Link to November 22 Boston Globe article, "Maine’s GOP star burns hot. Fiery governor-elect LePage evokes admiration, worry".
Excerpt: In Waterville, he [Governor-elect Paul LePage] is known as a budget slasher, tax cutter, and blunt talker. To Ellen W. Richmond, the owner of a children’s bookstore across the street from City Hall, he is something else: “He’s a bully,’’ she said.
Richmond, a Republican who says she usually looks for libertarian candidates, said that when she e-mailed local leaders asking that they help upgrade the old library, LePage’s response was dismissive, flippantly painting those who disagreed with his opposition to the project as out-of-towners. [Fortunately, the project has moved forward in spite of his opposition.] Richmond said she worries he will lose his composure on a bigger stage and reinforce a stereotype that Maine is a backwater.
Thomas R.W. Longstaff, a retired Colby College professor and Waterville city councilor who was recently elected as a Democrat in the Legislature, said LePage “is really used to being the boss,’’ and “if you go along with him, everything runs very smoothly.’’
Link to October 12 Morning Sentinel article, "Waterville library gets $400,000 Alfond challenge grant".
Excerpt: The Harold Alfond Foundation has given a $400,000 matching challenge grant to complete the Waterville Public Library’s renovation and expansion project.
For every dollar the library raises, the foundation will donate $2, for up to a total of $300,000, according to Library Director Sarah Sugden.
If the library raises $150,000 by Jan. 15, the foundation will pitch in an additional $100,000 bonus.
“It’s a phenomenal opportunity,” Sugden said Tuesday. “They’ve (Alfond Foundation) never funded public libraries before, so this is amazing. We take it as a real vote of confidence by the Harold Alfond Foundation in this project.”
The funds will be used to furnish the newly-renovated library, which Sugden says is expected to be completed this fall; library officials will be better able to maintain collections, to keep them safe and secure; wood trim in the building will be refinished; and equipment such as circulation software will be purchased to allow for less transaction time at the desk, she said.
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