NORWAY — When Dennis Lajoie was hired by Norway to become its town manager five-and-a-half years ago, in addition to the regular infrastructure, budget and administration challenges one future, major, issue lay down the road, waiting for the right time.

The majority of the town’s department heads were approaching retirement age, each having worked for Norway anywhere from 20 to more than 40 years. By Lajoie’s own long-term plans, he would exit the workforce at the same time. The parks and recreation department, police and fire departments, highway and department, clerk’s office and administration – close to 200 collective years of seven people’s institutional knowledge – departs in 2022.

“When I came on in 2017, I knew there was a lot of senior staff who would retire over the next number of years,” Lajoie told the Advertiser Democrat as he winds down his own tenure. “I gave the town an 18-month notice. And I gave them a giant spreadsheet of all the positions and when they should be filled, including my own, and a plan of how the hiring process should go. As well as some of the other projects I was working on that would be completed, moved along or in a good place to turn over to someone else.”

Now, the transition has begun. By Dec. 31, many familiar faces at Norway’s town office will no longer be conducting its business.

Town Clerk

Shirley Boyce

For more than 25 years, Norway has benefited from Shirley Boyce’s expertise as Town Clerk. Prior to becoming town clerk as served as deputy town clerk and deputy tax collector.

Boyce started working for the town in November of 1977. She has worked with three town managers I that time – Larry Todd, David Holt and currently, Dennis Lajoie.

What has changed during her tenure?

“Elections are the part of the job that has changed the most,” she says. “There is more paperwork and more accountability.” The increase in accountability, she says, is a good thing.

“I remember hand counting votes…I believe the [first] machine was brought by Donald McAllister, town manager before Larry. We were the first town in Maine to have one.”

Boyce says that computers have come in [since she started] as well as software.

“We have software now to balance taxes. We used to do it by hand with a calculator! It [software] makes it easier but also more complicated.”

She recalls when the town office was over the old fire station on Main Street.

“Back then, anyone in need of General Assistance came in and sat down with the town manager. The police department has grown from an 8’ x 8’ office with three or four cops and the chief. Now there’s a bevy of them! (Eight full time plus reserve officers.)

She recalls when Bob Butters was Code Enforcement Officer, Election Inspector and Fire Chief.

“I had to train and learn how to be an assessor – it was such a small area we learned each other’s jobs.”

In 2009, Boyce was appointed a dedimus justice by the governor. She sought the appointment on her own after realizing there were none close by. (Dedimus Justices perform a single function under Maine statute, that of swearing in various public officials, including Notaries Public. The office is a lifetime appointment by the Governor. Boyce can swear in both local and state officials.) Now there are around 15 in the tri-town area.

“I considered getting passports here but then probate did,” she says.

Boyce has always gone the extra mile which includes feeding the lobby fish and watering the flowers outside.

As town clerk she handles elections, birth, death and marriage certificates, is deputy tax collector and handles liens, foreclosures and sending things out to bid. She also takes minutes for the planning board.

“On any given the day the phone will ring with someone needing help with something.”

Often, it’s with genealogy records and Boyce will help them search. Or maybe it’s a question about why a neighbor’s bees are all around a swimming pool. (The neighbor needs to supply a water source.)

Many calls are what she calls “turtle calls”.

“Turtles can lay eggs in odd places,” she explains noting that Fire Chief Dennis Yates and her husband Jimmy Boyce are “turtle masters” and often called to help.

“Once we found two to three baby turtles on the town hall lawn and we moved them to the creek across the [busy] road.”

Oh and she and Yates also feed area cats in the town office yard.

“You take a call for something strange,” she explains, “and you can either shut it down or help.” Boyce helps.

Once of the hardest things she recalls having to deal with was the loss of Bob Butters. “He was an iconic person who died on the job.”

“Elections are also difficult and more so now because of the political climate. There is less respect, people question integrity and it’s a very intense time for clerks who have to do that [elections] as well as their regular work.

“The younger voters are not so emotional about voting in person but to the older generation, it is important to vote in person.”

Her best recollection is her coworkers. “I have been very lucky. My coworkers as very good – we have a really good team.”

“I got to see Winona Palmer become the first woman on the select board and Phemie Russell become the second woman on there. But there are still not a lot.”

At only 66 Boyce says she is retiring to have flexibility to “do things while I still can. You never know when it’s your turn for a health crisis. A planned exit,” she explains, “is better for the town.”

As president of Responsible Pet Care for which she has volunteered for 22 years and busy working with her daughter’s ice cream and fudge business, Boyce will be busy.

Fire Chief

Dennis Yates

Seventy-two-year-old Norway Fire Chief Dennis Yates is usually first on the scene regardless of where in Norway the fire might be. For 48 years Yates has been an active member of the fire department beginning on March 3, 1974. On March 5, he was sent into a burning building. He had no training and no air pack. In fact, it wasn’t until 1990 that he was able to get Firefighter I training and in 2008 he was finally able to take both Firefighter I and II.

