7969-R3_ML&P_TownOfBuxton_2020-2021_Web

Town Of Buxton

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Annual Town Report July 1, 2020 – June 30, 2021

Dedication of the Annual Town Report

It is with great pleasure that this year’s Town Report is dedicated to John L. Myers Jr. John has served as Buxton’s Town Clerk for 36 consecutive years and is probably one of the most recognized faces in the Town of Buxton. As Town Clerk, John wears many hats. Roles and responsibilities include, but are not limited to, overseeing, and certifying elections, appointing town positions, preserving town records, completing motor vehicle registrations, licensing dogs, issuing vital records, and ensuring appropriate fees are collected for the town. He also oversees our Deputy Town Clerks you meet as you enter Town Hall. You may even see John performing a marriage ceremony in Town Hall every now and then. In addition to being an asset for the Town of Buxton, John is one of the most highly respected and educated Town Clerks in the State of Maine. John has been enthusiastically active in several organizations throughout the state. He is a member of the York County Clerks Association where he previously served as Vice President and President. He is currently the Treasurer for the Maine Town & City Clerks’ Association (MTCCA) and has previously served as President for MTCCA as well. John received his “Lifetime Certification” in 1999. He has been the recipient of numerous awards through MTCCA including “Town Clerk of the Year” in 2002, the “Ethelyn Stuart Marthia Award” in 2013, the “Presidents Award” in 2016 and MTCCA’s newest award – the “Lighthouse Award” in 2021 for being a beacon of light throughout the year. He also earned the title of “Certified Municipal Clerk” by the International Institute of Municipal Clerks in 2012 and received recognition with the New England Municipal Clerks Institute and Academy in 2011 for completing their 3-year educational program and received the “Lobster Award”. John is certified as a Treasurer through the Maine Municipal Tax Collectors’ and Treasurers’Association (MMTCTA). He was an instrumental member of the Building Committee for the creation of the beautiful Town Hall we have today. John’s interests and community involvement go far beyond his Town Clerk duties. He was a member of the Bonny Eagle Jaycees for 5 years where he served as President. He is currently the Secretary of the South Buxton Cemetery Association and previously served as the cemetery’s Superintendent for several years. His dedication and involvement with the cemetery led him to having a road within the cemetery named in his honor. He is heavily involved in other cemetery associations throughout Buxton as well. Believe it or not, John has been digging graves by hand for 47 years. He is a wealth of knowledge regarding Buxton’s history and has been involved in various capacities within the Buxton-Hollis Historical Society. John has been a member of the Bar Mills Community Church for 30 years where he has served as Deacon. He is currently in charge of managing the church’s finances. John is a lifelong resident of Buxton and currently resides in town with his wife, Louise. He is the father of Joshua and Nicole and a proud Beepa to Logan and Bayley. John, we truly thank you for your continued service to our town. We appreciate the help you have given to others over the years. The love you have for Buxton and the community does not go unnoticed.

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The Broad Sweep of Buxton’s Brief History By Brenton Hill, Buxton-Hollis Historical Society

The human and archaeological history of Buxton is brief in historic terms. The Laurentide Ice Sheet covered all of Maine 12,000 years ago with a mile thick sheet of ice. Glacial action bulldozed evidence of plant and animal history into the Gulf of Maine. As the ice sheet receded, it left only gravels, sand, clay and a few fossils in bedrock. However, plants and animals soon started to recolonize the land. Humans reached North America only about 20,000 years ago. The first people to come here followed herds of caribou about 5,000 years ago. The earliest evidence of those humans in Maine has been found in Bar Mills at an archaeological dig funded through federal requirements for the licensing of the Bar Mills hydroelectric dam. Another dig for the transmission line reconstruction on the Hollis side of Bar Mills has found evidence of early people on the river banks from 1,380 years ago based on radiocarbon dating and their pottery. Remains show that these early peoples ate fish, turtle, beaver, deer and an unidentified rodent. All the distinctive periods of pre-colonial civilization have been found at various sites along the Saco River. By the 1600s, the Pequawket band of the Abenaki had an established life style of summering on the coast, planting and harvesting corn, squash and beans along the Saco River in spring and fall, and spending the winter hunting around Fryeburg (Pequawket Town). Today the evidence of these first people is some archaeological materials, the Indian Cellar food storage area now under water on the Saco River, the Indian corn grindstone in Hollis Center, the Gibeon Bradbury arrowhead collection, and a few names such as Saco and Pequawket. The colonial period here starts with brief interactions with European fishermen and a series of devastating epidemics of smallpox and influenza among the first Americans. There were in New England major smallpox epidemics in 1631, 1633, 1639, 1649, 1670, 1677, 1679, 1691, 1729 and 1733. These long pandemics reduced the population by as much as 75%. In 1620 the Pilgrims founded the Plymouth colony at a deserted village which had cleared fields. Relations between the First Americans and European colonists were initially cooperative in New England as the few colonial settlers clung to small coastal sites. However, conflict developed due to the global French and British wars, proselytizing by Puritans, trade goods disputes, rum trading and vastly different concepts of land ownership by each culture. Buxton town history starts with King Philip’s War in 1695. Increasing Massachusett colonial settler populations were encroaching on the Abenaki tribes. The Wampanoag Sachem, King Philip, also called Metacomet, resisted Christianity and encroachment. After the murder of a Christian Indian and a quick hanging of the probable Indian perpetrators by the Plymouth Colony, Philip and other tribes, including the Narragansets, went to war. They nearly pushed the Massachusetts colonists back to their ocean side towns. As a percentage of population, it was one of the bloodiest wars in American history with great losses on both sides and the outcome uncertain. In 1696 King Philip was defeated and killed at Miery Swamp, ending most of the conflict in Massachusetts. His wife, a son, and other captives were sold into slavery in the West Indies. Fighting in Maine continued sporadically. The two peace Treaties of Casco (Bay) were signed in 1678 and 1703, but

