TUESDAY Lhe BReweR r g g isi JULY 22, 1986 Vol. 1, No. 10 989-1895 3 5 c Serving Brewer, Orrington, Eddington and Holden Brewer Finance Director Wins Split Decision at City Council M A n BREWER — The Brewer City Ad-Hoc Committee to Study the to be passed at an official council “ haven’t got their feet wet” in ci­ Council, in an informal decision, Finance Department’s recom­ meeting rather than a budget ses­ ty affairs and they “ have to study voted 3-2 to retain the city mendation that the position of sion, the council’s decision is not the departments more.” finance director, Virgil Pratt, at a finance director be eliminated. final. However, the vote to retain Councilor Sherman Harr­ special budget session Monday Currently, the finance director Pratt’s salary in the finance ington, who voted along with night in the Brewer Auditorium. earns approximately $31,000. department budget assures his Doughty, said it “would be ter- At the Monday meeting, which position until such an ordinance was moved from the city council is proposed and passed. “We don’t have the in­ chambers as it soon became over­ City Manager Harold Parks “We’ve been called call­ testinal fortitude to say crowded, numerous citizens reiterated his view that he ed jellyfish, wooden pegs, yes or no.” spoke for and against retaining “ respectfully, but firmly and wafflers, and some the finance director. disagrees” with the committee’s councilors are all three.” Sherman Harrington Brewer resident Charles recommendation to eliminate the Butera, who spoke in favor of finance director. Parks said that __________ Larry Doughty eliminating Pratt’s position, ask­ a move to substitute the position Instead, the council decided to ed “If our money is being so of treasurer for finance director ribly redundant not to use the give City Manager Harold Parks wisely invested, how come our would make him “the ultimate recommendations of the Ad-Hoc 30 days to study the roles of the taxes keep going up]” finance director,” a job Parks Committee.” tax collection branch of the Other residents felt differently, said he neither has the time nor Councilor Ronald Harriman Roland “Mac” LaPierre (right), owner of Mac’s Market, and Mary-Jo and finance department and decide including one who charged that the legal and financial knowledge said he wanted to “ leave.things as Dale Tozier, who recently purchased the South Brewer store and re-opened it whether it should be a separate the Ad-Hoc Committee’s “lack to perform efficiently. they are” but also suggested that as Tozier’s Market. department with its own depart­ of substantiation” of its findings Councilor Jerry Hudson, said the city manager to investigate ment head. led him to believe that the com­ he preferred to leave the the “ friction that currently exists At a budget session Friday, Ju­ mittee’s recommendation was “ a director’s position “ as it is” and between departments.” Har­ ly 18, councilor Larry Doughty way around the city manager’s warned against personality con­ riman said he thought the move proposed that the position of authority to get rid of a person flicts entering into city council would be a positive step. Brewer Landmark Changes Hands finance director be replaced by a rather than a position.” decisions. “ Whatever it is, we’ve recognized treasurer at a salary of between Because eliminating a position Hudson told the three junior the problem and we’re willing to • BREWER — 74-year-old Roland aprons, the two men have been WWII. He returned to Mac’s $20-21,000. Doughty said his or changing a city employee’s job councilors, Doughty, Harr­ LaPierre had announced the sale of familiar fixtures on South Main Market after a short stint in Con­ proposal was in response to the description requires an ordinance ington, and Harriman, that they (see Council page 10) Mac’s Market on South Main Street for the last four decades. A necticut and has been as much a fix­ Street. The familiar landmark for stroke on March 17 of this year put ture on South Main Steet as the almost half a century has been sold LaPierre “ on the side lines,” and streetlights. to a couple from Bucksport and has prompted the sale of the store. The new owners of Mac’s South Brewer Traffic Rerouted Again become Tozier’s Market. The Interviewed on the top set of Market are Mary-Jo and Dale store’s origin dates back to the wooden stairs leading to the main Tozier of Bucksport. Tozier has BREWER — Beginning Monday, South Main St. via Pendleton St. hurt their business considerably had probably an oversight,” Doane 1880s when Bangor and Brewer floor of the market, “ Rollie” to his been in the grocery business with July 21, traffic near the construc­ Under the new system, local traffic