2011 Fluoride Article in Maine Townsman

7/30/2019 2011 Fluoride Article in Maine Townsman

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maine

townsman

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE:

February 2011

The Magazine of the Maine Municipal Association

From MMAs New President | Pay-Per-Bag Debate | New Fluoride Targets | 2011 Tech Conferen

BUILDING COMMUNITY BRAN

How to Market Your

Municipality and Downtown


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MAINE TOWNSMAN February 2011 3

The Magazine of the Maine Municipal Association

mainetownsman

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEEPRESIDENT

MARK GREENTown Manager, Sanford

VICE PRESIDENT

SOPHIA WILSONTown Manager, Brownville

MEMBERS

STEPHAN M. BUNKERChair of Selectmen, Farmington

GEORGE RICHARDSON, JR.Chair of Selectmen, Westport Island

ERROL (ABE) ADDITON

Selectman, Leeds

PETER NIELSEN

Town Manager, Oakland

MATTHEW ARNETTMayor, Hampden

MARIANNE MOORE

City Councilor, Calais

MICHELLE BEAL

City Manager, Ellsworth

ROBERT YANDOWTown Manager, York

MARSTON LOVELL

City Councilor, Saco

IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT

JOHN SYLVESTER

Selectman, Alfred

MAINE TOWNSMAN (ISSN 0025-0791) ispublished monthly, except in September, bythe Maine Municipal Association, 60 Com-munity Drive, Augusta, Maine 04330. (207)623-8428. Periodicals postage paid at Au-gusta, Maine, and at additional mailing ofces.All rights reserved. Postmaster send addresschanges to: Maine Townsman, 60 CommunityDrive, Augusta, Maine 04330. Information,policies and opinions do not necessarily reectthe views or policies of the Maine MunicipalAssociation. Subscription price: $15 per year.

February, 2011Vol. 73, No. 2

recycled paper

Executive Director:

Christopher Lockwood

Magazine Staff:Eric Conrad, Editor

[email protected]

Valarie Pomerleau, Circulation Manager

Jaime G. Clark, Graphic Designer

MMA website: www.memun.org

COVER PHOTO: Freelance photographer Paul Cyr persevered during some tough weatherto take this image of a new banner and slogan at a busy intersection in downtown Presque Isle.

People 26

News 27

Municipal Bulletin Board 28

Legal 29

2011 Maine Municipal Association.All rights reserved.

Remember Rotary Dial Phones? 5So much has changed from the days when municipal ofcials worked from roll-topdesks and used carbon paper to make copies. New MMA President Mark Green

writes about the changes and cites the importance of staying current with newtechnology, which can help keep municipal costs and taxes down.

Rising Above The Clutter 7The State of Maine and its municipalities have worked for years to build strongidentities, promote quality of life and attract businesses and visitors. Today,building community identity and brand may be more important than ever. If itsdone well, it can provide clear economic benets and inject pride and enthusiasminto a town or city.

Some Like It; Others Dont 11Its hard to call this a trend but municipalities around Maine continue to propose andexperiment with pay-per-bag trash disposal, with mixed results. From York Countyto Aroostook, the issue is coming up as municipalities confront rising solid-wastedisposal costs and contend with pressure to keep property taxes down.

Plan Ahead With Key Employees 17Two things are near certain in the municipal world: Many Baby Boomers hold keymunicipal positions and they wont work forever. Human resources consultant

Rick Dacri writes about the important of succession planning so towns and citiescan intelligently assess future employee turnover and assure smooth municipaloperations.

Adjusting Fluoride Levels 21The federal government in a recent advisory adjusted uoride levels downward forpublic drinking water systems. Following through can be as simple as turning a dialin some water districts, but in others it has put a renewed focus on what can be acontroversial public-health measure.

Next Month In Bangor: 2011 Tech Conference 25After several years in Augusta, the 2011 Municipal Technology Conference movesto the Bangor Civic Center on March 3. The event, co-sponsored by MMA and theMaine GIS User Group, features a dynamic program during a time when technologyis crucial in the municipal world.


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e Diference is Trust

www.mmeht.orgPhone: 1-800-852-8300

Email: [email protected]

Flexible Employee Benet Options

Maine Municipal Employees Health Trust

MEDICALSix Medical Plan Choices

Offer Up to Three Plans

Higher Deductible Health Plans

Health ReimbursementArrangement

Wellness & Incentive Programs

Retiree Coverage

LIFE INSURANCEBasic Life included with medical

Supplemental Life Choices

Dependent Life Choices

DENTAL

VISION

DISABILITYShort Term Disability Choices

Long Term Disability


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A Message From MMAby Mark Green, MMA President, Town Manager, Sanford

On Technology and Municipal Government

Since my dbut as a Town Manager a little more than 30years ago, much has changed in how we conduct our dayto day business and most of these changes have come aboutas the result of improvements in technology. Although Idont believe the true essence of municipal government haschanged the most important part of our job remains work-ing effectively with people the way we get things done haschanged tremendously.

My rst ofce in 1981 included a roll top desk which I

cherished, a rotary dial telephone and a mechanical calcula-tor, all of which, although not state of the art, certainly weretypical tools found in most town ofces at the time. We alsohad one of those chemical paper copiers that we used spar-ingly because the paper was so expensive; we had plenty ofcarbon paper for most jobs.

Flash forward to my ofce in 2011. I have a computerwith a lap top dock and a large at screen monitor with fullinternet capability. In fact, I am writing this article in thewaiting room over 100 miles from my ofce. When I havenished, I will e-mail it to MMA using my air card! I alsohave a cell phone at my disposal, copiers, scanners and evena fax machine, which is close to being outdated technology.

Although my access and use of technology has changedmarkedly over time, the changes in public-safety commu-nication technology continue to amaze and fascinate me.For those who have been around as long as I have, you willremember the public safety dispatcher of 20 years ago. Heor she had a single phone with a few extra lines and a single

microphone with access to a few different radio frequenciesEvery town had its emergency phone number but few of ushad access to 911.

Once again, ash forward to 2011. We all have accessto 911. Dispatchers sit in front of an array of computer terminals usually linking multiple jurisdictions and agenciesWhen an emergency call comes in, the caller doesnt haveto say a word. The dispatcher knows exactly where the callcame from and how to get emergency responders to the

location, even if those dispatchers have never even been tothe town where the call is from. In many cases through GPSthe dispatcher even knows where the closest respondingunit is located.

All this technology has resulted in efciencies that haveallowed municipalities to improve our levels of service oftenwithout adding employees. It has taught me that as a manager I need to keep up with changes in technology. The nexgizmo on the market may allow me to improve a servicewe provide or make it more efcient, thus saving tax dollarsthat seem to become scarcer every year.

On March 3, the annual MMA Technology Conference(co-sponsored by the Maine GIS User Group) will be heldat the Bangor Civic Center, a chance for municipal ofcialsto learn more about what is out there and how technologymight improve the way we provide services to our citizensGive it a try!

(For more information about the 2011 Tech Conferenceturn to p. 25 or visit MMAs website, www.memun.org.)

Scenes from the 2010 Technology Conference


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The Smart Approach toCommunity Branding

By Lee Burnett

Lee Burnett is a freelance writer fromSanford, [email protected]

Everybody likes to think their com-munity is a great place to live,work and play. Those words pop uprepeatedly when communities de-scribe themselves on their websitesand in other ways.

But the fact that these words areso ubiquitous across Maine is a goodreason to avoid using them in a mar-keting slogan or branding effort foryour community, experts say.

A great place to live, work andplay is absolutely how any of us in-volv ed in do wnt ow n revit al iz at io nthink, that quality of community, saysAaron Arnett of Arnett & Muldrow, aGreenville, S.C. community brandingcompany recently hired in Watervilleand Skowhegan.

But you want to present your com-munity in a way that sets yourself apart

from other places and also starts to tellthe unique story about your place.Towns have been trying to brand

themselves as long as Maine has beenattracting tourists. Kennebunk used toadvertise itself as: The only village inthe world so named. Ogunquit callsitself a beautiful place by the sea.Cherryeld calls itself the blueberrycapital of the world, (a claim alsomade in Hammonton, N.J. and SouthHaven, Mich.)

Today, branding is more thanhatching a clever name for your town.

In the Internet age, branding is thebusiness of getting noticed amid thenoise and clutter of the media culture.

As economic development strate-gies shift away from chasing smoke-stacks and move toward promotinghomegrown assets, branding has be-come a useful way to focus efforts. Atleast nine Maine communities have

recently undergone branding or re-branding campaigns, including: Au-gusta; Lewiston and Auburn jointly;downtown Presque Isle; Fort Kent;Skowhegan; Waterville; Bath; and,Winthrop.