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failed due to continued colonial settlement and French instigated warfare to protect Quebec. The Massachusetts government paid £40 around this time for scalps. During the war, the colonial militia was mustered on Dedham Plain with a promise of land grants if they fought well. The Massachusetts legislature did not get around to the land grants for seven townships until 1728. The future Buxton was granted to 120 veterans or their children or grandchildren in 1730. They and later grant purchasers became the Proprietors of Narraganset Township No. 1, now Buxton, with Newburyport as their initial meeting place. Gorham was Narraganset Township No. 7. The first survey for the town was done in 1733, but there was only sporadic settlement on this wild frontier as the French and Indian Wars continued. At times there were forts erected at Joy Valley Road, Pleasant Point, a site a quarter mile below Union Falls in Dayton, Fort Hill in Gorham and at Standish Corner (now Routes 25 and 35), but Buxton was abandoned for many years during the conflict. The capture of Quebec City in 1759 by the British was the event that allowed permanent settlement of Buxton. First Americans retreated to Canada where the bands mixed and many tribal identities were lost. Buxton became the scene of a land rush with the Proprietors distributing more lots. We still have Daniel Dennett’s map which shows all the initial lots in town with their early owners as of 1800. The role of the Narraganset Proprietors was to distribute the land, build roads, support the Congregational Church, and establish schools. They also contested the boundary with Scarborough for many years until the Massachusetts legislature ruled in Scarborough’s favor. As the land and boundary issues were settled, the Proprietors transitioned their functions to the town selectmen from Buxton’s incorporation in 1772 to 1811 when they disbanded. As settlers came to Buxton they built log cabins. As late as the 1790s, when stylish Federal houses were being built, about a third of Buxton houses were still log cabins. Log cabins used up to 40 cords of wood a year in inefficient fireplaces, but there was plenty of timber to be cleared for the fields needed to raise the traditional British crops of wheat, barley and flax (for oil and linen cloth) plus hay. Besides subsistence farming, timber went to small seasonal sawmills on brooks like the Little River at Groveville Road, Bog Mills Brook at the outlet of Bonny Eagle Pond, and Stackpole Brook off Simpson Road. Sheep and cattle were also important to subsistence agriculture. The need to protect the animals and their winter hay led to a major architectural change. Settlers had initially built English barns which were used for threshing and grain storage. They were replaced by the New England barn which was universal in the area until dairy barns were built after the 1880s. The New England barns were rebuilt using the posts and beams from English barns or built new with the same framing technology, but with the barn door on the gable end. The barn could be extended as the farm grew by adding bays to the end. The off center main barn door was unique. The narrow side of the barn was for the animals. The wide side was proportioned to store enough hay to feed the

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animals for the winter. Buxton’s industry around 1795 moved to the Saco River for more sawmill and gristmill power. The sawmills produced boards and shingles needed for housing, plus needed cash income. Local sawmill villages arose at Union Falls, Salmon Falls, Bar Mills, West Buxton, and Bonny Eagle. These vibrant village communities with stores, churches, schools, and blacksmith shops flourished for many years, but all of them declined for several reasons. Union Falls was initially known as Hopkinson’s Mills, with the first mill there in 1806. It was the first to decline due to being nearest Biddeford and Saco. Water rights were purchased in 1856 and a new dam was built by the Biddeford and Saco Water Company to regulate water for sawing downriver. This took away useful water times from the Union Falls mills. With the loss of the mills by 1888, the last store closed in 1890. In the 1936 flood, the last Clark Water Power dam washed away. Finally, in 1948, the Frank Skelton Dam was completed. It created a large reservoir extending to Bar Mills and Hollis Center. The power station now provides the most power output of the Saco River hydroelectric stations. The village and the spectacular Salmon Falls gorge disappeared beneath the waters. Salmon Falls was the site of the first area bridge over the Saco. Its sawmills were very active until the last of the old growth forest along the Saco River was cut by 1871. J.O.A. Harmon was the last mill manager for Salmon Falls. He also managed Bar Mills sawmills until he retired from the sawmill business in 1873. By 1879 the sawmill buildings were gone and the stores were closing. The dam was lost in later floods. Fortunately, the high land around the falls allowed the housing to survive. The village homes now comprise the Salmon Falls East and West Historic Districts on the Buxton and Hollis sides of the Saco River. Bar Mills had sawmills longer than Salmon Falls. The early Woodman and Usher mill sites were last operated by Charles McKenney. He sold water rights to the White Mountain Pulp Company in 1905, but converted his operations to a steam powered sawmill on the Hollis side of the village. There was also another steam powered mill just above the village on the Buxton side at Nason Road. The pulp mill only lasted a few years. Bar Mills village survived by diversifying first to furniture manufacturing by the Bradburys in 1868, the Shepard brothers in 1881, and then in 1900 to leatherboard, a heavy paper board product with many uses. Rogers Fibre used Bar Mills leatherboard at its shoe factories for shoe liners, but mostly sold it wholesale for many applications ranging from suitcases to car dashboard liners. It provided good employment for the area as it was a niche product without large mill competition. It remained in operation providing three shift employment throughout the 1930s depression. Leatherboard was ahead of its time as a sustainable product. The key materials were recycled newspapers and rags. The mill closed in 1980, ending an era of industry at Bar Mills. West Buxton village also survived by diversification from sawmills. The George and A.K.P. Lord sawmills did not go away entirely until construction for the hydroelectric facility in 1906, but

