The year saw local elections and the defeat of a racino in the county along with many changes at local businesses, schools and for residents throughout York County’s communities. For a look at the top stories covered by Journal Tribune reporters in 2011, read on:

ALFRED

Alfred Elementary school got a new playground in August for the 2011-12 school year, the result of years of fundraising and planning by Principal Virginia Drouin and the Parent/Teacher Committee. Thanks to their efforts, the school was awarded a $25,000 matching grant through the State of Maine Department of Conservation Land and Water Conservation Fund Project, and the community stepped up to match the other $25,000. The new equipment replaced a 17-year-old pressure treated wood structure at the school, and created a statement of community support for Alfred students.

ARUNDEL

In May, after weeks of deliberations, selectmen in the Town of Arundel chose Todd Shea to take over as town manager, replacing Scott Tilton, who had been handling duties on an interim basis. Shea is the former city manager for Hallowell; he has been at the helm in Arundel since early June.

Secession from Regional School Unit 21 has been considered more seriously in 2011. Resident and volunteer firefighter David Lane is heading a group that will be working to collect petition signatures, which it plans to submit to the town early in 2012. If the group is successful in obtaining the necessary signatures, then starts a lengthy process of withdrawing from the school district. As part of the process, the town has talked about commissioning a cost study to determine whether separation from RSU 21 would in fact be cheaper for Arundel taxpayers, although that study has yet to take place.

It was announced this fall that Kate’s Butter, a staple of Old Orchard Beach for more than 30 years, will be moving to expanded facilities in Arundel in 2012. Kevin Brown Architecture in Scarborough has drawn up designs for the building that will house Kate’s Butter, which has been nationally recognized. Kate’s Butter owner Dan Patry describes the building as akin to an old-fashioned red barnhouse with a silver-colored roof. A man-made pond designed by the Maine Department of Fish and Wildlife will also be constructed on the premises, and Patry said the new facility will host school tours and other events.

BIDDEFORD

Among the 2011 highlights in Biddeford were the election a new mayor and council, the end of plans for a racino facility, and the preservation of a choice piece of undeveloped land along the city’s coastline.

On Nov. 8, residents elected retired Biddeford High School teacher Alan Casavant as the city’s new mayor. He beat two-term incumbent Joanne Twomey with more than 60 percent of the vote. In addition to a new mayor, six new council members were elected to Biddeford City Council.

A referendum question to allow two racinos ”“ combined harness racetrack and slot machine facilities ”“ in Washington County and near Scarborough Downs, failed in a statewide vote. This ended the current proposal to build a racino, hotel and entertainment facility in Biddeford. The issue had divided the city. Proponents hoped a racino would provide much-needed jobs to the area as well as some property tax relief, while opponents objected for a variety of reasons, from moral to economic.

One of Biddeford’s most visible citizens, Laurette Doyon, no longer wanders the city’s downtown. Doyon, 79, had been homeless by choice for more than 25 years and efforts to move her into facilities where she could be cared for had failed until recently. In November, York County Probate Court granted the state temporary legal guardianship, and a trial is scheduled for January to decide whether the state will obtain permanent guardianship.

Timber Point, a 98-acre parcel of mostly undisturbed habitat was conveyed to the Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge on Dec. 21. For decades, the refuge had its eye on the property that is believed to be one of the last remaining large undeveloped parcels under single, private ownership on the Southern Maine coast.

The first phase of the Biddeford RiverWalk commenced this summer and is almost complete. Phase I of the RiverWalk includes work on both sides of Main Street near the entrance to the North Dam Mill. A connector bridge between the Biddeford and Saco mill districts is expected to be built in 2012.

In August, the renovation of Emery School began. Avesta Housing, which is managing the project, is turning the former school, which was built in 1912, into 24-unit apartment building for adults 55 and older who meet income guidelines. The building, which was owned by the city, had been vacant since 2007.

A new neighborhood park was created at the end of Williams Court, only a few blocks from the city’s downtown. Neighborhood residents were integral in creating a plan for the park, which includes a hand-carved granite bench in memory of young girl who lived in the area and died nearby. The centerpiece is a bronze lantern, created at a foundry in Eliot, that features cast hands of current and former neighborhood residents as well as those with a relationship to the area, such as Tammy Cole, the mother of two young men who were murdered near Williams Court in June 2009.

HOLLIS

Dismayed by a vote at Hollis’ June Town Meeting that effectively shot down efforts to preserve the old Hollis High School building as a historic landmark, residents in that town, called to action by Meg Gardner, formed a group called the Community Heritage Alliance of Rural Maine. The group is currently in the process of obtaining a Maine Exempt Charitable Organization license, which would give them the authority to operate as a nonprofit entity. At that point, said Gardner, the group would try to raise funds to purchase the buildings from School Administrative District 6, while working out a possible lease agreement with the district for the land itself.

KENNEBUNK

The Town of Kennebunk saw the beginning of one major construction project, as well as the end of another, in 2011.

Regional School Unit 21’s facilities committee unveiled a $51.4 million master facilities plan in October for renovations to schools across the district. A referendum is planned for the fall of 2012 to decide whether to issue a bond to renovate schools including Kennebunk High School, Kennebunkport Consolidated School and Mildred L. Day School.