Professional branding for commu-nities typically combines citizen inputwith advertising techniques. The endproducts are logos and taglines thatcan be used on municipal websites,road signs, stationery, downtown ban-ners, event advertising even thedoors of police cruisers.

PROVIDING DIRECTION, UNITYIdeally, branding provides direc-

tion to the community, uniting busi-nesses and community groups, guid-ing economic and community devel-opment, attracting interest from away.

The cost of branding ranges wide-ly. Arnett & Muldrow conducted two-day workshops for Skowhegan andWaterv ille that cost each community$7,000. Swardlick Marketing was in-volved for months with Lewiston Au-burn Economic Growth Council anddeveloped a multi-year media strategyleveraging hundreds of thousands ofdollars worth of television ad buys bymany community partners. Theresalso the no-cost option adopted byWinthrop and Fort Kent.

What mak es good bran din g? It

gives a flavor of the community andis honest, say the pros. Branding isa promise that a place makes, saidTripp Muldrow of Arnett & Muldrow.If it doesnt deliver on the promise,youre actually going to get a reverseeffect.

There can be a tendency to wantto put a good face on your commu-nity, but some of the most effectivebranding campaigns turn perceivedliabilities into positives. Not long ago,

Las Vegas tried to promote itself asa family-friendly destination and sawits fortunes sl ide. Then Vegas gothonest with itself and launched thewidely admired and often repeated branding campaign that righted itsship: Las Vegas: What Happens Here,Stays Here.

Like making whi skey , a goodbranding campaign requires a largevolume of raw material to produce adistilled essence.

Typically, a series of public forumsare held with key stakeholders anda cross-section of the public. Thepurpose is to mine lore about thetown its history and development, itsclaims to fame, its high school colors,what makes it tick, what people likeand dont like about it. Sometimes theopinions of outsiders are solicited to

learn how the community is perceivedby others.Participation in these exercises is

often energizing and affirming. JenOlsen, executive director of Skow-hegan Main Street, describes how theprocess played out in her community.It was a little bit of a tent revival.People were saying, Yeah, it is prettycool to be us. They were dancing inthe aisles on the way out.

PRESQUE ISLE TURNED 150Ver y of ten, branding campaigns

piggyback on previous initiatives thathave already mobilized people. Down-town Presque Isle launched its ShineOn. Good Times. logo and taglineas part of the citys 150th anniversarycelebration last year.

Winthrop adopted its Where WePlay Outside motto after an 18-monthprocess of updating its comprehensiveplan. Bath, Waterville and Skowheganall undertook branding campaigns tocapitalize on the momentum of Main


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Street programs.Fort Kent adopted its Americas

First Mile logo to coincide with alarger initiative to develop a riverfrontpark at the site of a new bridge toCanada. Sometimes, branding is donein response to specic circumstances.Augusta developed its A Capital Op-portunity logo and tagline to perkup the staid, regulatory look thatthe traditional city seal projected toprospective businesses, said MichaelDugay, director of development forAugusta.

Lewiston and Auburn adoptedan updated Its Happening Herelogo and tagline partly in response tonegative perceptions of the twin citiesthat came to light during high-prolepolitical battles to attract a U.S. PostalService distribution center and a car-diac care center. L-As campaign alsocoincided with some major invest-ments by local colleges and culturalinstitutions.

It wasnt hype. We could pointto what was happening, said LucienGosselin, executive director of theLewiston Auburn Economic GrowthCouncil.

Branding also can be done lessformally. The slogans that Winthropand Fort Kent adopted were hatched

pro bono by individuals in each com-munity.

Winthrops We Play Outsideslogan was the brainchild of PatricePutman, chairwoman of the Compre-hensive Plan committee, which iden-tified outdoor recreation as integralto the towns identity. I was thinkingabout what we might say to better de-

scribe the uniqueness of our community. I started to ask people what theythought and it kind of took on a life ofits own, said Putman.

THE FIRST MILEFort Kents Americas First Mile

tagline was the brainchild of JohnFreeman, owner of a mobile take-ou

Illuminated re trucks are part of a recent Christmas parade in downtown Presque Isle

(Photo by Paul Cyr)


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restaurant. After some research intothe federal highway system, We ranwith it, said Planning Director JohnBannen.

The town secured pro bono servic-es of graphic artist Heidi Carter andthe logo and tagline are now carved ina granite marker in a riverfront parkat entrance to U.S. Route 1, he said.

Other communities say its worthspending money for professionalhelp. We spent eight months tryingto come up with a brand for the down-town on our own and ended up frus-trated, said Shannon Haines, execu-tive director of Waterville Main Street,who sa id shes happy to have hi redprofessionals. Some may disagree,but outside people can come in andprovide an honest assessment. In ourcase, they were really good at listen-ing. It was like community therapy.

How much difference does a fancynew slogan make? It all depends onthe follow through.

Perhaps no community has putmore effort into implementation thanLewiston and Auburn. In the 1990s,the cities cut a deal with television sta-

tion WCSH in which local businessesbought discounted TV ads bracketedby the cities tagline and jingle. Later,and again using the updated Its Hap-pening Here brand, the cities cut asimilar deal, this time with televisionstation WGME. Paul Badeau, market-ing director for the Lewiston AuburnEconomic Growth Council, estimatesthe most recent campaign leveragedmore than $1 million in marketingeffort.

The result has been good buzz attrade shows and conferences, numer-ous awards and a whole change inmindset, he said.

MUNICIPAL COSTS KEPT LOWImplementation does not have to

be costly if the branding excites localbusinesses and community groupsenough to be adopted by them, said

Muldrow. The interesting thing isyou do not have to be resource-rich tomake it work, he said.

Still, its difcult to say what effectbranding has on economic develop-ment. Lewiston and Auburn detecteda significant change in perceptions

about the cities as a result of its brand-ing, but the data came from expensiveperson to person surveys. TrackingWebsite hits is free, but gives only ageneral sense of effectiveness.

Some say branding is not supposedto be a quantiable product. PresqueIsle City Planner Jamie Francomanopraises branding as affordable, small-ball economic development thathelps everyone through incrementalimprovements.

In this economic climate, if feelssafer than putting a lot of resourcesinto trying to hit a home run, saidFrancomano.

Following its re-branding, Bath sawa 70 percent jump in visits to its visitorcenter, although hours of operationwere extended about the same time,said Jennifer Geiger, executive direc-tor of Bath Main Street. She says try-ing to measure the effectiveness is sortof beside the point.

My short answer is I dont care.What I care about is having a tool todo a good job talking about Bath. Hav-ing this tool has made me do a muchbetter job, she said.


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MaineResource

Recovery

Association

142 Farm Rd. Suite 2P. O. Box 1838

Bangor, ME 04402-1838Telephone 207-942-6772Facsimile 207-942-4017

Email [email protected] [email protected]

Website mrra.net

Compost Bin sale It is estimated that 25% of an average households waste is kitchen scraps and yardtrimmings. The Maine Resource Recovery Association (MRRA) in cooperation with Norseman Plastics, an Orbis

company, is pleased to offer The Earth Machine backyard compost bins at reduced costs to Maine communities

and their residents.

Through local sales opportunities by municipalities, community groups, or service organizations (one lead group percommunity). Earth Machine backyard compost bins, kitchen pails, compost turners and rain barrels can be provided

to homeowners at Co-op buying power low prices: bins will sell for $42.50...a retail value of $120, kitchen pails for$8.00, a wingdigger compost turner for $17.00 and a rain barrel for $56.50. This item alone retails for over $130.

Once you register with MRRA to participate, a sample of everything can be sent to you, to assist with sales!

Residents will also receive ahow to guide FREE with each compost bin!

How the Program Works

1 CONTACT the Maine Resource Recovery Association (MRRA) at (207-942-6772) or email [email protected] foa Participation Packet.

2 REGISTERwith the MRRA to participate in the sale.

3 PROMOTE the sale of bins and/or pails (a poster with an attached order form will be provided for easy copying)and accept orders untilApril 29, 2011, keeping track of who orders.

4 RETURN the Final Order Form and checks made payable to MRRA by MAY 3, 2011. Bins and wingdigger ordersmust be made in exact multiples of 20 ONLY, Rain barrels are in lots of 15 and kitchen pails are in lots of 26.

Team up with a neighbor if you need to meet the minimum quantities.

5 ACCEPT delivery of compost bins/pails sometime during the week ofMay 9, 2011.

6 DISTRIBUTE the compost bins/pails to your residents and they start composting!

* This program is also available as a fundraiser for your group.

Prepayments for orders will be accepted onApril 8, 2011 for delivery during the weeks of April 11-22, 2011, forthose early birds.

Sign your town or organization up for the Spring 2011 campaign


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Pros and Cons ofPay-Per-Bag Disposal

By Jeff Clark

Jeff Clark is a new freelance writer forthe Maine Townsman. He lives in Bath,

[email protected].