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diversification had started by the 1840s with wool carding by Aaron Clark and others. Carding led to full integrated woolen mill operations with large mills on both sides of the river. West Buxton produced more woolen products than Biddeford and Saco where cotton mills prevailed. The wool industry at West Buxton also competed by producing niche products such as worsted wool, flannels, and cashmere. The mills survived the conversion from water power to electric motors after the water rights were sold by Frank Hargreaves to the Portland Electric Company which ran electric streetcars in Portland. The mills did not survive fire and floods though. The Hollis side mill washed down river in the 1936 flood and the Buxton side mill burned in 1939. Ironically, West Buxton is still a large industrial site as the federal government measures industrial output by value of product. The upper and lower hydroelectric stations efficiently produce energy from the river, but with very few people compared to the bustling old mill village. Bonny Eagle village did not diversify its sawmill operations. The village was spread out among Hollis, Standish, and Buxton. It had stores, a school, an inn, and a post office, but no concentrated downtown. The sawmill business of Abijah Usher, John Lane and M.M. Came gradually declined until the flood of 1895 took out the last log and stone cribwork dam. It was not replaced until the current hydroelectric power development was built in 1910. The few operators needed to run the power station have been replaced now with modern controls and computers. The villages of Groveville and Chicopee were not based on industry, but had their heyday as community centers with stores, churches, and volunteer fire departments. After the Watson School building closed in Chicopee, the building was used as a community center. In Groveville, the upstairs hall of the old Red & White store at Turkey Lane and Groveville Road was a dance hall and community space. Villages made communities. The coming of the railroad from Portland to Bar Mills in 1855 and then over the river in 1868 to Hollis, Alfred, and Rochester N.H. was a game changer for the area economy. Better transportation allowed access to a wider world and consumer items. Less expensive western grains and cloth came by railroad. Subsistence local agricultural products like wheat and flax were replaced by more marketable farm items like cattle, sheep, apples, and milk. Iron hardware products were easily available by rail. Blacksmith work shifted to more repair work, eventually transitioning to car repair. The largest employer in Buxton around 1860 was the Hanson Coat Shop with about 1,200 employees across several towns. Fabric came on the railroad to the depot at Buxton Center and left from there as finished coats. Pattern pieces were cut at the Elden store building and delivered by wagon to local seamstresses who did piecework sewing in their homes. Another important railroad supported industry was the Page Box Shop off Depot Street in Bar Mills. Like the Hollis side pulp mill, it did enough business to have its own railroad siding. From 1892 to 1925 it used local lumber to build wooden boxes that were shipped flat on the railroad for later assembly. By 1909, it was also producing an innovative new product; cardboard boxes. The railroad gave farm people new opportunities to shop with the Sears Roebuck and other

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catalogs. Their purchases conveniently arrived at the railroad depot. Special trains ran to Portland for fall shopping. These big retail changes parallel our current experience with internet shopping. The advent of the railroad and then the telephone with Saco River Telephone & Telegraph in 1889 made the world smaller and Buxton richer. Today the internet, social media, cell phones and email provide instant communications with Federal Express, United Parcel Service, and others conveniently delivering consumer goods to our doors. Even our distinctive wood clapboard houses were affected by the ease of railroad transportation. Due to available paint technology, houses from the early 1800s had been painted mostly with earth tones. Barns were painted with the least expensive earth tone, red oxide barn red. That changed for houses with the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair. Railroads made for easy access to the fair. Many people from Buxton and all over New England attended the Great White Fair. The fair’s unifying architecture and color scheme was Greek Revival buildings in whitewash. It so impressed fair goers that Colonial houses were modified to Greek Revival styles. New England house and church colors were locked into white for over a 100 years. Railroad passenger service ran here until 1932 with feeder services from stagecoaches and a steamboat connection between Bar Mills and West Buxton. Roads out of town had not existed until about 1795. By 1932 the roads were better, but gravel at best and many were just mud in the spring. In spite of that, the automobile displaced railroad passenger service due to its greater convenience. By 1961, due to mill closings in Sanford, the local railroad line in Buxton also shut down for lack of freight. The rails and Saco River Bridge were removed for scrap. Today we only have the 1868 granite bridge piers in the river, the former Bar Mills Depot that was moved to Main Street as the Congregational Church Parish House in 1911 and some visible sections of raised grade to remind us of the railroad and the big changes that it brought. The cultural fabric of Buxton was for many years defined by its churches, civic associations and theaters. The original Congregational Church at ToryHill was the center of town life with its meeting house near the Garland Tavern. By 1800, the Baptist Society was organized with Methodists being established soon after. The Congregationalists added the North Congregational Church in 1821 and built the current church building at Tory Hill in 1822. Buxton was part of the second Great Awakening revival. A few people left with the Mormons. The Free Will Baptists built in West Buxton and Groveville. Later, Universalist Churches were established at Scarborough Corner and Bar Mills with more Baptists in Bar Mills. The surviving churches plus the later Living Waters Christians, Buddhists and Druids continue to enrich our community. Civic associations also helped defined our community life for over a 100 years from the mid-1800s to the late 1900s. Some of them at West Buxton were the Masons, Eastern Star, Odd Fellows, Rebeccas, West Buxton Fire Department Auxiliary, Library Association, magazine club, Saco River CivicAssociation, and theWest Buxton Social Club. At Buxton Center were the Knights of Pythias, Pythian Sisters, Grange, Masons and the Sugar Camp Association. The Buxon-Hollis Historical Society was established in 1970 at Elden’s Store. Bar Mills had the Grange, the Dorcas Society of Hollis and Buxton, Women’s Magazine League, Berry Library, the Redmen, the Redmen women’s Degree of Pocahontas, and the Buxton and Hollis Agricultural Society. The Grand Army of the Republic was at Bonny Eagle and the Hollis Lions club, founded in 1951, was nearby in Hollis.

