AGAIN, ACCORDING TO WHOM?////. Through a referendum he and a group of citizens were able to turn away the location of the ash. “It would have been catastrophic had the plant been located here,” he said.///NEED SOME MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THIS. WHEN WAS IT. WHERE WAS THIS ASH RECYCLING PLANT? WHAT’S AN ASH RECYCLING PLANT?////

The second best thing he said he did was to hire Ron Owens, who according to Messer “has been a tremendous asset to the community during his eight years as Town Manager.”

“Any successful organization has to have strong leadership;///DON’T NEED SEMICOLON HERE///// we are blessed with Ron’s leadership. He is a man of tremendous dignity…”

Messer’s 12-year-term was interrupted by one year off in 1998 which enabled him to extend his usual term-limited 9 years to 12. He said he took his political life seriously, saying he has only missed one council meeting in 12 years. A working air traffic controller///FOR HOW LONG////, he will be eligible for retirement within a year and then compulsory retirement two years later.

Asked whether he would consider keeping his life in politics///AGAIN, KEEP INTERVIEW OUT OF IT/////, Messer said he was looking forward to “returning to life as John Q. Public.”

If his top achievement was the fly-ash recycling plant, his singular disappointment, he said, was an inability to provide more amenities for Scarborough’s elderly who he said make up 30 percent of the town’s population. Early on he opposed the development of Pines Point///PINES POINT RETIREMENT COMMUNITY? YOU SURE THAT’S THE NAME?/// retirement community saying it’s expense put it beyond the reach of ordinary citizens. But at each stage he was outvoted.

Another achievement he was proud of was the turnaround of RWS/Ecomaine, a quasi-municipal organization of 33-member municipalities. “This was a solid waste recycling unit whose lack of accountability and poor decision-making led to massive debt and operation that was a drain on the taxpayer.” Working with local officials, Messer said he tried to lead a total transformation of the organization, the net result of which was to turn a massive loss////MASSIVE LOSS? WHAT ARE YOU REFERRING TO?//// into a $5 million surplus over the past three years.

Commenting on his organization’s working relationship with Messer, Ecomaine general manager Kevin Roche said:///DON’T USE COLONS BEFORE QUOTES///// “Jeff is an action guy and a tough progressive thinker who had a positive impact overcoming difficulties; forced us to tighten our belts; made sure the plant is running at full capacity and achieved results that led to ratchet down expenses.”

Turning to the tax structure of Scarborough////DON’T LET INTERVIEW DRIVE THE WRITING OF THE ARTICLE////, Messer said when he was first elected in 1996, the average increases in tax rate for 1991-1996 was 7 percent a year and he had pledged to keep the tax rate in line with the rate of inflation. Referring to this as “mission accomplished,” the increases in the tax rate averaged 2.8 percent per year during his 12-year tenure which reduces to 2.4 percent when voter approved debt is excluded.

Growth Management

During his tenure, a real challenge for Scarborough was managing growth in a balanced way that would offset a fast growing population with improved infrastructure, to slow down traffic, expand school services and balance development. “Growth is inevitable; it’s just how you manage it.”////WHY THE DOUBLE QUOTES. ARE THESE SEPARATE QUOTES?/// “We had to do something to stop overwhelming our infrastructure including more school enrollments; and we had to do something to slow it down.”

His first step was to propose to the Council vote in impact fees to pay for infrastructure costs caused by new growth, say we////WE? IS THIS SUPPOSED TO BE PART OF A QUOTE?//// needed for a $27 million project to improve Scarborough High School – about $3,200 for each new home to help pay for a Scarborough High School renovation////IF THIS IS A REFERENCE TO THE NEW HIGH SCHOOL, THE SCHOOL WAS TOTALLY REBUILT//// project. Right now, he said, the fees are paying for 20 percent of the bond on the HS project’s infrastructure///WHY INFRASTRUCTURE COST?//// cost.

‘Haigis Parkway:

To build Haigis Parkway developers wanted tax payers to “be on the hook for everything”, and Messer said he commissioned a study at that time that plead for shared costs, which a committee of local people ratified.” The Council levied special assessments, so that of $10 million infrastructure costs for sewers and utilities etc., 40 percent would be borne by property tax payers on the parkway and the remaining 60 percent from the increased assessed value from businesses such as Cabela’s – valued at $20 million. The taxpayers are off the hook///DON’T THEY HAVE TO PAY THE 40 PERCENT?////, landowners make money and landowners are not forced to pay a special assessment until they sell.

Fairchild Semi Conductor is breaking ground on a property there Oct. 9 and Kinder Care was scheduled for groundbreaking Sept. 11. Messer said, 70 percent of the property in the Gateway Development////WHAT IS THIS?///// is still available, but the lease take-up is on pace to complete occupation 5 years ahead of schedule.

Scarborough High School

A $27-million renovation project that doubled the size of the school from 135,000 square feet to 270,000 square feet took place under Messer’s watch. Referendums allowed the project to go ahead, soon after which quality control issues surfaced about shoddy////WHO CALLED IT THIS? NEEDS ATTRIBUTION//// construction leading to sewage back up on the first floor.

Current archives////AGAIN TAKE US OUT OF THE STORY. USE A SPECIFIC QUOTE OR PARAPHRASE AND SITE THE SPECIFIC ISSUE///// show Messer’s claims of shoddy management were not shared by school officials and the Board and that an independent engineering inspection of portions of the high school found no major defects. At the time then////IS HE NO LONGER?//// District Facilities Manager Norm Justice said “to spend $25,000 to second guess the top architect firm in the state was a little ludicrous to me,” (Current, September 8, 2005).

Another controversy involved the construction and the cost of installing a new turf field at the school to replace a field that is unplayable in October. Current archives (August 17, 2008)///ATTRIBUTE STUFF LIKE THIS AT THE END NOT THE BEGINNING OF THE SENTENCE//// show that Norm Justice, the school employee in charge of maintaining school grounds and buildings, claimed the field already////ALREADY?//// required extensive repairs///WHAT WERE THE REPAIRS?//// and that and the field cost the town just under $400,000 limit///HE CLAIMED THIS? ISN’T IT VERIFIABLE?/// for any project that does not have voter approval. Messer said the money spent is recouped by renting the field out///TO WHOM?//// at $20,000 per year and that is going on a reserve account.

Memorial Park

School Budget

Political Know How

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