Agood many municipal officialsare talking trash these days, buttheyre not trading insults. Theyretalking about solid waste and the mostcolorful commentary is generated by adisposal method called pay-per-bagor pay as you throw.

Presque Isles City Council ap-proved a pay-per-bag system in Decem-ber as part of an overall restructuringof its solid waste program that coin-cided with an expensive expansion ofthe citys landll.

At al most the sam e tim e, Cap eElizabeth and Greenville municipalofficials decided against institutingpay-per-bag, and the previous monthSanford residents repealed a contro-versia l pay-per-bag program that hadbeen operating since last summer withconsiderable success.

Given the alternatives, we reallyfelt (pay-per-bag) was the best way togo, said Presque Isle City ManagerJim Bennett.

The city landll had been charg-ing private trash haulers (the citydoesnt have municipal trash collec-tion) $30 a ton to keep down disposalfees to residents, even though the realcost of operating the landll was $55 aton, Bennett said. The balance cameout of the property tax. With debt pay-ments on a recent expansion projectcoming due this year, the cost will rise

to $100 a ton.We could institute pay as you

throw or we could raise taxes, Ben-nett said. This seemed the fairestway. Because of pay-per-bag, the citybudget includes no tax increase thisyear, he said.

Bennett said some city residents

dont like the idea, although he hasntheard of any organized opposition.If pay-per-bag works as expected, itshould extend the current capacity ofthe landll from 11 years to 20 yearsbefore a major expansion is required.Thats money in the bank for Presque

Isle residents, said Bennett.

FALMOUTH THE FORERUNNERStarting with Falmouth in 1989,

pay-per-bag programs have expandedto about 150 communities in thestate, according to the State PlanningOffice. The mechanics vary amongtowns, but commonly residents eitherbuy special trash bags or stickers toplace on their own trash bags. Onlythose bags are picked up by trashcollection crews or are accepted atlocal transfer stations. The money

generated from sale of the bags offsetsdisposal costs.

Pay-per-bag enjoyed a dramaticboom during the 1990s but its ac-ceptance has slowed considerably inrecent years.

Every year, a few more towns goto a pay as you throw system to reducewaste and increase income, saidGeorge MacDonald, manager of thewa ste ma nage ment prog ram at theState Planning Office. Pay-per-bagalmost invariably lowers the amountof trash residents throw away and in-creases recycling tonnage.

Mainers generated 1.78 milliontons of municipal solid waste in 2009,but nearly 39 percent of that orabout 690,000 tons was recycled.Towns with PPB generally have high-er recycling rates, said Sam Morris atthe State Planning Ofce.

There are some exceptions. CapeElizabeth, for example, consistentlyrecycles 30 to 35 percent of its solid

waste, and in earl y November towncouncilors cited the recycling rate asone reason not to pursue a pay-per-bag program.

Moving to a pay-per-bag systemfour years ago, coupled with a single-stream recycling program, cut Baths

municipal waste tonnage in half al-most overnight, said Lee Lenier, thecitys assistant public works direc-tor. At the same time, recycling ratessoared to more than 40 percent.

Wed had single-stream recyclingfor a year before going to pay-per-bag, Lenier said, but it hadnt affect-ed recycling rates that much. Movingto pay-per-bag really changed that.

Single-stream recycling does notrequire homeowners to separate re-


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cyclables into various classes, such asnewspaper, cans and bottles. Instead,all recyclables can be collected in asingle container, and they are sortedat a central processing plant. Mainehas one sorting plant operated byecomaine in Portland, which serves 39southern Maine communities. Othertowns send their recyclables to twoprocessors in Massachusetts.

RESIDENTS HAVE CONTROLLenier said one reason for the pro-

grams success in Bath is the control itgives residents.

With taxes, you dont have muchcontrol; they are what they are, hesaid. With pay as you throw, you havea lot of control over how much youpay.

Lenier also credited a strong ed-ucational campaign that included

everything from information sheetshanded out in the citys schools to talkshows on the local public access cablechannel.

We certainly had people whowerent happy about it early on, Le-nier said. There was very broad ac-ceptance, though, and we never sawany organized opposition, I think in

part because people understood thiswas saving them money.

I cant imagine not doing it, saidBath City Manager William Giroux.Our revenues from it havent been asgood as we thought, but regardless it isstill the right thing to do. And Baths

residents have certainly supported iwholeheartedly.

That opinion isnt universal, astown councilors in Sanford learned inNovember when voters there repealeda pay-per-bag program by a 4,1332,684 vote.

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When the repeal vote succeeded,Green immediately had to find waysto plug a $700,000 hole in the townbudget created by the loss of pay-per-bag income.

Were looking at a $1 million holein the new budget, primarily becauseof solid waste costs, Green said.

Pay-per-bag makes people lookat what theyre doing, what theyre

Last spring, the Sanford towncouncil, after several years of studyand facing rapidly rising trash disposalcosts, voted to implement a pay-as-you-throw program beginning in July.The goals, Town Manager Mark Greensaid, were to generate revenue to off-set disposal costs and to increase recy-cling rates, thus lower trash tonnage.

It costs the town $70 a ton to haultrash to the incinerator, he said. Re-cycling doesnt cost us a penny.

Residents paid $1.25 for a 15-gal-lon bag and $2 for a 33-gallon bag. Atthe same time, recyclables collectionwas incr ease d fr om once ever y tw oweeks to weekly.

SUCCESSFUL, BUT REPEALEDImplementation went unbeliev-

ably well, Green said. The PublicWorks Department did a huge amount

of work and the counci l invested$50,000 in an educational campaignto show residents what we were doingand why.

In the 15 weeks pay-as-you-throwwas in force, the towns trash volumefell by 83 tons a week, while recycling

rose from 10 percent to 40 percentof the overall waste stream. It wasworking, Green said. When it wasrepealed, trash volume instantly wentup by 50 tons a week.

Critics of the program organizedan effective campaign against pay-per-bag, portraying the bag fees asanother tax. They argued that Sanfordcouldnt afford the additional costs.

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no illegal dumping problem, even assome residents organized against payper-bag.

We had 99.99 percent compliance from residents, he said. I wishwe had done a bet ter job of showingpeople how it was working. We hadless than three months experiencewith pay-per-bag and it was really making a difference.

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buying, says MacDonald at the StatePlanning Ofce. Some people dontcare, of course, but the traditionalMainer likes to save a buck.

MacDonald was working for theTown of Brunswick when pay-per-bagwas rst proposed there. We had 50or 60 people turn out to oppose it atthe council hearing, he recalled. Itwas tabled. But now Brunswick has payas you throw. Its a great educator.

One of the curious byproductsof shifting to pay-per-bag, he added,is that the overall amount of wastedrops. I dont know where it goes,but it goes somewhere, he says. I sus-pect that people are shopping morewi se ly and just be ing carefu l not togenerate as much waste as they wouldotherwise.

MIDNIGHT DUMPING?

One fear that pay-per-bag propos-als often raise is the possibility ofmidnight dumping, the surrepti-tious and illegal disposal of garbageon side roads and vacant lots. Thatwas one of the is sues ra ised duringGreenvilles discussion of pay-per-bag,according to John Simko, who was

town manager at the time.It isnt the problem that it used to

be, MacDonald said, partly, I think,because people feel more responsibil-ity for their waste. More likely youllsee bulky items couches, dishwash-ers, dryers out alongside a woodsroad somewhere, but thats not be-cause of pay as you throw.

Sanfords Green said his town had


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Succession Plans AssureSteady Flow of Talent

By Rick Dacri

Rick Dacris a management consultant, fea-tured speaker at regional and national con-

ferences and author of the book Uncompli-cating Management: Focus On Your Stars &Your Company Will Soar. He is President of

Dacri & Associates and was a speaker at the2010 MMA Convention, leading a session onSuccession Planning. He can be reached at207-967-0837 or [email protected].

If your town manager was suddenlystricken and unable to work, whatwo ul d ha pp en to you r tow n? Wh atwould happen if you lost your pol icechief or Public Works director? Do youhave someone ready right now whocould step in? If not, whats your plan?

When Jack We lch announcedhis retirement as the head of Gen-eral Electric, there were three replace-ments waiting in the wings. WhenMcDonalds Chairman Jim Cantaluposuddenly died, his replacement was aheartbeat away. In both cases, planswere in place and the transition forthe new leader was orderly, with mini-mal or no impact on the organization.

GE and McDonalds exemplifiedthe importance and effectiveness ofsuccession planning. Each was readywi th an able heir. But one does not

have to be a Fortune 500 rm to havea plan in fact, every municipalityshould be prepared for the inevitable.The success of your city or town de-pends on a smooth continuity of lead-ership and the development of home-grown talent. But few municipalitieshave a plan.