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Entertainment in Buxton was meager in colonial Buxton. It was limited to singing in church, family home reading, and parlor activities. As the community grew and roads improved, public entertainment centered around civic groups. By the late 1800s, the three largest river villages, Bar Mills, West Buxton, and Bonny Eagle, all had halls for traveling entertainers and local productions. Local bands were also featured. In later years, movies were shown. Bar Mills had the Saco River Grange, now the Saco River Theater, the American Legion Hall, the Red Men’s Hall, and Sanderson’s Hall. West Buxton had the Odd Fellows Hall, Moderation Center, and the West Buxton Social Club which met at private homes. Bonny Eagle had the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) Hall. Families had home entertainment centers consisting of reed pump organs or pianos to make their own music. This started changing around 1925 with the coming of radio, again about 1950 with television and now the internet. Much of our entertainment has moved from very local and personal to the more remote and detached. Education has been a cornerstone of Buxton from the start of settlement. The first schoolmaster came to town in 1761. Massachusetts required that towns have schools which were first held in homes. By 1800, there were two permanent grammar schools, South Grammar on Old Orchard Road at Tory Hill and North Grammar on Long Plains Road at Buxton Center. As the town grew it had seventeen school districts, all with one room schools and local control. A district agent maintained the building, bought firewood and hired teachers. Due to lack of transportation, the schools were all within walking distance of the pupils. In 1888, Maine required towns to have a high school. The first one in Buxton was a one room high school over the North Grammar School. The first consolidated school was the Bar Mills Grammar School, built in 1912, now the home of the Buxton-Hollis Historical Society. By 1913 a similar building was built for Buxton High School, later the Samuel D. Hanson School at Buxton Center. After World War II, better roads, school buses and more students led to the closing of one room schools and construction of the Jack Memorial School, the Eliza Libby School and the Frank Jewett School. The 1957 Sinclair Act allowed for creation of School Administrative District 6, which soon after led to construction of the first Bonny Eagle High School in 1961. It now serves as the Middle School. The story line of Buxton has changed from a primeval forest, to wild frontier, isolated rural farming, local industries, and then a long shift after World War II to a suburban population. We use better transportation to get to work and schools. We use better communications for remote work, shopping, and entertainment. Our energy comes from remotely sourced oil, propane or electricity instead of local wood. The U.S. Census counts below show our population increasing from 1790 with more fields and farms until the Civil War exposed soldiers to a wider world. Many families went West for better soils to farm. In Buxton, local farming and industries changed, immigrants came to town, villages waxed and waned, but the population did not recover until after World War II. Our forests and fields are gradually being converted to suburban house lots without village centers. Our village centered history has been partially replaced by virtual activities. All of the historic photos throughout this book are courtesy of the Buxton-Hollis Historical Society. Many thanks to Brent for this collection of Buxton’s history.

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Today we have new challenges in energy, transportation, communication, education and the environment. These challenges also contain opportunities. Buxton has more people, better educated people and is materially richer than we have ever been before. It is our responsibility to create new concepts of villages to make our community. The full history of Buxton’s people needs many books to cover it all. If you are interested in finding out more, check the Buxton-Hollis Historical Society web site for books, genealogies, historic buildings, videos and other resources at; www.buxtonhollishistorical.org/onlineresources. html Also the BHHS museum at 100 Main Street in Bar Mills has extensive exhibits on our river villages.

1860’s Hanson Coat Shop crew at Buxton Center. Brick Eldon Store at left, SD Hanson at far right

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Rogers Fiber 1930’s Mill in Bar Mills, Cribwork Dam at left, 1890’s bridge at right.

Groveville Cash Store and Music Hall about 1890.

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Town of Buxton Selectmen’s Report 2020/2021

As with most of the nation the Town of Buxton continues to maneuver through the Covid -19 pandemic. The Town of Buxton saw the need to tighten its belt and be conscience of spending in order to keep the property taxes down. Even with this we were still able to purchase a new plow truck for the Public Works Department. The financial challenges still exist, but with five subdivisions (total of 51 new dwellings) approved this past year, the town will begin to see growth. At the annual town meeting on June 12, 2021 the town’s people voted on and approved Articles 8 and 9 for a town wide revaluation as well as digitizing our property cards. The assessors from Parker Appraisal have been going door to door collecting the information needed to reassess every property to the current fair market value. It was a struggle for our Department Heads to keep their departments fully staffed through the pandemic. Fire-Rescue, Police, Animal Control, Dispatch, and the Recreation Departments were all shorthanded, but prevailed with long hours and dedication. The Town of Buxton is proud to welcome new employees in 2020/2021 who are ready to take on the challenges of their positions. John Myers was excited to welcome Shelby St. Louis to join the staff in the front office, she has been a great asset. Police Chief Troy Cline welcomed Sergeant Kevin Collins, as well as Officers Heath Mains, Kelsey Jacobs, Nicholas LaRiviere and Krista Lee. Recreation Director Grace Bibber welcomed Caitlin Michaud to the staff of the Recreation Department. In March we were honored to celebrate John Myers and his 35 years of service with the Town of Buxton. The Town of Buxton’s Fire Chief/EMS Director Nathan Schools was presented with the Spirit of America Award for his dedication and volunteerism guiding the town through these unprecedented times of Covid-19. The Board of Selectmen would like to recognize the outstanding contribution that the town’s employees have made in sustaining and improving Buxton’s services and image. The dedication and professionalism from the Town administration is commendable. They, together with our hard working and selfless volunteers, give us a community that we can be proud of. We thank you all for making this a great community to live in.