Yates grew up in Waterford until 6^th grade when his family moved to Norway to care for relatives.

He joined the Norway Police Department in the ‘70s and served as a police officer for three years. He has, he said, also worked at Longleys and as a tractor-trailer driver. In 2013 he became Fire Chief for Norway.

“Someone asked at town meeting, ‘why not a full time fire chief?’ and the approximately 100 people attending, by the end of the meeting, had voted to have a full time chief.” Yates recalls. They voted Yates to fill that role. A few years later, the position became an appointed position.

A stickler for training, he and his department take advantage of training offered them. Yates is certified in hazmat, ice water rescue, as a hazmat instructor/technician and has been through many fire chief courses. Indeed, Yates has books filled with his training certificates.

Yates will step down as Chief on December 30.

“My body is not as great as it used to be,” he explains, “I’m getting tired. Time for some younger blood.”

Father of sons – Tim and Steve – and step-children – Amy Morin, Shane Holbrook, Jeremy and Tracy Daniels – Yates and his wife Christine who is also a member of the NFD will still serve Norway as regular members of the fire department. As of March 2024, Yates will have served 50 years.

Since Yates joined the department, it has replaced its 1948 Buffalo trucks and modernized its fleet. It has new air packs, a tower truck, ice rescue equipment, animal oxygen, a six-wheeler and a four-wheeler for brush/forest fires, a boat for water rescue, the Jaws of Life and a smoke house. The tower truck, which Yates was responsible for procuring, came loaded with equipment.

“In a couple of years,” says Yates, we will be getting a heavy-duty rescue truck. I am high on maintenance and our trucks and equipment last.”

When Yates joined the department, anyone could volunteer and there was no training required. Now, he says, everyone must take Firefighter I and II. The department follows the protocol of the Bureau of Labor and Standards which also audits it to ensure safety.

His worst experience was a fatal fire – the only one during his tenure. His best experience? “When we could make someone’s day happy,” he smiles.

“It’s been a privilege to serve the town … I love this town.”

Yates says the department and town staff are like a family.

“I have always worked with good people and have great men and women under me. I wish I had done it [joined the NFD] 25 years earlier!”

Town Manager

Dennis Lajoie

A veteran of financial management and construction projects, Dennis Lajoie was hired by the town of Norway after a 32-year career with Community Concepts. He had several roles there, from real estate development to administration functions like human resources, to founding and leading Community Concepts Finance Corp., which was the lending division of the organization.

“I was director of development,” Lajoie said. “Lots of construction management, like affordable housing development, office building development, day cares. I had a pretty strong background in grant writing, so when I came in here [Norway], I knew my experience would be easily transferable to for profit work, or a municipality.

“While at Community Concepts I actually worked here for two years in 1988-89 when Norway had a million dollar community development block grant. I picked the color of the roof here [at the town office]. I was here before the building was. I knew some of the staff and the town.”

Lajoie’s experience in road building made taking on the responsibilities of road commissioner, which involved working with a consulting engineer and town leaders on major infrastructure projects a smooth transition. He has overseen the $3.3 million dollar construction of Norway’s new 20,000 square foot public works facility, started in 2020 and completed this year.  He led the town through two years of the pandemic, noting that

He has partnered with the Center for an Ecology-Based Economy to incorporate energy efficient and money-saving practices in town infrastructure. This year he has focused on updating Norway’s comprehensive plan ahead of new leadership taking its reins. Currently, through grants, Norway is partnering with CEBE to analyze climate impacts on the community’s population groups, like seniors and low-income families; and also identifying infrastructure areas that can be affected by climate change events like flooding and droughts.

“When I gave my notice, back in June of 2021, I was a little freaked out,” he said. “It seemed like my wife Victoria’s and my planning seemed to be lining up. Our goal was to put ourselves in position to retire by a certain time, and then make a decision if we would, then do it. We had talked about it, but then it was time.”

The Lajoies ultimately decided to stick with their plans for retirement, along with Norway’s other town leaders. Several positions have been filled from within. Others, including his own, are in the screening and interview phases. And a few, including fire chief and recreation director roles, are being advertised.

Lajoie has also had to make plans for a few curve balls after the town’s code officer departed at the beginning of the year and the assessor recently left to work for the town of Bethel.

But Dec. 30 will mark a hard stop for him and he looks forward to changing gears. He will be able to take the time to visit his family members in Alabama and California. He is in the process of helping his elderly mother move from her home in Rhode Island to a place in Oxford Hills. While his son finishes out his education at University of Maine – Orono, Lajoie will fill his time between home improvement projects and working for Victoria’s jewelry business.

“It’s been fun, and a lot of work,” Lajoie said. “The town manager role fits my personality. But I’m ready for retirement.”

