Saco Community Garden meeting to take place March 21
Those interested in renting space at the Saco Community Garden should attend March 21 meeting.
The Saco Community Garden will be holding its Annual Meeting for all renters on Thursday, March 21 at 6 p.m. at Koi Asian Cuisine, 11 Elm St., Biddeford.
The garden was established by community volunteers in 2009, and is now in its 15th season. The garden in Haley Park on King Street in Saco began as an idea to increase green space in Saco and is administered by Saco Parks and Recreation Department, with a board of directors and volunteers who work with renters and aid with the daily tasks of maintenance and operation.
Garden plot renters grow an assortment of vegetables and flowers, from tomatoes, to cucumbers, to marigolds and more.
The March 21 meeting will be a great opportunity for renters to learn about the garden, vote for officers, participate in a Book & Catalogue exchange/giveaway, and possibly win a door prize, as well as having the opportunity to meet their fellow gardeners.
Affordable housing development workshop takes place March in Biddeford
BIDDEFORD — The City of Biddeford will host a workshop on Friday, March 22 to guide small-scale developers and community groups in planning and financing affordable housing projects. Organized by Biddeford Mayor Marty Grohman as part of the City’s goal to encourage affordable unit development, the program is planned for 1 to 3 p.m. at McArthur Library and is free and open to the public.
“Affordable housing is just so important right now, but new affordable developments can be challenging to finance and get permitted,” Grohman said. “Our goal is to attract projects to Biddeford by making these projects simpler and easier here. The result will be reduced costs and more housing options for our residents.”
Workshop speakers include staff of the Genesis Community Loan Fund, a community development financial institution that offers flexible loans, expert project guidance, and related support to help make housing projects happen that otherwise might not. Genesis has partnered with MaineHousing to help developers access programs they may not know about, including the Rural Affordable Rental Housing Development grant, which will be open for applications from Biddeford projects later this year.
“Both large- and small-scale projects will help Biddeford meet its affordable housing goals,” said George Gervais, Biddeford’s director of Planning and Development. “This session focuses on five- to 18-unit projects, helping them prepare to meet both City approval milestones and MaineHousing’s funding application deadlines.”
To help meet Maine’s affordable housing production needs, which MaineHousing recently estimated at more than 84,000 units, Genesis is offering similar workshops in municipalities from Bangor to York. For more information about Biddeford’s session, please contact Genesis at info@genesisfund.org or call (207) 844-2035.
Saco Parks & Recreation Department is ready for the arrival of piping plovers this spring.
Saco looking for piping plover monitors.
The piping plover is a small shorebird that makes its habitat in sandy beaches and is federally listed as a threatened bird species. Saco is fortunate to have a growing population of piping plovers who nest on Saco beaches, hatching and raising their young in the warmer months.
Saco is looking to expand its team of volunteer plover monitors. Each volunteer monitor walks the beach at least once a week to check on the birds, watch for disturbances, and report any issues to the Parks & Recreation department.
“Having spent time as a volunteer Plover Monitor, every year is different, and fulfilling,” Saco Mayor Jodi MacPhail said. “Seeing the return of nature and protecting our habitats is a vital piece of the larger ecological goal of shoreline preservation.”
Monitor work begins April 1. For more information or to express your interest in becoming a volunteer piping plover monitor, contact Parks & Recreation Director Ryan Sommer at 283-3139 x812 or rsommer@sacomaine.org.
Maine Water VP leading Maine Water Utilities Association
Michael Cummons
The Maine Water Utilities Association (MWUA) elected Maine Water’s Mike Cummons as its new president at their 98th annual meeting.
The MWUA is a nonprofit membership organization formed in 1925. The group brings water professionals from throughout the state together on a regular basis to share information and ideas, and advocate for safe drinking water in the state of Maine.
A resident of Saco, Cummons has been with Maine Water for almost 14 years, and has been a longtime volunteer with MWUA. He was elevated to Vice President at Maine Water just over a year ago.
“Mike is a well-rounded water professional with a career of varied experience centered in operations, which makes him a great fit for this position,” said Mark Vannoy, President of Maine Water. “Maine as a whole has fantastic water —s. The association plays a key role not just in the challenges of today, but as a member organization providing water professionals the network and voice to advocate for solutions as we seek to serve our communities with quality drinking water in the decades to come. The role of association president requires a skilled collaborator, and that’s Mike for sure.”
“There’s already an excellent spirit of collaboration among the state’s water utilities, and I hope to enhance that during my tenure,” Cummons said. “We all have the same goal, that Maine people are drinking fresh water of the very highest quality.”
Saco & Biddeford Savings announces new hires, p romotion
SACO Saco & Biddeford Savings is continuing to expand employment and promote from within to fulfill roles in multiple departments at the bank.
Gillian Ballute has accepted the position of vice president, compliance manager. Ballute has most recently been employed as a compliance manager at Stone Coast Fund Services.
John Ruppert has accepted the position of vice president, Information Security officer. Ruppert has an extensive background in IT and Information Security, and has most recently been employed at Bath Savings Institution as assistant vice president Network Security.
Sarah Gonneville has been promoted to assistant vice president, Retail Operations manager. Gonneville joined the South Portland Team in 2012 as a teller. In 2014, she received two promotions; the first was to a Customer Relationship associate and the other was to a Customer Relationship officer. In 2016, Gonneville was promoted to an assistant branch manager. Another promotion came in 2019, when she became an assistant vice president.
Shane Arnold has been hired as a compliance specialist. Arnold is a graduate of the University of Maine with Bachelor’s Degrees in Finance and Political Science. Most recently, Arnold had been employed as a consultant for Risk and Financial Advisory at Deloitte and Touche LLP.
Jackson Cust has been hired as a Customer Relationship officer in the Scarborough branch. Cust has most recently been employed as a financial advisor at Means Wealth Management.
Jeannie Stanhope has been hired as the executive aassistant to the CEO and president. Stanhope previously held the role of executive assistant within the insurance industry, and has been in the banking field for the past five years. Most recently, Stanhope had been employed at Bangor Savings Bank as a consumer bank branch manager.
OOB to get nearly $1 million upgrades to sludge processing building
WASHINGTON, D.C.–Senior House Appropriations Committee Member Congresswoman Chellie Pingree, D-Maine, has secured more than $16.7 million for community projects, including one in Old Orchard Beach, in Maine’s First Congressional District. Funded through the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2024, Pingree’s 15 projects address a wide range of Maine community needs, including affordable housing, public safety, youth engagement, career and technical education, municipal infrastructure, and climate change.
“In addition to urgently-needed domestic investments to boost the economy, fight the climate emergency, honor our veterans, and defend reproductive freedom, the funding we have secured will directly aid and enrich our communities,” said Pingree. “From projects focused on addressing Maine’s affordable housing crisis and improving water infrastructure, to supporting our youth and underserved communities, this funding prioritizes widely supported projects that will make the biggest difference in the lives of Mainers.”
Nearly $1 million will go to the Town of Old Orchard Beach for upgrades to its sludge processing building and equipment, as well as its remote pump stations to improve the processing and storage of sludge to mitigate groundwater contamination from land application of biosolids. The project will support the long-term sustainability and reliability of critical public infrastructure to ensure public health and safety and protect the Old Orchard Beach economy.
Free community dinner April 20
Goodwins Mills Advent Christian Church at 503 Goodwins Mills, Route 35 will host a free community dinner from 4:30 to 6 p.m. on April 20. The menu includes: American chop suey, green beans, rolls, cookies, and beverages.
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