CRISIS-ORIENTEDToo often, municipalities are fo-

cused on the crisis in front of them.Making plans for something that willhappen in the future does not seem to

rise to the level of urgency. It is justeasier to defer to another time.

For others, succession planning

hits too close to home. Thinkingabout ones own position and whenyou may no longer occupy it makessome people them feel uncomfort-able. Planning for that time and devel-oping a replacement, makes some feelsuperuous.

Succession planning sometimesforces people to face their own retire-ments and brings up lots of issuesthat many would rather not address atall. It can be painful. And for others,those who may be a bit jaded, suc-cession planning is simply not theirproblem.

As one cynical manager told me,Ill be gone, so why should I worry?While this myopic view may be sharedby only a few, it will harm the long-term health of their towns.

NEED CONCRETE PLANThe lack of a concrete plan to

replace key managers can harm theorganization. An unexpected depar-ture at the top, coupled with a lack ofa qualied replacement, can push anorganization into crisis. It can createuncertainty among citizens and em-ployees. Productivity can stop and, de-pending on the position, public safety

can be put into jeopardy.This year, the first surge of Baby

Boomers begins to exit the workforce.The volume of turnover in the next

15 years could be unprecedentedand its impact on municipalities willbe dramatic. The number of personsaged 55 or older in the labor force wasexpected to increase by 12 million, or43 percent, during the 2008 to 2010timeframe, according the U.S. Bureauof Labor Statistics. This age group isprojected to make up nearly a quarterof the total labor force by 2018.

Beyond the loss of people, therewill be signicant loss of experience,

knowledge, perspective and wisdom.This prospect of losing so much talentand knowledge in a short period oftime has forced even the most reluc-tant to take notice and begin focusingon succession planning.

So what is succession planning? It

is a process of identifying and develop-ing talent to ensure that key positionscan be filled with qualified internalcandidates in advance of their actualneed. It is a dynamic process focusedon creating pools of talent availableto meet the immediate and long-termneeds of the city and town.

No longer is succession planningsfocus simply on corporate Americasexecutive suite, where the chosenfew would scheme and plot beforeanointing the heir-apparent in a sortof king makers game of chess. Today,

succession planning is being imple-mented in all organizations, includingmunicipalities. Boards and Councilsare looking for assurance that a planis in place to effectively identify anddevelop internal talent. By developingmore and more levels of the work-force, ready replacements are in placewhenever they are needed.

CAPABLE SUCCESSORS?A wel l developed succession plan

should be integrated into the munici-palitys overall workforce management

plan and must be linked to recruit-ment, retention, training, perfor-mance management and knowledge-retention initiatives. After organiza-tions dene their short and long-termgoals, they can assess whether theyhave the workforce capabilities tomeet these strategic goals.

The gap between their currentwo rk fo rc e cap ab il it ie s an d wh at isrequired to meet the expected futureneeds, along with the methods for


18/32


narrowing this gap, forms the crux ofsuccession planning.

So what are the key elements of asuccessful plan?

Active council and board involve-ment: No longer can this simply be anHR plan. More and more Boards re-alize they must be involved in activelymanaging this strategic initiative.Boards want to know if a key personis lost, they have a plan to name areplacement. A key role of the boardshould be to provide for successionplanning so that the town is not ad-versely affected due to a vacancy.

Identify essential positions andcritical competencies: Remember, notall positions need to be part of theplan.

Identify, promote and select highpotentials: Along with this comes aplan for individual career develop-ment. Development from within is thekey to future success. One of the big-gest investment challenges in the nextdecade will be recruiting and develop-ing key talent. With a national declinein employee loyalty, succession plan-ning with a respective developmentcomponent, go a long way to coun-tering this trend, while increasingemployee engagement and retention.

Monitor individual development:Use coaching, mentoring and apprais-als, the essentials of a good perfor-mance management plan.

Identify gaps in succession: Do thisto determine whether one can buildinternal strength or whether there willbe the need to rapidly recruit from theoutside.

Regularly review the plan: Thishelps ensure its effectiveness. Succes-sion planning must be ongoing andnot an annual look-see.

Unplanned turnover can derail thebest laid plans. While the plan is togrow and develop internal talent forfuture opportunities and needs, thingshappen and employees leave.

Cities and towns need to put strate-gies in place to identify potential turn-over issues and at-risk talent in orderto minimize the impact. Employeesatisfaction surveys have proven to bean effective predictor of turnover andshould be an annual initiative.

RETAINING KNOWLEDGEWhile the focus of the plan is to

identify and grow talent, one mustpay ample attention in preventing

valuable knowledge from walking outthe door. Municipalities must focuson capturing knowledge of employeesbefore they leave or retire. Throughknowledge retention plans, manag-ers can capture critical knowledgefrom their employees heads.

Common elements of knowledgeretention plans include documenta-tion, mentoring, training, shadowing,and expertise sharing. Knowledgeretention must become the fabric ofmunicipal government. When employ-ees and managers readily share theirknowledge, experiences and exper-tise, then the operation ows withoutany blips. Think about what you woulddo if you suddenly lost your town clerkright before an election.

While succession planning looks

at how to prepare if you lose a keyemployee, emergency preparednesplans also must be put in place to address the stricken manager who is unable to work for an extended periodIf the town faces the unlikely evenof an untimely vacancy, an emergencypreparedness plan ensures an orderlytransition for both an interim andlong-term replacement.

Today, we are at a critical junctureWe know that left unchecked, the owof talent out of the workforce willsteadily increase. Succession plans canbegin to rell the pipeline. Beginningthe process does not have to be difcult or complex. But the process musbegin. Start slowly but start beforethat slow drip becomes a steady streamthat leaves your community drained.

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All disasters are local, since all re-sponses begin and end with localemergency responders. In order toreduce the impact of a disaster on acommunitys residents and property,a community needs to put into placea management program to mitigate,

prepare, respond and recover fromthe effects of disasters. Preparing forand coordinating the local emergencyresponse is the responsibility of themunicipal emergency managementdirector. In the State of Maine, emer-gency management responsibilitiesfor municipal jurisdictions are de-scribed in Maine Title 37B, Chapter13.

The municipal emergency man-agement director is the foundationthat all emergency management in theState of Maine is built upon. County

emergency management is calledinto play after all municipal capabili-ties, including mutual aid, are over-whelmed. Likewise , the State emer-gency management program is nottypically tasked until County resourcesand capabilities are overextended.

A capable and effective municipalemergency management program canpay big dividends for a community.However, for many years, emergencymanagement has been underusedand not well understood. Recently, anew association has been created tonetwork municipal and county emer-gency management programs and tobuild awareness of local emergencymanagement. The association, whichis an afliate of the Maine MunicipalAssocia tion, is called the Maine As-sociation of Local Emergency Manag-ers or MALEM.

One of MALEMs objectives is to

Disasters Are Local,Make Careful Decisions

By Dale Rowley

educate municipal officers on theresponsibilities and requirements ofthe municipal emergency manage-ment program. Much of what followscomes directly from state statute. Forthe most part, these are minimumrequirements. A communitys emer-

gency management program can bemuch more effective and capablewhen it incorpor ates federa l emer-gency management processes andprograms, such as comprehensiveemergency management and the na-tional incident management system.In this article, well start with the Staterequirements.

TOWNS CAN COLLABORATEParagraph 1 of Section 781 states

that Each municipality of the State mustbe served by a municipal or interjurisdic-tional agency responsible for emergencymanagement. This section of statutedoes allow for two or more towns tocreate a single emergency manage-ment agency (EMA) or hire a singlelocal emergency management direc-tor. However, most Maine municipali-ties have their own emergency man-agement agency and director. What iscritical is that the person selected forthis position becomes well acquaintedwith the concepts of emergency man-agement.

Section 782 specically requiresthat an emergency management direc-tor be appointed for each municipalemergency management agency. Itfurther states that a municipal electedofcer can not be the EMA director.However, a town manager or admin-istrative assistant can also fulfill theEMA director role. This section fur-ther states that municipal ofcers haveappointing authority for the EMAdirector. This person will serve as a

liaison to the county EMA.The requirement to have a disaster

emergency plan is identified in Sec-tion 783. The disaster plan, whichmay also be known as an EmergencyOperations Plan or EOP, must identifythe types of disasters the community

could experience. These are usuallyreferred to as Hazards. Typical haz-ards include ooding, winter storms,hurricanes, forest fires, hazardousmaterials spills, aircraft crashes andmany others. Your municipal disasterplan should cover those hazards thatare more likely or could have severeimpacts to your community. The planwi ll al so ne ed to id en ti fy ac ti vi ti eswhich will be necessary to prevent orminimize injury and damage in theevent those disasters occur. Finally,the plan must identify personnel,

equipment and supplies required toimplement those procedures and op-erations and the means by which theirtimely availability will be assured. Thisis usually known as a resource list.

