People
(from the March 2008 Maine Townsman)

Dean Bennett has been hired as the new Hampden community and economic development director. Bennett, a Lincoln native, worked as executive director of the Penobscot Valley Council of Governments from 1995 to 2007.

Brunswick Assistant Town Manager Gary Brown has been named to the Midcoast Regional Redevelopment Authority, the entity created to redevelop the Brunswick Naval Air Station when it closes next year. Brown was named to the panel by Gov. John Baldacci.

Kevin Davis has been promoted to library director for the city of South Portland. Davis, 39, managed the city’s Wescott Road branch and has worked as interim director since Marion Peterson resigned last April.

Former Ellsworth City Councilor Carrie Jones will run as a Democrat to represent the city and nearby towns of Otis and Trenton in the Maine House. Jones, 36, is a former reporter and editor who served on the council from 2001 to 2003.

Kittery Harbormaster John McCollett has announced his retirement  after 17 years with the town’s Port Authority. A search already is underway and several applications have been received. McCollett told the authority last fall he wanted to retire this year.

Denise Brown has been promoted to Auburn finance director after working 22 years with the city, the past 20 in the finance department. Brown replaces Chris Trenholm, who resigned last fall.

Brunswick Police Cmdr. Richard Desjardins retired in February to become an investigator for the Maine Bureau of Motor Vehicles. Desjardins, 44, said he wanted a career change.

Former Rockland police officer Steven Dyer will seek the Maine House District 47 seat, challenging incumbent Rep. Edward Mazurek, D-Rockland. Dyer resigned from the city police force when he moved out of state in 1989. A business owner and real estate agent, Dyer move back to Rockland 18 months ago.

Martin Legassey Jr. has been hired as a new police officer in Millinocket, continuing the family’s law enforcement tradition. Legassey’s grandfather, the late John McVey, served as a town police officer from 1956 to 1974.

State Trooper Scott Nichols has been named police chief of Carrabassett Valley, succeeding Ron Moody, the resort town’s longtime chief who resigned this winter. Nichols, 44, has 24 years of experience as a trooper, including 15 as a member of the state’s SWAT team. He spent 2004 in Iraq helping to train the Iraqi national police and, according to town officials, prevailed over 30 other candidates for the job. Nichols will assume his new duties on March 10.

Gary Swinton, known around the town of Durham as a businessman and photographer, has been named the town’s new assistant to the selectmen. Swinton, 56, replaces Christine Charette, who resigned for medical reasons last November.

Charleston selectmen have recognized Fire Chief Steve Weinstein for earning certification in six different study areas. Weinstein has worked for years to earn his Firefighter I and II, Fire Instructor I and II and Fire Officer I and II. The work represents 12 college credits. A state official, who hand-delivered the six certificates during a selectmen meeting, said Weinstein could be Maine’s most-certified volunteer fire chief.

Roseanna “Rosie” Bradley has been hired as director of economic and community development for the town of Lisbon. She most recently worked as economic and community development planner for the town of Fairfield.  Bradley, of Cornville, is a former executive director of the River Valley Technology Center.

Farmington Police Lt. Jack Peck has been named officer of the year for the Farmington Police Department for specific acts of extraordinary service, including responding to a snowmobile accident involving a fellow officer. Peck, 48, has been with the department for 18 years.

Chebeague Island Town Administrator Ron Grenier has resigned after helping the island separate from the town of Cumberland and establish its own government. Grenier will serve through March 15. He had asked to serve only through the first transitional year when he accepted the job. 

Former Ellsworth City Manager Stephen Gunty has been named the new town manager of Old Orchard Beach. He was selected from a field of 43 candidates and started his new duties on March 17. Gunty, who managed Ellsworth from 2004 through June 2007, replaces James Thomas, who resigned last December.

Ogunquit Selectman John Miller will not seek re-election this month, ending a public service career that spanned 45 years, beginning in 1963 when he was elected to the town school board. Miller was first elected to the Board of Selectmen a decade later and has served off and on until on both the school and selectmen boards. He served as selectman chairman as recently as 2006

Rockland City Councilor James Thompson has resigned his seat, effective immediately. The council will hold a municipal election in June to replace Thompson, a freshman councilor elected to a three-year term last November.

In Roxbury, Town Clerk Christine “Tina” Howard was elected to a 3-year term on the Board of Selectmen, while Deputy Clerk Nina Rollins was elected the new town clerk. Voters also extended the terms of the town clerk and tax collector/treasurer from one to three years.  Renee Hodsdon was elected tax collector/treasurer.