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Buxton Board of Selectmen

_________________________ Thomas J. Peters, Selectman

_________________________ Francis E. Pulsoni, Selectman

_________________________ Mark J. Blier, Selectman

_________________________ David A. Field, Selectman

__________________________ Chad E. Poitras, Selectman

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First Buxton High School (2 nd floor) and North Grammar School (1 st floor) at Buxton Center about 1905

Buxton Grange aprox. 1905 at Loos Plains Road, currently Chap’s

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In Remembrance The Town of Buxton wishes to remember the residents in our community who passed away last year.

Alvin Ross Anderson Calvin L. Bangs David Edward Banks Elisa Jean Bartlett Barbara Ann Beckwith Carlton Leroy Berry Sandra L. Berry Susan Joy Bickford Rebecca Sarah Bodwell Anneliese K. Bonner Evelyn Marie Bourgeois Margaret M. Branam Kavin David Brice Joyce Marie Burke Rose W. Callahan William Roger Cole Daniel Thompson Collomy Richard Lee Cote Jr. Barbara Mae Cribby Norkus Richard Bradford Davis Sr. Wanda J. Dorr Bruce Melvin Emery Billie Dorothy Ferrante Arthur Cole Follis Guy Fred Gowen Sr. Bruce Allen Graham Donna J. Guillory Debra Marie Harthorne

Shawn Lee Heal Edith M. Hegarty William Timothy Hubbard Patricia L. Jackson Gerald Thomas Kinzer

Bradford Dean Ray Sr. Advah Holland Reynolds III Charlene Frances Ricci James J. Ricci Jr. Joseph John Rinaldi Emily J. Roberts Marvin Victor Rubin Virgil R. Sampson Douglas Newton Sanborn Herman Terrance Sanborn Lendell Donald Shores Brent E. Small Danny Joseph Stutes Louis Nicholas Taxiarchis Philip Rene Thomas Charles F. Thurber Theresa M. Tibbetts Patricia W. Tillson Stephen M. Van Norden John William Vedral III Richard Dean Vinton Jr. Sharyn Azalia Walsh Donald A. Warren Patricia Ann Wildes Sandra A. Williams John Vernon Wise John Karl Zeller

Levi Cook Libby III Robert Everett Libby Shirley Lee Libby

Timothy Merton Libby Ronald John Mansfield Leila Hammond Mayse Regan Matthew McCleary Lonnie McMahon Erle F. Milliken Willis Jude Moore Barbara Belle Moulton John Hays Nicely Anita Georgette Nichols Paul Raymond Nichols Edward A. Noyes Eric Carl Olson Abiodun Jerry Olubi Albert Chester Pease Madeleine T. Poissant Deborah Jean Porter Lynda Porter Craig Richard Printy Alden Harris Ramsdell Jr.

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Elected Officers, Appointed Officials, Town Employees, Boards, Committees, Commissions and Trustees (Dates shown in parenthesis indicate when term ends, Month & Year)

Elected Officers Selectmen, Assessors and Overseers of the Poor Thomas J. Peters, Chair (6/22) Francis E. Pulsoni, Vice-Chair (6/23) Mark J. Blier (6/22) David A. Field, Jr. (6/23) Chad E. Poitras (6/24) Budget Committee Sheridan W. Bennett, Chair (6/22) Richard H. Emery Jr. (6/23) Richard J. Fitzgerald (6/23) David F. Kessler (6/22) Tyler D. Ladd (6/24) Lindsey A. Atkinson (6/23) Nathan M. Carlow (6/22) Ellen H. Decotiis (6/24) Planning Board Keith A. Emery, Chair (6/24) Christopher Baldinelli, Vice Chair (6/24) Craig S. Lefebvre, Secretary (6/22) Victoria Hugo-Vidal (6/22) Scott A. Warchol, Treasurer (6/23) Town Clerk John L. Myers, Jr. (6/23) Town Meeting Moderator Hiram R. Davis Michael F. Pettis (6/24) Roger C. Tracy (6/22) Maine School Administrative District Number Six Directors

Health Officer Chad E. Poitras (12/23) Motor Vehicle Agent and Inland Fisheries & Wildlife Agent Angelia H. Michie Public Access Officer John L. Myers Jr. Selectmen’s Assistant & Welfare Director Krystal L. Dyer John L. Myers, Jr., Deputy Welfare Director Vacancy, Fair Hearing Authority Sub-Registrar for Disposition Permits James Pate (6/22) Chad E. Poitras (6/22) Tax Collector Elizabeth “LeeAnn” A. Pratt John L. Myers Jr., Office Manager Krystal L. Dyer, Accounts Payable Angela H. Michie, Deputy Town Clerk Elizabeth “LeeAnn” A. Pratt, Tax Collector Ruth M. Scheibenpflug, Assistant Clerk Shelby R. St. Louis, Deputy Town Clerk Code Enforcement Officer, Building and Plumbing Inspector Peter Gordon (4/22) Tammy M. Munson, Deputy (4/22) Kandice Talbot, Executive Assistant Kert A. Jackson, Facilities Manager Town Treasurer Kimberly Beam Town Departments Business Office