Section 784 gives the emergencymanagement director the authority todevelop or cause to be developed mutualaid arrangements for reciprocal emergencymanagement aid and assistance in caseof a disaster too great to be dealt withunassisted. However, nal mutual aidagreements must be approved by theelected municipal ofcers.

A special emergency managementauthority is mentioned in Section784-A, known as the Right to call forand employ assistance. The emergencymanagement director may employany person considered necessary to assistwith emergency management activities.A person who have been called andemployed for assistance is deemed to bean employee of the State for purposes of im-munity from liability and for purposesDale Rowley is Treasurer of the Maine

Association of Local Emergency Managers.


20/32


The Maine Municipal

Association (MMA) is a

voluntary membershiporganization offering

an array of professional

services to municipalities

and other local

governmental entities in

Maine.

MMAs services

include advocacy,education and

information,

professional legal and

personnel advisory

services, and group

insurance self-funded

programs.

For more informationvisit the MMA website:www.memun.org

60 Community Dr., Augusta, ME 04330

REMEDIATION

REVITALIZATION

REDEVELOPMENT

Well get you there.

ES INENG I N E ER I NG M URV EY I NG M P LANN I NG M C I E N C E SENGINEERING SURVEYING PLANNING SCIENCES

of workers compensation insurance. Thisallows the emergency managementdirector to accept the support of di-saster volunteers and the volunteerswil l fal l un de r the Stat e s wo rk erscompensation and liability, instead ofthe municipalitys insurance. Section823 further describes and clarifiesthis authority.

Finally, in Section 824, the emer-gency management program is autho-rized appropriations for the paymentof expenses of its local organization foremergency management in the same man-ner as for its other ordinary expenses. Inmaking those appropriations, the politicalsubdivision shall specify the amounts and

purposes for which the money appropriatedmay be used by the local organizations.

As you can see, the municipalemergency management director andprogram has a fair number of respon-sibilities, capabilities and authority. Itis important that elected municipal

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ofcers take the emergency management authorities seriously. One vitastep is to appoint an individual whois truly interested in emergency management and willing to complete thetraining necessary for becoming qualied and capable.


21/32


Douglas Rooks is a freelance writer fromWest Gardiner and regular contributor to theTownsman, [email protected]

Federal Ruling RenewsFocus on Fluoride

By Douglas Rooks

Arecent federal advisory for publicwater systems to lower the amountof uoride they add has not spawnedany major controversy. Thats in partbecause opponents to using uoridein drinking water welcome the lowerstandard, which reduces the recom-

mended level from 1.2 parts per mil-lion to 0.7 ppm, a drop of 42 percent.

Reductions in uoride use also willprompt some welcome savings in an-nual water system expenses, anywherefrom $1,000 for a small system toabout $50,000 for the Portland WaterDistrict, Maines largest plus a small-er saving for reduced use of causticsoda, a chemical used to balance Ph.

For most treatment plant superin-tendents in Maine, the lower uoridelevels require only minor changes.

Since we have a new treatment

plant, it really only means we tweak afew dials, said Dan Well, superinten-dent of the Winthrop Water District,which supplies water from Upper Nar-rows Pond to Winthrop and neighbor-ing Monmouth.

Winthrop has been using uoridesince the 1960s, but Monmouth justsince 2000. Monmouth previouslydrew its water from wells that wererelatively high in naturally occur-ring uoride that is present thoughoften at low levels in most ground-water supplies. Two schools in Maine

Hartford-Sumner Elementary andthe Beech Hill School in Otis needto treat their water to remove exces-sive uoride.

Ab ou t ha lf of Mainer s ge t thei rwa te r through publ ic sy stems therest use private wells. Of those custom-ers, 84 percent receive fluoridated

water. Yet, of the 161 public systemsmonitored by the state Drinking WaterProgram, the majority of them 95 do not add fluoride. Thats in largepart because many of them are smalland do minimal treatment. But it alsoincludes a few larger systems, such as

York, Yarmouth, Hampden and Farm-ington.

HISTORY OF FLUORIDEFluoride has been added to drink-

ing water in the United States sincethe 1940s; most Maine systems beganto use it in the 1950s and 60s. Dr.Jonathan Shenkin, a pediatric dentistwho practi ces in Augusta, sa id fluo-ride was the rst effective preventivefor dental cavities that, by the early20th Century, affected just about everyAmerican adult.

The efficacy of fluoride againstdental disease has never been serious-ly questioned, although more recentstudies have shown a decline in thenumber of cavities avoided betweenfluoridating and non-fluoridatingcommunities, from about 40 percentto 20 percent. Thats probably becausefluoride is now widely used in otherproducts, including food and tooth-paste.

Still, there are concerns about add-ing it to water that range from the RedScare of the 1950s (What are they

putting in our water?) to more recentscientific research showing possibleeffects on bone formation. Fluorosis white spotting of teeth enamel is themost common sign of excess uoride.

Shenkin is among those who thinkthat drinking water is an importantpreventive tool. He points out thatwh ile some co ntine ntal Eur ope ancountries stopped uoridating waterin the 1970s, many of them add it tofood, including table salt.

Fluoride was listed by the U.S. De-partment of Health and Human Ser-vices as one of 10 Great Public HealthAchi evements of the 20 th Century,along with childhood vaccinations,recognition of tobacco use as a healthhazard and safer motor vehicles.

Ju dy Fe in st ei n, wh o di re ct s th eOral Health Program for the MaineCenter for Disease Control and Pre-vention, said the controversy lingers,perhaps because its the only thing weadd to drinking water thats not neces-sary to improve its safety or potability.

Its also a public health achieve-ment that costs very little, and re-quires no action by an individual toreceive benets, she said.

Indeed, uoride remains in the wa-ter of every Maine system that beganadding it, except two. The Maine CDC

estimates that for every dollar spenton fluoride in drinking water, $42 issaved in reduced dental expenses, aremarkable cost-benet ratio.

DIFFERENT REACTIONSThe news of the U.S. Center for

Disease Control and EnvironmentalProtection Agencys joint order reduc-ing recommended levels did generatesubstantial news coverage.

In Newcastle, a retired couplevowed to seek a statewide referendumvot e tha t wo ul d ba n flu or id e fr om

drinking water. In Portland, OliverOuterbridge, who ran for a seat onthe Portland Water District board onan anti-uoride platform in 2009, andlost, called it a step in the right direc-tion.

But most treatment plant super-intendents see it largely as businessas usual. In Caribou, SuperintendentAlan Hitchcock said, We havent hadany calls from customers as a resultof the announced change and said


22/32


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he sees no hurry. Caribou will reduceuoride levels gradually.

The state directive says that watersystems can move to 0.7 ppm immedi-ately, but will not be required to do sountil state rulemaking is completed,probably in about three months.

At the Kennebec Water Di stri ct ,which serves Water vil le, Winslow andfour other communities, Jeff Lacassesaid he also hasnt heard a thing,although the district, which upgradedits treatment plant in 1993, switchedto the 0.7 level almost immediately.

TOO MUCH FLUORIDE?One plant superintendent for

whom it was not business as usual isNorm Labbe at the Kennebunk, Ken-nebunkport and Wells Water District,which was the most recent municipalsystem to begin adding fluoride, in

2004, after a successful referendumdrive organized by a local orthodon-tist. All of the seven towns served bythe water district voted in favor.

Labbe has concerns. He notes thatin 2006 Mount Desert became thefirst public water supply in Maine toeliminate uoride through a requiredreferendum vote; Jackman is the onlyother water district to follow suit so far.

Portland Water District began add-ing uoride to its Sebago Lake supplyin 1997 and spokeswoman MichelleClements said that, though there was

talk of a referendum petition to re-move uoride two years ago, nothingcame of it.

Labbe counts himself as amongthose worried that people may be get-ting too much uoride because thereare now such a variety of sources. A2008 newsletter from the district said,We are feeding uoride because thevo te r has exerci sed the freedom ofchoice to do so. It also argued thattopically applied uoride is superiorto ingesting it in drinking water.

Labbe said hes also concerned

about uoride not only in the water,but around the treatment plant. Its adifcult chemical to handle, he said,and as little as four grams can be afatal dose, so even the residual powderis a concern.

Judy Feinstein at Maine CDC saidthat although dental authorities ac-knowledge the value of topical fluo-ride, not every Maine kid sees a den-tist and some people cant even affordtoothpaste.

When the new federal guidelineswere released, the Kennebunk waterdistrict issued a press release saying itwelcomed the lower standard. AndLabbe, using the discretion allowed bythe state, said the district now uori-dates at .52 ppm, near the minimum.