In the conclusion of a separate undertaking, downtown business owners and residents alike celebrated the completion of Main Street’s renovations and the replacement of the Route 1 bridge in October.

Both projects, costing a total of $4.7 million, was a lengthy 13-month process that disrupted normal business activity, but has now turned Kennebunk’s downtown into an appealing center for dining and shopping.

KENNEBUNKPORT

The Town of Kennebunkport and some Goose Rocks Beach homeowners went head to head this year, in addition to town residents being confronted with the accidental deaths of two people.

Attorneys for those who live on Goose Rocks Beach and the town met for the first time in court in November to begin their case to decide whether Goose Rocks Beach should be public or private. Thirty-three Goose Rocks Beach residents filed a lawsuit against the town to have the beach become accessible only to homeowners, whereas town officials want the beach to remain open to the public. Both parties have built their cases on documents written centuries ago, making it difficult for York County Superior Court Judge G. Arthur Brennan to determine what is legitimate proof.

In a tragic incident, two employees of a Monmouth sewer pump repair company were found dead in a septic tank at The Lodge at Turbat’s Creek in September. Winfield Studley, 58, of Windsor, and Richard Kemp, 70, of Monmouth, died after breathing in sewage gases while repairing a septic tank at the motel. Their deaths resulted in Steven’s Electric and Pump Service of Monmouth receiving four citations and being fined nearly $17,000 for not establishing sufficient safety procedures.

LYMAN

The Goodwin’s Mills Fire Rescue chose a new chief to oversee the department, Rod Hooper, on Dec. 9, and signed off in late November on most of the documents that will allow transfer of the GMFR corporation to the Towns of Lyman and Dayton. The transfer process has been under way since June 2010, and now that a chief has been chosen, hiring of an additional full-time firefighter can take place. With involvement of both towns’ selectmen, the fire commission and the GMFR representatives and all the lawyers, the process has been complicated and contentious at times, for all parties. Current Chief Rodney Carpenter pulled out of the running for the position, citing hard feelings over the process.

Longtime Lyman Selectman Norman Hutchins lost his seat to a recall on Nov. 8, following public outrage about legal action filed by the town concerning Selectman Steven Marble. Marble was elected to the board at the Town Meeting in June, despite concerns about a conflict due to his position as the town’s transfer station operator. Hutchins and Selectman Leo Ruel pursued legal action to determine if Marble could serve in both positions concurrently, which angered several residents who felt their vote for Marble was not respected. The recall effort against Hutchins was divisive in town, with some petitioners even acknowledging that it got out of hand. A legal opinion is forthcoming on the Marble matter, and an election to fill out the rest of Hutchins’ term will take place Feb. 7. Voters Nov. 8 also decided that 2011 would be the town’s final year with three selectmen ”“ June 2012 will be the first time Lyman will vote in five selectmen instead of three.

OLD ORCHARD BEACH

In 2011, one major building project was completed, and another was approved.

In late March, the police department moved into a new 10,000 square foot building on E. Emerson Cummings Boulevard, with more than three times the amount of space of the office it abandoned on the corner of E. Emerson Cummings Boulevard and Saco Avenue. Unlike the old office, the new building is ADA compliant. As well, the new building allows for more private office space, secure storage and a community room that can be used for training and meetings.

In November, residents voted to approve a $2 million bond to expand the library. It was built in 1956, and library officials have said more space is needed. Plans for the new library include a children’s room with a performance space and access to a patio, a designated computer area, a quiet room for tutoring and similar activities, an adult reading room, a display area for local art and community information, and a community room.

In the summer, professional baseball came back to The Ballpark with the New England Collegiate Baseball League team the Raging Tide. After it was announced the NECBL team would not be coming back for a second year, the town signed a contract with the Futures Collegiate Baseball League in December for a two-year contract with an option for a third. The team will be known as the Raging Tide and has the backing of local investors.

In November, residents voted in changes for a new charter that will go into effect in July 2012. The changes include an increase of the number of councilors from five to seven. Under the new charter, councilors will be limited to serving seven consecutive years. As well, the salary for the town clerk, which is an elected position, will be set as no less than the average salary of the top eight department heads. The town clerk’s term will change from two to four years.

In August, The Galaxy night club, located at 10 East Grand Ave., was destroyed in a fire. Although the state fire marshal’s office did not determine a cause, the manager of the nightclub, Dani Sisson, believed it was arson. Sisson said he plans to reopen the night club, either at that address or at a different downtown location.

SACO

Firefighters made a long-awaited move to a new central fire station this year. In April, the fire department moved to its new facility on North Street, after vacating the previous building on Thornton Avenue. Fire officials had dreamed of a move for about 30 years, and were able to realize that dream after residents approved a bond the year before. The old building on Thornton Avenue had many deficiencies, including inadequate plumbing and electrical systems and garage bays not designed for modern equipment. Side view mirror arms had to be altered on fire engines, and the vehicles still barely squeezed in, officials said.