Sharleen A. Bernard Appointed Officials

Emergency Management Agency Nathan R. Schools, Director (12/23) William C. Roberts Jr., Deputy (12/23)

Recreation Department Grace Bibber, Director Caitlin Michaud, Supervisor Zachary H. Boyd, Programmer

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Elected Officers, Appointed Officials, Town Employees, Boards, Committees, Commissions and Trustees (Cont.) (Dates shown in parenthesis indicate when term ends, Month & Year)

Town Departments (continued) Fire-Rescue Department Nathan R. Schools, Chief Jeremy M. Redlon, Assistant Chief Michael Mirisola, Deputy EMS Chief Joanne C. Ward, Executive Assistant Charles Reed, Chaplain William C. Roberts, Deputy EMA Director Gene D. Harmon, Safety Officer Conrad Jellison, Deputy Chief Jacob Freeman, Fire Captain Brandon Redlon, Fire Captain Paul Yarumian, Station 1 Lieutenant Connor Redlon, Station 2 Lieutenant Matt Angus, Station 3 Lieutenant Denise Nessman, EMS Captain Michael Banker – Fire-Police Captain Dana Deering – Fire Warden Police Administration Chief Troy Cline Sergeant Kevin Collins Frank Costa, Executive Assistant Tammy Jo Girard, Court Officer/Crime Analyst Chaplain Charles Reed Daryen Granata, Evidence Room/Grant Manager Full Time Police Officers Heath Mains Krista Lee

Animal Control Bruce Reynolds

Public Works Department Kevin M. Kimball, Director Michael W. Crockett, Foreman Derek McOsker, Mechanic Charles “Ed” O’Neil Jr. Christopher E. Gaudet Christopher P. Fogg

Dale Deering Kevin Dugan John Skillings Mike Higgins Michael D. Roberts, Winter Seasonal Solid Waste & Recycling Gregory P. Heffernan, Manager Darren M. Mercier, Assistant Manager John “Jack” MacLean, Foreman Thomas S. Meserve, Booth Attendant Gabe “Rocko” Daniels, Part Time Kevlin Danis, Part Time Massimo Ruggieri, Part Time Voter Registration Ruth M. Scheibenpflug, Registrar (12/22) Jane E. Cummings, Deputy (12/22) Appointed Boards & Representatives Board of Appeals Peter D. Leavitt (12/24) Patrick J. Hanna (12/23) Jeremiah K. Ross, III (12/23) Two Vacancies Saco River Cable Committee Mark J. Blier (12/22) Vacancy Saco River Community TV Corp. Brenton R. Hill, Director (12/22) Kyle D. Durkin, Alternate (12/22)

Brian Donahue Kelsey Jacobs Nicholas LaRiviere Matthew Dahms Dispatch Staff Sami Campobasso Aubrey Pennell Jeremy Gagne Jacob Wells

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Elected Officers, Appointed Officials, Town Employees, Boards, Committees, Commissions and Trustees (Cont.) (Dates shown in parenthesis indicate when term ends, Month & Year)

Appointed Boards & Representatives, continued Saco River Corridor Commission Sadie L. Cowley (11/22) Benjamin L. Pinault (11/22) Jeremy William Miller, Alternate (11/22) Southern Maine Planning and Development Commission General Assembly Member Vacancy Alternate Member Vacancy Voter Registration Appeals Board Joan E. Plummer, Chair (12/22) Bonita J. Usher (Democrat) (2/2013) Vacancy (Republican) Trustees Berry Memorial Library Aerie Cote (12/22)

Town Farm Park Grace Bibber (12/24) Tashia L. Pinkham (12/22) Ruth M. Scheibenpflug (12/23) West Buxton Library (Trustees Not Appointed by the Selectmen) Joyce Segee, Secretary Amy Hughes, Librarian Betsy Clay Pinky Hannigan Beth Plummer Bette Robicheaw Lila Wilkins Weymouth Park (Trustees Not Appointed by the Selectmen) Bart McCrum, Chairperson Barry Plummer, Treasurer

Charles A. Elwell Robert C. Elwell

Ansel E. Stevens (12/23) Gloria J. Stevens (12/24) Valerie Messana, Librarian Bonny Eagle Park Sharleen A. Bernard (12/23) Wiley H. Hollen (12/22) Vacancy Carroll Park Trustees Needed Estes Park Mia B. Dodge (12/24) Kert A. Jackson (12/22) Randall J. Porter (12/23) Pleasant Point Park Donna P. Beal (12/24) David A. Field, Jr. (12/22) Julie A. Gamelson (12/24) Gabriel J. Gunning (12/23)

Nicholas P. Pinkham Town Committees Business Design Standards Vacancies

Cemetery Committee Carrie Johnson (12/24) Vacancies Comprehensive Plan Committee Vacancies Keep the Heat on Committee Mark J. Blier (12/22) Krystal L. Dyer (12/24) Kert A. Jackson (12/24) Scott A. Warchol (12/23) Toy Box Mia B. Dodge, Chair (12/24) Carolyn A. Snell (12/22)

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Elected Officers, Appointed Officials, Town Employees, Boards, Committees, Commissions and Trustees (Cont.) (Dates shown in parenthesis indicate when term ends, Month & Year)

State Senators Senator Donna Bailey Maine Senate District 31 3 State House Station Augusta, ME 04333

