On Sept. 4, the Gorham Town Council should reject the changes to the Land Use and Development Code requested by Shaw Brothers Construction Co.

Shaw Brothers’ proposal for an asphalt plant and quarry on Mosher Road (Route 237) is in the middle of the review process by the Gorham Planning Board, and therefore, the council should reject the code changes. These changes would make it easier for Shaw Brothers to get the application approved, and some of the changes are written specifically for this project. The Land Use and Development Code Ordinances are meant to serve and protect the entire community and should not be changed to benefit one company, especially when that company has a project already in review.

Council Vice Chairman Burleigh Loveitt has a son who works for Shaw Brothers, and for this reason he should recuse himself from the vote and all discussion about these changes. Council Chairman Norman Justice, whose seat is up for re-election this fall, said it is a far stretch to find a conflict of interest in this situation. I think this is a pretty clear case of conflict of interest. Even if Councilman Loveitt has no direct financial ties to Shaw Brothers, his son does and that could influence his decision regarding changes that will directly benefit Shaw Brothers.

If other members of the council also have connections with Shaw Brothers, I can only hope they would recuse themselves, as well.

Russell Sprague

Gorham