they expressed resentment that the said, “ I think the meeting they had were booming, rough and tumble friends and “Mac” to his his father since his graduation from tion area on South Main Street in and vehicles travelling to the decision was made without their in­ was geard toward Stan Israel (the timber towns. customers, for many years looked Bucksport High School and plans to South Brewer will be alternating businesses in the construction area put. owner of Epstein’s). I don’t think The neighborhood store got its out at the neighborhood he served modernize the market. “ We will one way, moving northward to will still be allowed to pass through Gerry Doane of B&L Auto Parts he (Stan) was too concerned about name in 1938 when Millard most of his adult life. upgrade the lines and change a few Brewer from 7 a m. to noon and the detour. said he was never notified of the us,” Doane said. MacLaughlin, Roland LaPierre’s “ The last time they worked on things around, but we want to re­ southward toward Orrington in the The change was enacted after a meeting that took place at Epstein’s Doane said he was also upset that uncle, bought the store from Frank the street was in ’38. Anzie Rogers main a quaint neighborhood store, afternoon, the Brewer Police Chief meeting between South Brewer store, where the decision to make ;his firm’s name was left off the W. Wentworth. Roland LaPierre was the contractor at the time.” almost a country store in town,’.’ announced recently. businesses, the police chief, the city the one-way southbound detour was sign announcing businesses in the bought the store from his mother in The, lifelong resident of Brewer In a few weeks the old sign David Roman said the policy will manager, and Bruce Wardwell, of made. Doane said the detour had detour area. City Manager Harold 1949 and had operated it until the was bom at 129 South Main Street, “ Mac’s Market” will come down supercede the traffic pattern begun Ward well Construction, the con­ reduced his business by 15 percent. Parks said B&L Auto Parts’ name sale. Homer James Strang assisted “ right across from where the fire and be repainted as “ Tozier’s on July 3 when the vehicles were tractors of the road reconstruction ‘ ‘Our decrease in business began would be put on the sign. Mr. LaPierre in the store for 39 and police station are today,” Market.” And with the stroke of a only allowed to travel southbound project. The meeting was held when the detour went in," Doane Sheldon Cote, owner of Brewer years. graduated from Brewer High paintbrush, an era will come to an during the time when road con­ Monday night, July 14 at City Hall. said. Exxon, said he thought the alter- Dressed in their white grocer’s School in 1930 and served in end on South Main Street. struction was taking place. North­ At the meeting, numerous South Doane said he was “ irate” that bound traffic was detoured up Elm Brewer business people said the he wasn’t notified of the meeting St. to Parkway South and back to one-way southbound detour had (see Detour page 10) that took place at Epstein’s. “ It was Lemf order Settlement Reached on Construction Moratorium Breaks BREWER — After months of Harriman also expressed his wouldn’t call 239 families an ex- needy families to seek private hous­ wrangling, the Brewer City Coun­ doubts that there was a need for horbitant number,” she said. ing and still receive subsidies. Ground in cil voted 3 - 1 to authorize a settle­ more subsidized housing in the ci­ Igoe also disagreed with However, the authority must first ment with the Brewer Housing ty. “ 1 haven't talked to anyone statements made by Harriman that inspect the apartment and see that it Brewer Authority to end a lawsuit filed besides the BHA who feels there is the presence of the authority’s meets the proper health and safety against the city by the authority. a need for more subsidized housing housing prevented the “ private sec­ standards before the certificates are The lawsuit sought to overturn a in the city,” he said. tor” from providing housing where issued. BREWER — The Lemforder Cor­ vote by the council that placed a However, the executive director needed in the city. Igoe said the only private poration broke ground Wednes­ moratorium on the construction of of the Brewer Housing Authority “ We’ve talked to local landlords landlords that are adversely af­ day, July 16, on a $22 million ex­ new public housing in the city. The disputed that statement, saying and asked them if they’ve been fected by the authority are those pansion at its plant in the East- Brewer Development Director Donna Thornton being in­ settlement stipulates that in ex­ there is a “substantial waiting list” hindered by our presence.