June marked the end of the era for Catholic education in Saco. After serving Catholic school children for more than 80 years, Notre Dame de Lourdes School closed its doors and merged with St. James School in Biddeford. Reasons cited for the closing included increasing costs to educate students, declining enrollment and reduced offertory collections.

Thornton Academy celebrated the bicentennial of its 1811 founding. The school opened its doors in 1813, with one building on School Street serving 50 students. Today, the school boasts 10 buildings on an 80-acre campus on Main Street, and has more than 1,300 students.

Mayor Roland “Ron” Michaud decided not to run for mayor again in 2011 and instead ran for and won a seat on the Regional School Unit 23 board. Controversy around Michaud’s decision to run for the RSU board arose as Michaud and his wife are both Thornton Academy employees, and local policy dictates that Thornton Academy employees may not serve on the RSU 23 board. State law says that an employee of a public/private academy like Thornton Avenue cannot serve on the school board of a school union, which is served by the academy, but state law was not updated to accommodate regional school units.

Former Mayor Mark Johnston was elected mayor.

SANFORD

The town’s long-sought desire to revitalize the sprawling, mostly vacant millyard seemed to take shape with the advancement of two residential conversions.

New Hampshire-based Brady Sullivan Properties plans a 143-unit apartment project in the Emery Street mill. “The Lofts at No. 4 Mill” includes 98 two-bedroom units and 45 three-bedroom units along with 26,000 feet of ground-floor commercial space.

Signs of activity around the old Sanford Mill on Washington Street were evident starting earlier this month. Northland Enterprises LLC plans to convert the 1915 mill into 36 market-rate apartments and 22,000 square feet of ground-floor retail and commercial space.

Sanford earned the second-to-the-top spot in the state’s construction list for Sanford High School, and three other Sanford schools are also on the list. School officials learned late in the year that the high school’s accreditation is in jeopardy, largely because of the facility is overcrowded, the building is not secure, the library is too small and there are 12 portable classrooms ringing the building.

On Nov. 1, Sanford lost an involved citizen when E. Armand Talbot died of smoke inhalation. Talbot’s body was found in the laundry room of his home at 9 Armand Lane on Estes Lake. The former Sanford selectman had just returned from attending a Sanford Town Council Meeting when firefighters were called to the home. The council dedicated the council chambers podium in his memory.

Following an October undercover police operation, Sanford codes office issued a cease and desist order to James and Susan Colley, lessees of 47 High St., after learning the banquet hall had also been the location for swingers events. James Colley apologized, and the town council, in a narrow 4-3 vote, agreed to approve a new liquor license for Colley under a new name, Fresh Start Catering.

WELLS

It was a year full of staff changes at the Wells Town Hall, with a new town manager, harbormaster and town engineer.

Town Manager Jonathan Carter returned after about a six-year hiatus. He worked for the town from 1988 to 2005, and was rehired after former Town Manager Jane Duncan’s contract was not renewed in the spring.

Former Town Planner Mike Huston was laid off early in the year and was replaced by Town Engineer Michael Livingston. And although he was technically hired in late 2010, Harbormaster Chris Mayo got acquainted with his role after long-time harbormaster Roland “Chick” Falconer resigned.

After more than a year of negotiations, the town prepared to close on two parcels of conservation land this month. The conservation commission has worked to secure the 103-acre Tilton parcel and the 288-acre Granite State parcel. As of the new year, the town will be the owner of those properties, which will be preserved for passive recreation and educational uses.

YORK COUNTY

The tractor-trailer truck that crashed into the Downeaster passenger train July 11, killing driver Peter Barnum and sparking a fire on the train, was traveling 20 miles over the 30 mph posted speed limit. Four people were treated for minor injuries, but none of the 112 passengers and three crew members were seriously hurt. Upwards of 17 fire and rescue departments and private ambulance services initially responded to the wreck.

The train wreck may have been one of the most dramatic stories in western York County in 2011, but there were changes in some of the small towns west of the turnpike and at the county government.

Late this year, John Davis was named superintendent of Regional School Unit 57, replacing Frank Sherburne, who left to become superintendent in SAD 6.

At the helm in York County government these days is Greg Zinser, most recently town manager in Damariscotta. Zinser replaced county manager Richard Brown, who is staying on part-time as special projects director and the county’s negotiator with employee unions.

At York County Emergency Management Agency, longtime director Robert Bohlmann retired and Kim White-Kaiser took up the EMA directorship.

That wasn’t the only news in the EMA department this year. After a year-long renovation that commenced with a major clean up by volunteers, the vacant York County Jail on Route 4 is now York County Government Center and the home of EMA and the county’s technical department.

Also in Alfred, folks who drive by the village green will continue to see yellow ribbons tied around the trees there, honoring men and women serving in the military. Selectmen established a new policy regarding the yellow ribbons in August after the mother of a soldier serving in Afghanistan drove by one day and saw the ribbons she’d placed on the trees were gone. The ribbons are to be replaced every three months by the person who put them up, or sooner if they become tattered.

In Lebanon, three town hall workers who approached Teamsters Local 340 looking for representation voted to form a bargaining unit.

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