Because not every system can precisely control uoride levels, the oldguidelines allowed anywhere from 1to 2 ppm, with 1.2 the recommendedlevel. The new optimum range is0.5 to 1 ppm, with 0.7 the recommended level, according to an interim

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guidance letter from Roger Crouse,director of the Maine Drinking WaterProgram.

Crouse said he tries to stay outof the discussion of the merits of uo-ride, said that many system operatorsbegan reducing levels right away, butsaid they are not required to until newrules are formally adopted.

Dr. Shenkin isnt wholly convincedthat the 0.7 ppm level is ideal for den-tal health. He points out that one ofthe reasons why the federal guidelinewas adopted is that theres always beena split standard for uoride added todrinking water.

Northern states, like Maine, weresupposed to add 1.2 ppm but southernstates used the 0.7 standard. The the-ory was that southerners would drinkmore water because of the warmerweather, and hence ingest more uo-ride.

But the widespread prevalence ofair conditioning means that south-erners dont drink any more waterthan northerners, he said, yet the ob-served dental decay rates are relativelyuniform nationwide.

Shenkin said dental researcherswil l be watching to see if theres anyupswing in decay rates over the nextdecade. Overall, cavity rates are stilldeclining among all groups exceptyou ng ch il dr en , he sa id, pr ob ab lybecause most kids are drinking large

quantities of juice, which is as harmfulto teeth as soft drinks.Norm Labbe takes the other side.

Toothpaste is a major source of uo-ride, and since it tastes good, kids swal-low it, he said.

Feinstein said Maine CDC recom-mends that parents not use fluoridetoothpaste for children younger thantwo years and for toddlers to use only asmall amount no larger than a pea.

Discussion about the proper use offluoride may sometimes overshadowthe remarkable public health achieve-

ment represented by community watersystems themselves. In the 19 th Cen-tury, water-borne diseases such as chol-era and typhoid were endemic, killingthousands every year. Such diseaseshave disappeared from this country,replaced by scientific regimens thatprotect and promote public health.

Overwhelmingly, plant operatorsare dedicated professionals, Feinsteinsaid. They take a lot of pride in pro-viding safe water.

More Testing Leads To New Arsenic DataAlthough uoride has received more notice recently, arsenic in water has also

been an important topic.The U.S. Geological Survey announced in December that arsenic concentrations

in groundwater have been recorded at unsafe levels in private wells across Maine,where elevated arsenic risks were not previously suspected.

At Maine CDC, Andy Smith, the state toxicologist, said the announcement reects

an accumulation of ndings in recent years that show that its a good idea for anyonenot using a public system for drinking water to get their wells tested preferably everythree to ve years.

Arsenic, like uoride and a host of other chemicals and minerals, is naturally pres-ent in groundwater and in most cases does not represent a problem. But we have hadwells where it was really high, at levels you would denitely would not want to drink,Smith said.

One of the hopes for recent analyses of the test data was that, by overlaying higharsenic readings onto geological maps, the state might be able to predict, with greateraccuracy, areas where arsenic might be present in high concentrations and to local-ize Maine CDCs warnings.

So far, it doesnt show much of a pattern, Smith said. Theres still an inability toknow or predict results from individual wells, though CDC and other state agencieswill keep trying.

HOT SPOTSThe state rst identied hot spots for arsenic in the Buxton area back in the1980s. More recently, areas of Rangeley, Danforth, Turner, Northport, Blue Hill andOwls Head have turned up clusters of wells with elevated arsenic.

Weve known for awhile that this is an issue Down East and west of Bangor, Smithsaid.

The reason why the state now has more data is that arsenic testing, which wasntrequired in standard test kits before, has been included by the state laboratory andmost private testing companies since 1999.

As a rule of thumb, about 10 percent of wells show elevated arsenic, although farfewer have dangerous levels. The state data shows that the number of private wells thathave been tested has risen from 28 percent in 2004 to 50 percent last year. Thats prog-ress, but not, in Smiths view, enough. We still have half that are basically unknown,he said.

Though there have been some attempts in the Legislature to require water testing

such as when a house is sold they have not been successful.Legislators see this as a personal responsibility, not a subject for a mandate, he

said.Municipalities may not have a major role to play, but Smith said town ofces have

been helpful in distributing testing brochures. It seems that when people are in lineto pay taxes or register a car, theyre more likely to read about drinking water hazardsthan when they visit a convenience store.

Thats one of our best sources of outreach, Smith said. That and the coveragewe get from the news media.

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FEBRUARY

MFCA LegislativeBreakfast Augusta-SenatorInn 2/1MMA PersonnelPractices Augusta-MMA 2/4

MTCCA Title30A Bangor-SpectacularEvents 2/7

MWWCA&MWUAJointConference Portland-HolidayInn 2/8

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MTCCA Title30A Portland-Keeleys 2/16

MWWCA LegislativeBreakfast Augusta-SenatorInn 2/17

MMTCTA TaxLiens Brewer-JeffsCatering 2/28

MARCHMMA TechnologyConference BangorCivicCenter 3/3

MTCMA Interchange BlackBearInn-Orono 3/4

MWWCA SkiDay CarrabassetValley-Sugarloaf 3/9

MMA Planning/BdofAppeals So.Portland-EmbassySuites3/15

MBOIA MembershipMtg/Training TBD 3/17MMA Planning/BdofAppeals Augusta-MMA 3/23

MMTCTA TaxLiens Portland-Keeleys 3/24

MWDA AdvancedGA Augusta-MMA 3/25

APRILMACA SpringConference Bangor-HollywoodSlots 4/1

Hotel&Raceway

MMA BasicMunicipalBudgeting Augusta-MMA 4/1

MMA Planning/BdofAppeals Bangor-SpectacularEvents 4/5

MCAPWA AnnualSpringMeeting Waterville-ElksLodge 4/7

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MWDA BasicGA TBD 4/14

MFCA BlaineHouseConference Northport-PointLookout 4/14-15

MMTCTA Govt.Acct.I Augusta-MMA 4/21-22

MMA Labor&EmploymentLaw Augusta-MMA 4/26

MWWCA SpringConference Portland-SeasonsGrille 4/29

MCAPWA SupervisoryTrainingI TBD TBD

MAYMBOIA SpringCodeConference Lewiston-RamadaInn 5/2-3

MMTCTA Govt.Acct.II Augusta-MMA 5/6

MTCCA Title21AforNewClerks Waterville-ElksLodge 5/10

MWDA SpringSeminar TBD 5/16-17

MTCCA Licensing Augusta-MMA 5/17

MMTCTA CashManagement Brewer-JeffsCatering 5/18

MMTCTA AnnualConference Brewer-JeffsCatering 5/19

MMA PersonnelPractices Augusta-MMA 5/24

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AUGUSTMTCCA VitalRecords Orono-BlackBearInn 8/8

MTCCA NewClerks Augusta-MMA 8/16

MTCMA NEManagementInstitute SebascoHarborResort 8/24-26

SEPTEMBERMTCCA Title21AElections Augusta-MMA 9/8

MTCCA VoterRegistration Augusta-MMA 9/9

MMA ElectedOfcialsWorkshop PresqueIsle-PIConventionCtr9/13

MTCCA AnnualMtg&NetworkingDay Waterville-ElksLodge 9/14

MWWCA FallConference TBD 9/14-16

MBOIA AnnualMeeting Gray-SpringMeadows 9/15

MMA Planning/BdofAppeals Ellsworth-TBD 9/20MAAO FallConference SebascoHarborResort 9/28-30

OCTOBERMMA 75thMMAConvention AugustaCivicCenter 10/5-6

MMA ElectedOfcialsWorkshop Ellsworth-TBD 10/18

MFCA AnnualConference TBD 10/27-28

NOVEMBERMMTCTA MunicipalLawforTaxCollectors Augusta-MMA 11/9

MMA PersonnelPractices Augusta-MMA 11/15

MMA Planning/BdofAppeals Brunswick-TBD 11/29

DECEMBER

MMA ElectedOfcialsWorkshop So.Portland-EmbassySuites12/MMA BasicMunicipalBudgeting Orono-BlackBearInn 12/2

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KEY TO SPONSORSMACA MaineAnimalControlAssociation

MAAO MaineAssociationofAssessingOfcers

MBOIA MaineBuildingOfcials&InspectorsAssociation

MCAPWA MaineChapterofAmericanPublicWorksAssociation

MCDA MaineCommunityDevelopmentAssociation

MEMA MaineEmergencyManagementAssociationMFCA MaineFireChiefsAssociation

MFPSC MaineFireProtectionServicesCommission

MMA MaineMunicipalAssociation

MMTCTA MaineMunicipalTaxCollectors&TreasurersAssn.

MRRA MaineResourceRecoveryAssociation

MSFFF MaineStateFederationofFireghters,Inc.