State Senate Phone: 1-800-423-6900 Senator Stacy Fielding Brenner Maine Senate District 30 3 State House Station Augusta, ME 04333 State Senate Phone: 1-800-423-6900 State Representatives Representative Mark J. Blier Maine Representative District 22 State House Phone: 1-800-423-2900 Representative Nathan M. Carlow Maine Representative District 16 2 State House Station Augusta, ME 04333 State House Phone: 1-800-423-2900 2 State House Station Augusta, ME 04333

Spruce Swamp Road, Bridge over Little River about 1905

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Buxton Fire-Rescue 185 Portland Road Buxton, ME 04093 Office (207) 929-3099

Chief Nathan Schools, EFO Assistant Chief Jeremy Redlon Deputy Chief Conrad Jellison DeputyChiefMichaelMirisola

Fax (207) 929-3076

Department Website: www.buxtonfr.org

Buxton Board of Selectmen 185 Portland Road Buxton, Maine 04093 Board of Selectmen:

It is my pleasure to submit the 2020-2021Annual Report on behalf of the Officers and Members of Buxton Fire – Rescue. As I write this report, I am reminded what we all experienced just one year ago, in the second year battling the COVID-19 Pandemic, when hope began to emerge. In late 2020, the first COVID-19 Vaccine was prioritized to First Responders across the state, and on December 23, 2020, the first members of BFR were immunized, leading our organization out of the worst of the Pandemic. As Fire-EMS services often do, BFR rose to the occasion and assisted during first responder and community-based COVID-19 Vaccine clinics in York County, eventually immunizing over a thousand people in the battle against COVID-19. As an organization, BFR’s mission shifted for several months and focused on public health. The department hosted the state’s first drive-through vaccine clinic of its kind and reached members of our community who trusted our staff with their health. Although COVID-19 ravaged many people, families, and organizations, we all were reminded that Mainers come together to get things done. It was the people that made these very important initiatives work. I was humbled to be a small part of the mission and bring hope to so many people.

During the FY 2022 Budget process the voters approved the creation of a career assistant chiefs’ position within BFR, and in late June 2021 the position was offered to the paid-on-call assistant chief, Jeremy Redlon. Assistant Chief Redlon had been with the department for over 20 years and was the perfect fit to seamlessly transition from a paid-on-call position to a career position. The priority for this position has been for the recruitment and retention (R&R) efforts of our paid-on-call membership (what many call volunteers). Aside from R&R, Assistant Chief Redlon is responsible for our maintenance program, fire suppression tanks/hydrants, and the coordinator of recruit training/education. As with many volunteer organizations, BFR has struggled with keeping people engaged and often times those volunteers fade away after initial training is completed. As a fire and emergency medical service, we struggle with retention as many other employers do. To date, our losses have not been offset by our gains, although BFR will not stop recreating ourselves to best support the organization’s mission. During FY 2021, BFR applied for and was awarded (in FY 2022) an Assistance to Firefighters Grant for the purchase and delivery of a wildland/urban interface pumper (WUI). The grant totals $450,000, with 5% of the funds coming from the Town of Buxton. The purpose of this apparatus is to replace the department’s oldest fire engine (2001 E-One) and the department’s Forestry Truck (1968 Military Surplus) with a single vehicle that can respond as a fire engine on a structure fire or a forestry engine for a brush fire. The specified W orking T o promote and protect the health abd safety of our community and first responders

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Buxton Fire-Rescue 2020-2021 Annual Report

apparatus comes to us on a 4-wheel drive Freightliner Chassis with pump and roll capabilities with seating for four firefighters. The apparatus will carry structural and wildland firefighting equipment and will respond to emergencies as assigned. When the apparatus arrives, the engine and forestry that it replaces will be decommissioned. This has been an exciting process and BFR looks forward to delivery of the apparatus in 2024.

In other apparatus news, During the Special Town Meeting on December 29, 2020, the taxpayers voted to approve spending $114,000 to re-mount the town’s 2013 ambulance box on a new chassis. The project saved nearly half the cost of an ambulance and provided the department with a truck that meets our needs. BFR will attempt this with our 2017 ambulance when the time comes for replacement. The re-chassised ambulance went into service in October 2021. During FY 2021, the department responded to 1,088 emergency calls. This number is not largely over or under previous years, although the number of fire related emergencies was 5% more than other years. This was a trend that fire departments across the country saw during the Pandemic, because people stayed home, began work from home programs which lead to increases in fire related responses. During FY 2021, the department responded to 5 working fires in Buxton, with one reported fatality. BFR has always relied on mutual/automatic aid, in recent years the need has grown and departments are working more closely to ensure fire and emergency medical emergencies are handled with the appropriate resources to mitigate hazards. The officers and members of Buxton Fire-Rescue appreciate the support that the community provides us each year. We look forward to the “new normal” as we continue to reduce COVID-19 pandemic restrictions and enjoy community related events such as our annual open house and community days. Respectfully,

Chief Nathan R. Schools, EFO

W orking T o promote and protect the health abd safety of our community and first responders

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Buxton Police Department Annual Report January 2021 – December 2021 Chief Troy A. Cline

MISSION STATEMENT “The mission of the Buxton Police Department is to uphold the law fairly and firmly: to reduce crime; to pursue and bring to justice those who break the law; to protect, help and reassure the community: and to be seen to do all this with integrity, common sense, sound judgment, teamwork and respect. We must be compassionate, courteous and patient, acting without fear, favor or prejudice to the rights of others while applying intelligent use of discretion of the law. We need to be professional, calm and restrained in the face of violence and apply only that force which is necessary to accomplish our lawful duty. We must strive to reduce the fears of the public and so far, as we can, to reflect their priorities in the action we take. It is also our mission to strengthen public confidence in the organization, develop and maintain positive relationships with the community and promote the concept of teamwork for the benefit of all, while at the same time promoting a safe and friendly community through proactive enforcement and education. We must respond to well-founded criticism with willingness for change in response to the changing needs of our community.”

