People
(from the January 2012 Maine Townsman)

Peter Barton, a 29-year police officer for the Town of Farmington, announced he would retire effective Dec. 29, although he will remain on the force until early this month as he uses up vacation time. Barton, who will retire as a sergeant, started with the Farmington force in the late 1970s after working for two years for the Town of Pittsfield.

Former state representative and Caribou City Councilor Wilfred Bell died at the age of 84 on Dec. 23 while visiting in Bangor. Bell was elected to the Maine House for two terms, but served many more years on the city council, being named mayor in numerous years. In the 1960s, Bell served on the city’s first charter commission. He won many national prizes in his work in the grocery business, but cherished his record of attendance as a public official.

Paul Callaghan has been named the new Kittery police chief after working for 24 years for the Rochester, N.H., police department. Callaghan, 47, who left the New Hampshire department as a captain, was expected to start his new duties on Jan. 3. He replaces Ed Strong, who retired at the end of 2011.

Former Lincoln County Sheriff William Carter died Dec. 21 at the age of 72. Carter was elected sheriff 14 times for a total of 37 years of service. He retired in 2002 and is believed to be the longest-serving sheriff in Maine history.

Former Augusta Public Works Director John Charest, who retired after 41 years with the city in December 2010, died Dec. 25 after a long fight with cancer. He was 65. A Vietnam Navy veteran, Charest worked in various public works divisions until his promotion to director nearly 30 years ago.

The November election of Doreen Christ was voided by the Lewiston City Council in December after officials learned Christ had moved into the ward in which she ran successfully about three weeks after the residency deadline passed. A special election is set for Feb. 7 and Christ, who can legally run again for the seat, said she intends to do so.

Robert “Bob” Macdonald was elected mayor of Lewiston in December, collecting 2,543 votes in a run-off election against Mark Paradis, who died on the Friday before the special election on Dec. 13. Paradis, whose name remained on the ballot, garnered 2,473 votes. Paradis, who had recently told the public he had been diagnosed with cancer, died from complications due to pneumonia. Paradis had served the city for 14 years before his death, first joining the planning board in 1997 before winning his first council election in 2002. He resigned in 2007 and lost a bid for mayor against Larry Gilbert in 2009.

Roland Drew, former selectman for two towns, died Nov. 25 at the age of 83. Drew served as selectmen for nine years in Kennebunkport and 12 in Arundel. He died after his truck careened off a bridge and fell 15 feet into a brook. “He was a self-made man who really lived the American dream,” one of his daughters told the Press Herald. “He believed in giving back to the community. He wanted to share his success with other people. He was very inspirational in that regard.”

Newport officials recently honored Allen Graves for 25 years of service as a part-time police officer. Graves retired after joining the department in 1986, filling in on vacation and sick days – and weekends and holidays. Graves, 47, who retired as a Newport police corporal, worked full-time for the Air National Guard until his 2010 retirement as chief of security. He also worked part-time for the University of Maine at Orono, where he retired in 2010. He said the high point of his career was saving the life of a girl who nearly drowned in Sebasticook Lake. Graves revived the girl using CPR.

Former Portland City Manager Joseph Gray and Bridgton Town Manager Mitchell Berkowitz were named to the new Cumberland County Civic Center Board of Trustees after filling unexpected vacancies in 2011. The civic center, nearly 35 years old, will be redesigned and renovated following passage last November of a $33 million bond for the project. The reconstruction is expected to begin this summer. Gray and Berkowitz join five other members on the trustees’ board.

Veteran Buxton firefighter Bernard Groves died Dec. 4 of cancer at the age of 68. Groves was hired by the fire department in 1985 and worked his way up the department ladder to achieve the rank of captain in the early 1990s. He was seriously injured in 2002 while testing hoses on a fire truck. He underwent multiple surgeries before returning to the department in a more administrative role.

Stockton Springs Town Manager Joseph Hayes officially announced his resignation on Dec. 15 and will assume the duties as Veazie manager beginning this month. Hayes was feted with a farewell party in late December. He served as Stockton Springs manager since 2004.

Buckfield Town Manager Glenn Holmes resigned, effective Feb. 3, to begin his new job as executive director of the Western Maine Economic Development Council in nearby Paris. Holmes has managed Buckfield for seven years and said the town’s municipal staff “has by far (been) the best group of people I could ever hope” to work with, according to the Sun Journal.

Long-time Turner Town Manager Eva Leavitt announced she will retire effective June 30 after 25 years of service. Leavitt wants to travel and spend more time with her family and friends when she retires, she told selectmen in December.

Outgoing Saco Mayor Ron Michaud was elected to a four-year term on the regional school committee in November. First elected to the city council in 1993, Michaud served the past four years as mayor. Before his election to the council, Michaud was appointed to the planning board, on which he served for eight years.