MTCCA MaineTown&CityClerksAssociation

MTCMA MaineTown&CityManagementAssociation

MWWCA MaineWasteWaterControlAssociation

MWDA MaineWelfareDirectorsAssociation

Formoredetaileddescriptions,pleasevisittheMMAwebsite:www.memun.org.GotothetopofthepageunderMarketplace@MMAandpulldownto

Training&Wksps.


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Detailed information about sessions, registration, and

speaker biographies are available online at MMAs website(www.memun.org use the conference logo on right).

8:00-8:45 a.m.

Registration & Continental Breakfast

8:45-9:45 a.m.

Opening Presentation

The Future of Municipal Government:The next ve yearswill change our world! Join this plenary session, discussing thedramatic technological changes underway today and predict theimpact on government services. Discover the balance betweencost and citizen service and how technology will become a majorcatalyst to government access and efciencies.Speaker: Dick Thompson - Principal Consultant for T4G andformer Chief Information Ofcer for the State of Maine.

9:45-10:00 a.m. BREAK

10:00-10:45 a.m. Concurrent Sessions

Managing Ofce Technology - Day to day business tools forbusy municipal ofces.

Maine Cloud: What could it actually mean to Maine State andLocal Governments.

Status of Flood Mapping in Maine

Low Tech vs High Tech GPS Units

10:00 11:30 a.m.

Accessing and Utilizing Census Data for YourCommunity!

10:45 11:00 a.m. BREAK

11:00-11:45 a.m. Concurrent Sessions

Telecommuting: is it a Fit for Municipal Government?

Creating Accountable and Efcient Government

Through Innovative Technology

Town Level Landslide Risk Assessment (GIS)

Orthoimagery Report

12:00 1:30 p.m.

Luncheon & Speaker: Future of GIS/GPS Technology inMaine

1:45 2:30 p.m. Concurrent Sessions

Using Internal Resources to Develop Data Tracking

Systems Based on Existing Microsoft Programs

Open Source Projects on a Shoestring

Presentation by Blue Marble Geographics

Crime Analysis (GIS)

1:45 3:00 p.m.

GovOfce User Group Session: A major system upgrade andother new features will be discussed at the GovOfce User GroupSession, this informative session will also include Best Practices Tips

to allow you to improve your site appearance and functionality. Thesession will also address the recent GovOfce User Survey, GoogleAnalytics and much more! If your community has a new site ad-ministrator this session is a must - the event is also open to thoseconsidering moving to GovOfce.

2:30 2:45 p.m. BREAK

2:45 3:30 p.m. Concurrent Sessions

Information Security and Communications Technology:

Protecting against fraud and unauthorized access

On-Demand Online Training

GeoParcels Panel Discussion

3:30 3:45 p.m. BREAK

3:45 to 4:00 p.m.

MEGUG Scholarship/Grant Recipient Presentations

4:15 to 4:30 p.m.

MEGUG Business Meeting

4:30 p.m.

Adjourn

Agenda and Topic Sessions

2011 Municipal Technology ConferenceThursday, March 3, 2011 Bangor Civic Center

(Sponsored by Maine Municipal Association & the Maine GIS User Group)

Registration: $65.00 (MMA Members, Non-prot, Govt Agencies, MEGUG) / $90.00 (Business Reps)Register online at: www.memun.org (click on the Technology Conference logo).

Questions & Cancellations: If you have any questions regarding registration, please call EducationalServices at 1-800-452-8786 (Augusta area, 623-8428). Notication must be given at least 72 hoursbefore the conference to receive a refund (minus processing fee). All cancellations are subject to a $10administrative fee for processing.


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People

PHOTOS: If your municipality submits a news item for the Townsman,consider sending a corresponding photo to: Eric Conrad or Jaime Clark([email protected] or [email protected])

Livermore Deputy Town ClerkAnn Gile died Jan. 2 of breast cancer.She was 54 and had worked for the

town since 2000. Portland born, Gilebegan working at the age of 10 as anewspaper carrier and never stoppedwork ing unti l she became too il l tocomplete her clerk duties. She hadlived in nearby Livermore Falls since1984.

Sangerville Selectman Harold Le-land, 82, died on Dec. 19 after servingon the board for six years. A longtimefarmer, Leland later worked as an ex-ecutive director for the U.S. Agricul-tural Stability Conservation Serviceuntil his retirement in 1988.

Dixfield Board of Selectmen ChairBettina Martin died Jan. 9 at herhome at the age of 73. Martin servedsix years on the Board of Selectmen,the last five as chair. She also servedthree years on the towns financecommittee, as well as working as ad-ministrative assistant for the GreaterDixfield school district. She also had astint as Farmington town treasurer. AHusson College graduate, Martin alsowas a self -employed businesswomanfor many years in Farmington.

Russell Mathers II, Wiltons waste-wat er treatment and water super-intendent, died Jan. 7 after a longillness. Mathers, 58, started his mu-nicipal career in 1987 as a plant op-erator. He had been on medical leavesince last November. Mathers was anartist with a great sense of humor, hisfriends said, as well as a song writerand political junkie, among manyother interests and accomplishments.

Shapleigh firefighter David Rem-ington Sr.was killed while en route to

a fire on Jan. 3 as the result of crash-ing his pickup truck on a road thatofficials called horrible and toughto negotiate. Remington, 58, lived inActon and had served as a firefighterfor Shapleigh for four years. He also isa former Portland firefighter.

Lisbon Town Council ChairmanMichael Bowie got past a recall elec-tion on Jan. 4 as voter turnout fellfar short of what the town charterrequired to unseat a councilor. Al-

though the recall recorded a vote of160-96 to unseat Bowie, the charterdictates that at least 608 voters par-

ticipate in the balloting, based on cur-rent registered voter numbers.

Portland City Clerk Linda Cohenresigned her position in early Januaryafter 10 years to start a new career inreal estate. Cohen worked as SouthPortland clerk for 12 years beforebeing hired in Maines largest city in2001.

Ralph Dwyer has been namedAshlan d town man ager, repl acin gJames Gardner, who resigned last De-cember. Dwyer was an executive with

Irving and most recently PinkhamLumber before accepting his firstmunicipal job. Gardner was recentlynamed town manager in Easton.

Portland Assistant City ManagerPatricia Finnigan has been namedacting manager while the council con-ducts a national search to find a per-manent replacement for former man-agerJoe Gray, whose retirement tookeffect on Feb. 11. Finnigan joinedthe city staff in 2007 after workingas Auburn city manager for 13 years.Finnigan, a former Bangor city coun-

cilor, did not rule out applying for themanagers job on a permanent basis.

Corinth selectmen hired TravisGould to replace Town Manager DonStrout, who retired last October after31 years. The job is Goulds first as amanager. Most recently, he workedas assessor for the towns of Palmyra,Kenduskeag, Hudson and Corinth,as well as code enforcement officerfor Palmyra. Gould started his newjob on Jan. 1 and wi ll cont inue act-ing as assessor for the town, as well

as manager and town clerk. DeputyTown Clerk Patricia Downing, whohas worked for the town for morethan 20 years, served as acting man-

ager until Goulds hiring.

Dave Johnson has been hiredby Dover-Foxcroft selectmen as the

towns new finance director and office manager, effective Feb. 28, toreplace Barbara Moore, who is retiring. Johnson, a town resident, holdsa bachelors degree in business administration and management andhas worked for the last 11 years fora Dover-Foxcroft law firm as officemanager.

Sanford Fire ChiefRaymond Paren t retired in early February afterfighting fires for more than four decades, including 30 years in the Bid

deford Fire Department, from whichhe retired as deputy chief in 1996As si sta nt Fi re Ch ie fJe ff Rowe wi lserve as acting chief until a new chiefis named.

Wald obo ro Tow n Ma na ger William Postresigned effective Jan. 11after serving the town since 2008. Finance Director Eileen Dondlingerwilserve as acting manager.

Lester Stackpole defeated fourother candidates in a special electionon Jan. 4 to fill the Orland select

man seat left vacant last Novemberafter the death of Selectman S. WayneAmes.

Scott Tilton was named managerof the town of Arundel, effective Jan1. Formerly administrative assistant tothe North Yarmouth selectmen, Tilton replacesJohn Fraser.

Joseph Youngwas named interimWi nt hr op town man ag er, eff ec tiv eJa n. 29 , re pl ac in g Cornell Knightwhi le the council looks for a permanent replacement. Young is the towns

police chief. He will appoint someoneto work as interim chief. Knight lefWinthrop af te r 12 years to becomeTopshams town manager.


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News From Around the State and City Hall

NEW ON THE WEBHere are some highlights of whats been added at www.memun.org since the last

edition of theMaine Townsman .