Amessage from Chief Troy Cline: On behalf of the men and women of Buxton Police Department, it is my pleasure to present the Buxton Police Department’s Annual Report for the year 2021. 2021 was a year of progressive change for our agency. We welcomed Sergeant Kevin Collins to the department to oversee the patrol side of the agency and to serve as the department’s second in command. We were able to begin the process of hiring a detective and was awarded a grant by the Stanton Foundation to create the department’s first K-9 program. We began the process of accreditation which involves an in-depth look at all the department’s policies and procedures to ensure they meet the best practices in law enforcement to date. As polices are reviewed and implemented, a rigorous training program is in place to make sure staff is well trained and following these best practices. We were able to attract several seasoned officers to our team in 2021 which allowed us to enhance our patrol staff by balancing our young force with experienced officers. While many agencies continue to have challenges hiring qualified staff, we have been fortunate to attract quality candidates that have brought experience and stability to the patrol division. We created a recruitment video in 2021 that is posted on our Facebook page and we invite you to look at what Buxton PD has to offer.

ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF

Chief Troy A. Cline Sergeant Kevin Collins Executive Assistant Fausto Costa Court Officer/Crime Analyst TammyJo Girard Chaplain Charles Reed Evidence Tech Daryen Granata

While COVID still impacted some of our daily operations in the past year, we saw a transition to more normal routines and increased activities within the community. Increased activity, and higher traffic volumes than we’ve seen in the past few years, resulted in a significant increase in our Calls for Service as you will see in this year’s report. We will look forward to continuing our progressive enhancements in 2022 as we strive to protect and serve the Buxton community with pride and professionalism.

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Buxton Police Department Annual Report January 2021 – December 2021 Chief Troy A. Cline

Patrol Services:

During 2021, Buxton officers handled 19,302 calls, an increase of 97% from2020. The majority of these calls are self-initiated calls by officers and is reflective of the proactive policing philosophy of the agency. Self-initiated calls included, but was not limited to, business building checks during non-business hours, follow up investigations, specialty neighborhood patrols and traffic stops.

During 2021, officers arrested 213 individuals and issued 272 criminal summonses. There were 44 charges related to drug offenses including Drug Trafficking and Possession of Drugs to include Fentanyl. Officers confiscated and removed over $7000 worth of drugs from the community in 2021. Drug charges were down

from the previous year, likely a result of the department’s zero-tolerance policy on drugs and officers targeting known problem areas within the community. New initiatives for 2022 will allow us to continue to take strong stand against drugs and further increase our enforcement actions. Traffic violations continue to keep the department busy with officers stopping 2813 vehicles in 2021. Of those stops, officers cited 847 drivers for traffic violations and charged or arrested 107 drivers for criminal violations including 23 arrests for Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol or Drugs, and 19 charges of speeding 30mph or more above the posted limit. The most prevalent reason for traffic stops continues to be speed year after year and officers are seeing more and more motorist driving while distracted. Officers will be taking a stronger stance on enforcement actions in 2022 and encourage motorist to drive safely.

PATROL STAFF

Sergeant Kevin Collins Officer Heath Mains Officer Krista Lee Officer Brian Donahue Officer Kelsey Jacobs

Officer Nicholas LaRiviere Officer Matthew Dahms Reserve Officer Brett Smith Reserve Officer Jason Wagner

Buxton Police Department participates in the federal National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS) program, monthly reporting a summary of criminal offenses that have occurred within the community. By tracking detailed crime data, it not only allows the FBI to track offenses and trends across the country, but it also gives the police department a comprehensive view of what is occurring in town. This information allows the department to focus services and patrols in a manner that will be most beneficial to the protection of the community.

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Buxton Police Department Annual Report January 2021 – December 2021 Chief Troy A. Cline

These numbers reflect open offenses, offenses closed without a suspect as well as offenses closed with criminal charges.

Chief Cline, K-9 Officer Mains & Sgt Collins

Dispatch Services:

DISPATCH STAFF

In 2021, Buxton Communications Center logged 23,824 calls. These were calls for Police, Fire and EMS services as well as calls that did not require emergency response units such as Community Cares calls, Court Ordered Check Ins and Informational Calls as a few examples. This was a significant increase of 64% from the 14,523 calls in 2020. The members of Buxton Police Department would like to extend a special note of gratitude

Dispatcher Samantha Campobasso

Dispatcher Aubrey Pennell Dispatcher Jeremy Gagne Dispatcher Jacob Wells Dispatcher Bernice Bartlett Reserved Dispatchers: Michael Mains Lindsey Joliat Brandon Walker

Above Dispatcher Campobasso Below Dispatcher Pennell

this year to Dispatchers Samantha Campobasso and Aubrey Pennell. During the months of November and December, the dispatch center was short staffed due to open positions and new dispatchers in training. For 6 weeks, Dispatchers Campobasso and Pennell, worked 12-hour shifts, 7 days a week with only occasional relief from our reserve dispatcher pool. Their commitment to the dispatch center during this period is a testament to the outstanding dedication and pride they both bring to the job every day. We are proud to have them both as part of the Buxton PD team!

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