Windham Town Council welcomes two new Council members and selects new Chair by Lorraine Glowczak

Clayton Haskell and Rebecca Cummings

The Windham Town Council meeting was held on Tuesday, November 14 in the Town Hall Chamber Room at 7 p.m. The meeting began with the swearing in of two newly elected council members, Rebecca Cummings (East District, term expires 2020) and Clayton Haskell (At Large, term expires 2020.)

Nominations for and elections of Council Chair, Vice-Chair as well as various committee

appointments took place and they are as follows:

Council Chairperson: Donna Chapman

Council Vice-Chair: Robert Muir

Council Parliamentarian: Dennis Welch

Appointments Committee: Jarrod Maxfield, Rebecca Cummings and Timothy Nangle

Representatives to the Windham Economic Development Corporation Board of Directors: Clayton Haskell and Jarrod Maxfield

Representative to the Public Easement Advisory Committee: Clayton Haskell

Representative to the Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee: Rebecca Cummings

Representative to the Wastewater Management Planning Advisory Committee: Jarrod Maxfield.

Public comments were presented by Gary Plummer who updated the Council on many items to include the Rotary Flower Gardens, Babb’s Covered Bridge and Windham Neighbors Helping Neighbors, of which he thanked the Council for their support.

Walter Lunt also provided public comment sharing his concern regarding the development on River
Road. As a member of the Windham Historical Society, he spoke about the historical importance of the Lot#1 Historical Marblehead stone marker and asked the Council to support the Historical Society in their efforts to make sure the marker is not relocated or removed during the construction of River Road.

Public hearing was also heard on the proposed amendments to the Surface Water Protection Ordinance strengthening water quality protection in the Highland Lake Watershed.

Highland Lake Association (HLA) leadership team member, Dennis Brown, thanked the Council for their work and efforts on the ordinance. He shared that the Falmouth Town Council is also working on Highland Lake watershed efforts. Brown asked the Windham Council to consider postponing the vote until a concerted collaboration between both towns and the HLA can take place with the goal of creating a consistent ordinance.

Highland Lake (HL) resident, John McKennan, provided suggestions and a few changes to the proposed ordinance that included deletions, additions and clarifications.

Tom Peterson, HL resident, recommended the Town of Westbrook be involved in the ordinance process also, since all three towns are part of Highland Lake. (It was later clarified that the Town of Westbrook is involved and willing to work with the Towns of Falmouth and Windham.)

Rosie Hartzler, HLA President, shared with the Council, that there will be a Science Roundtable meeting on December 1 and reiterated the importance of consistent collaboration and communication
efforts.

After the public hearing, Council member discussed and commented on the Surface Water Protection Ordinance. It was decided to postpone the vote on the ordinance until December 12.

For more information, to read minutes or to watch recordings on this or other Council meetings, go to the Town of Windham website at www.windhammaine.us.