Technology Conference. New program information and details have been

added about the 2011 Municipal Technology Conference , which will be held at theBangor Civic Center on March 3 and is co-sponsored by MMA and the Maine GIS

User Group. Simply go to the home page and click on the Technology Conferenceicon for more information.

Revenue Sharing. Revenue sharing is a big issue in the current supplementalstate budget and in other budgets past and future. MMA staff has posted a spread-

sheet that provides town-by-town details showing how revenue-sharing funds werereduced in 2010 and how they would be affected in the supplemental budget (LD

100) as proposed.

Recycling and Composting. Outreach grants are once again available from theState Planning Ofce for municipalities that promote recycling and/or composting.

An application form is available through the website, as is contact information for

municipalities with questions. The deadline to apply for a grant is March 11.

www.memun.org

CORRECTION:

A Q&A about the roles of manag-ers, selectmen and councilors in the

January Townsman should have cited

John Bibber as a former Brunswickmanager and role model to Don Ger-rish.

Augusta: The city received one pro-posal to redevelop the famous Conyflatiron building from a Manchester

businessman who wants to turn thebuilding into shops, condos and eat-eries. A fourth floor would be addedfor housing, under the proposal. Thebidder offered to buy the building for$1 million and to spend $1.7 millionto $2.2 million to remodel the formerhigh school. Councilors will discuss theproposal at an upcoming informationalmeeting. The latest plan represents thecitys third attempt since 2009 to finda suitable proposal to save the iconic,historical building.

Gardiner: The city will begin ac-cepting credit card payments via theMaine PayPort service for municipali-ties for taxes and fees. The new servicewas launched in response to residentsrequests. The program will allow peopleto pay either at the counter or by phone,ofcials said, and eventually online.

Jay: A group of residents objectedto a proposed recycling ordinance thatwould allow offic ial s to enter privateproperty to enforce the new rules. Of-cials said the provision was intendedto permit investigation when someone

tries to illegally dump material, espe-cially waste from non-residents. Theproposed language would not allow of-cials to enter buildings. The board willreview the proposal after hearing thepublic concerns.

Limestone: Federal military contractcuts will cost the town about 40 percentof the workforce at one of its largest em-ployers, the Maine Military Authority atthe former Loring Air Force Base. Thecompany has about 350 workers whorefurbish vehicles for the Army NationalGuard and the funding cut is expectedto cause the loss of 152 jobs. The workwas paid for through budget earmarksthat did not pass Congress because ofthe withdrawal of combat troops in Iraq.The company has worked with Mainesfederal delegation to stave off layoffsover the past few years, but those effortswere unsuccessful this year.

Livermore Falls: Selectmen votedin January to retain the towns policedepartment rather than contract for

coverage by the county. The board wasasked by voters in 2010 to study whetherthe town could save money by eliminat-

ing the municipal police force and seekcoverage by the Androscoggin CountySheriffs Department. Selectmen de-cided there would not be savings, butsaid they would work to make the localdepartment even more efcient.

Palermo: A man and his son fromYork, who own property in town, mustget a variance to preserve the tree housethey built together in the towns shore-land zone last summer. The house wasbuilt without town permission and isjust 93 feet from the high water mark ofSheepscot Lake. The towns shorelandrules require all structures to be at least100 feet from the water.

Vassalboro: Selectmen are consid-ering whether to spend $10,000 to$25,000 for cameras to monitor thefour-way intersection in the town vil-lage, an area where loitering, thefts andother crimes upset residents last sum-mer. The neighborhood has createda Crime Watch program and town of-cials are seeking grant funding for thecameras, should selectmen ultimatelyagree they are worth the investment.

Wiscasset: The town has beennamed one of only 20 coolest townsin the U.S. by premier travel magazine

Arthur Frommers Budget Travel. Undercontest rules established by the maga-zine, the nominees must have been

municipalities with populations under10,000; offer an extensive art commu-nity; be located near natural resources;and provide a high quality of life. Townofcials and business owners hope thedesignation will lead to a boost in tour-ism for the Lincoln County town and itsregional neighbors.

Statewide:The State Planning Ofceis again offering $500 matching grantsto municipalities to promote recyclingand/or composting. In previous years,grants have been award for a variety ofthings such as website development,facility signage, compost workshops,videos and customized print brochures.Application deadline is March 11. Formore information and an applicationform see http://www.maine.gov/spo/recycle/index.htm or contact SuzanneDuplissis, [email protected] 207-624-6248.


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Municipal Bulletin Board

MMA TECH CONFERENCEIN BANGOR

The MMA Technology Conference

this year moves from Augusta to theBangor Civic Center, and will be heldon Thursday, March 3 in the BangorCivic Center.

The event, co-sponsored by theMaine GIS User Group, begins with reg-istration at 8 a.m. and concludes at 4:30p.m. Dick Thompson, principal consul-tant for Canadian Technology companyT4G and former Chief InformationOfcer for the State of Maine, will de-liver a keynote speech on the Futureof Municipal Government at 8:45 a.m.

Among the other topics to be cov-

ered: Cloud Computing in Maine; Ac-cessing and Using Community CensusData; and, Telecommuting: Is it a Fitfor Municipal Government? The TechConference aims to appeal to bothinformation technology professionalsand municipal managers and electedofcials.

The Tech Conference is consideredMMAs second-largest event, as it typi-cally draws upward of 300 attendees and15 to 20 exhibitors. Cost to attend is:$65 for MMA and MEGUG membersand employees from non-profit gov-

ernment agencies; $90 for businesses;and, $35 for students who show collegeidentication. Registration can be donethrough the MMA website.

TAX LIEN PROCEDURESThe Maine Municipal Tax Collec-

tors and Treasurers Association willsponsor one-day workshops on Tax LienProcedures on Feb. 28, at Jeffs Cateringin Brewer, and on March 24 at KeeleysKatering in Portland. The workshopsstart at 8:30 a.m. and conclude at 3:30p.m.

The program focuses on properprocedures in the tax lien process aswell as the proper completion of neces-sary forms. The emphasis is on the howto rather than the legal aspects of taxliens. Instructors are: Gilberte Mayo,Treasurer in Lincoln; and, Stu Marck-oon, Treasurer in Lamoine.

It is important that attendees haveMunicipal Liens Manuals and bringthem to the workshop, which costs $50for MMTCTA members and $60 for

non-members. Registration is availableonline from the MMA website. Munici-pal Liens Manuals can be purchased by

calling MMA at 1-800-452-8786, ext.2291.

MANAGERS INTERCHANGEThe 32nd Annual Statewide Man-

ager Interchange will be held on Friday,March 4 at the Best Western Black BearInn in Orono. The day-long event,sponsored by the Maine Town & CityManagement Association, begins withregistration at 8 a.m. and ends at 3:30p.m.

Cost to attend is $60, if pre-reg-istered or postmarked by Feb. 25, or

$85 after that day. There also is a $30rst-time attendee registration offer forMTCMA new managers. Registration isavailable through the MMA website.

The MTCMA has blocked rooms atthe Black Bear Inn. In making reserva-tions, be sure to mention that you arewith the MTCMA. The telephone num-ber at the inn is: 207-866-7120.

PLANNING BOARD/BOA: SOUTHPORTLAND, AUGUSTA

MMAs Legal Services Departmentwill host sessions for local Planning

Board and land use Boards of Appealmembers from 5:30 to 9 p.m. on March15 at the Embassy Suites in South Port-land and at MMAs Conference Centerin Augusta on March 23.

The workshops are designed as anintroduction for new or less experienced members but veterans may nd

an update useful as well. Among thetopics to be covered: jurisdictionaissues; conflicts of interest and biaspublic notice requirements; site visitsprocedure for decisions; and, variances

The cost is $40 for MMA membersand $60 for non-members. Registrationis available online through the MMAwebsite.

MUNICIPAL ROLES: UNIONThe Midcoast Management Asso

ciation and Town of Union will hosa workshop about the proper roles o

Selectmen, Councilors and Manageron Wednesday, April 6 at the UnionTown Hall.

The workshop, being organized byMMA, will be led by former PortlandCity Councilor and Mayor Pam Plumband by Don Gerrish, a long-time townand city manager who is now a municipal consultant with Eaton Peabody.

The workshop will begin at 6 p.mand will end at about 8 p.m. A light meawill be provided by the Town of UnionThe cost is $20 per registrant for MMAmembers and $30 for non-members

Reservations are available on a firstcome, rst-served basis through MMACommunication & Educational ServicesDepartment, which can be reached at1-800-452-8786.

MMA Personnel Services and On-site Consulting Services

MMA Personnel Services offers a wide range of specialized on-site consulting services

for our members. Personnel management and labor relations expertise is available fordirect assistance or general inqu

2011 Fluoride Article in Maine Townsman

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Transcript of 2011 Fluoride Article in Maine Townsman