Oct. 12, 1983

The City Council swiftly, unanimously and with little discussion

gave is blessing Monday to two new plants worth at least $4.3 million that are coming to Westbrook. Jordan Meats will build a $1.8 million warehouse and distribution center in the new Col. Westbrook Executive Park. Remstar International Inc, a German manufacturer of computerized, electric-powered, vertical shelving systems for commerce and industry, will build a $2.5 million plant in the Five Star Industrial Park. Remstar has sales offices now at 16 Atlantic Place, South Portland, and at least one other U.S. office, but it has no factory on this side of the Atlantic.

Donato Corsetti plans to do a lot of face-to-face campaigning among the people of Westbrook in the next month. He wants to win election as their mayor in the city elections, Nov 8, and he found in his first attempt two years ago that direct contact works best. Corsetti came in a surprisingly strong third in 1981, polling 29.1 percent of the mayoral vote as an independent.

David N. Haskell 44, of 135 Deer Hill Circle, director of personnel services and safety at Maine Rubber International, Westbrook, is the Republican nominee for the Ward 1 member of the School Committee in the Westbrook city election Nov. 8. He is president of the Westbrook Kiwanis Club, chairman of the Ward 1 Republican Committee and a former Republican city chairman.

Norman St. Pierre, a Gorham artist, estimates that he has sold 8,000 copies of his pen-and-ink “Little Train” and “Little Wagon Train” and “Western Street” drawings in the past dozen years. Prices have ranged from $2 to $25, depending on circumstances and what the customers want added – such as color, frame or the artist’s signature. The drawings are distinguished by touches of goofy humor. His old-time Western street has what you would expect it to have – Indians, gun-slinging cowboys, horse-drawn stages, etc. It also has unobtrusive parking meters.

Baxter Memorial Library, 71 South St., Gorham, has a brochure, “Don’t Move Gypsy Moth,” which explains a new federal regulation requiring that any outdoor household articles to be moved across state lines be free of gypsy moth eggs, caterpillars, cocoons or adults. State and federal agricultural officials will check interstate moves in transit or at destination to make sure they are free of the gypsy moth, and people moving from high-risk areas should inspect their outdoor household articles before they move or hire someone to inspect for them.

Oct. 13, 1993

The City Council’s actions on Westbrook school budgets are on trial this month. Florence Libby and James Garland, candidates for alderman, have taken strong public positions in support of the schools in the past, and another candidate, Carmine Russo, has just gone onto the School Department’s payroll. The aldermen they seek to replace – Don Richards, Peter Adams and Peter Wescott – were on the group of four who stood fast for a

$350,000 cut in the $17 million school budget this year, earning the ire of the school boosters. Adams is not a candidate this time because a new job has night hours. Richards, blackballed by some Democrats, has left the party after winning the Ward 3 City Council seat for it in the past two elections, but is running for the Ward 3 seat as an independent.

Russell F. Soule, 70, of 1045 Bridgton Road, Westbrook, was hurt

seriously when his car collided with a tour bus Friday. Police said he emerged from his driveway into the path of the bus. Christopher C. Bennett, 26, of Seneca, S.C., driver of the bus, had

minor injuries. Four of his 38 passengers also had minor injuries.

Soule was taken to the Maine Medical Center, where his condition was reported as stable. His 1993 Ford station wagon had $9,000 damage. Damage to the bus was $1,000. The accident was at 9:20 a.m. Police said a bright sun may have blinded Soule to the approaching bus.

Westbrook’s School Committee will decide in its meeting what to do about a recent City Council ordinance requiring it to vote twice

on expenditures of more than $1,000. The School Committee not only ignored the new audience in its meeting Sept. 22, but also adopted a policy that calls for only one vote. However, School Committee Chairman Arnold Gaudet Jr. said Saturday that the committee expects to have advice from lawyer Hugh McMahon

when it meets and will go by what he says.

Alfred E. Porell, independent candidate for mayor, said this week

that Westbrook has leased-to-buy $657,440 worth of equipment over the past five years. He attacked this as a method that ties the hands of future city administrations, and is less likely to come to the attention of voters. He listed 12 lease-purchases of city equipment totaling $345,639 and two for schools totaling $311,801. The city purchases go back to two in 1988 and one in 1989, on which payments spread over 36 months are now complete.

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