Highway Foreman Art Chappell

Norway’s Highway Foreman Art Chappell was the first of Norway’s municipal leaders to depart for retirement. He wrapped up his service to the town on June 1. Introverted by nature, Chappell managed to avoid a sit-down with the Advertiser Democrat to discuss his career and retirement plans.

“I’m not sure you’ll be able to get him to talk,” Lajoie correctly predicted.

But while he proved to be too shadowy to interview, Chappell remains an occasional employee. When the town needs help and he is available, Chappell has continued working, running the road grader.

Police Chief

Rob Federico

In eight short years, Rob Federico went from a part-time reserve officer to Chief of Police in Norway. What some have called a meteoric rise, Federico simply shrugs off. “I started in August of ’96 as a part-time reserve officer,” he says, and then in August of ’97 went to full-time patrol officer. In ’98 I graduated from the Maine Criminal Justice Academy and was promoted to Sergeant and field training officer in ’99, detective in 2000 and chief in 2004.”

Law enforcement was never Federico’s career plan. A graduate of Cheverus High School in Portland, he has lived in Scarborough, Raymond, Harrison and then moved to Paris in 1990 with his wife Jeanne. A licensed Maine Master Plumber, father of five – three boys, two girls – the 39-year-old Federico was a supervisor at Cornwall Industries a wood manufacturing plant when his son Robbie joined the Explorers. Taking the seven-year-old to play floor hockey on Sunday afternoons, gave him the opportunity to meet cops.

“One asked me to ride with him and I thought it was awesome! (My wife did not…)”

He never looked back.

“I was hired by Norway Police and Paris Police departments at the same time. Paris sponsored me at reserve school – which is 100 hours of training – and I graduated in ’95. I worked at the jail part time from 1995-1997 when I was hired full time by Norway Police Dept. Oh, and I was also the plumbing inspector for Paris.”

Federico says things have changed in the department since he became chief. NPD has added a drug investigator, a school resource officer and a K-9 unit. It has started Project Sandbox, bringing sand to the elderly in the winter, officers do their reports and keep records on a computer (they used to write everything by hand when he started).

“If you had lousy penmanship the DA’s Office didn’t like it,” he laughs.

“We were the first department in the county to have mobile data terminals in the cruisers. We worked with Modern Waves to figure out how to do that in Oxford County – we used air cards.” (He explains these are basically cell phones.)  They also had thermal printers in the cars. “Our first cell phones were bag phones…big clunky things in a bag. Before that we had to use pay phones with a phone card.”

During his tenure, pepper spray replaced batons, then Tasers replaced pepper spray. The cruisers became equipped with cameras. Most of these improvements, as well as the SRO and drug investigator, were possible because of the grants Federico got. The K-9 unit was possible because of private donations.

Federico also began a program for rotating the cruisers every three years through a leasing dealership in Gorham under a federal program. “This enables us to have two cars of the same year, make and model with low mileage then the cars rotate to the detective and chief for another year which helps keep the budget steady.”

Other programs begun under Federico’s tutelage include the bicycle safety day, car seat safety, drug take back (“before anyone else did it”), outdoor festival ordinance and the disorderly house ordinance.

“The biggest thing was the Explorer program with Paris,” he says.

So what was the best experience of his 26 years serving Norway?

“The Walking School bus. Jeannie and I were at Daddio’s having lunch one day and the waitress said ‘you probably don’t remember me but I was on the walking school bus and that made such an impression on me about law enforcement.’

“There are also the really proud moments at the Academy when you watch your officers graduate.

“The worse, though, are the child abuse cases … they really stick with you.”

So what will the 65-year-old guitar playing, retired chief and master plumber be doing?

“We have all kinds of things to do together, my wife has retired also. I’ll be making [maple] syrup, spending time at our camp, and traveling. We’ll go see the kids in Pittsburg and Kansas.”

Federico has worked under two town managers – David Holts and Dennis Lajoie.

“I am really fortunate that this town has been so supportive of this dept., we have never been questioned about our abilities. I have a great respect for a lot of people in this town who do things quietly to help the town. There’s a lot of history here and a lot of cool people…it’s very diverse.

“I really appreciate the confidence the citizens have had in me.”

Head Mechanic

Donnie Upton

Donnie Upton has been turning wrenches for Norway’s Highway Department since 1987. Except for a stint in the U.S. Army after high school, Upton is a lifelong resident and worked mostly around Oxford Hills. After he retires next month he does not expect to go too far away. “”I’ll be back to visit,” he said. “Hell, yes.”

Over 35 years, a lot has changed and two of the most important things Upton has seen are the weather and technology.

“Big change in weather,” Upton said. “When we had snowstorms? We had snowstorms. We had one storm we were out there for a little more than two days straight. You don’t see those nowadays. You see more rain now than you did then. It’s harder on equipment, you’re using a lot more salt and corrosive material to keep the rain from turning to ice. It’s been a long time since we’ve done 48 hours.”

The work has changed over time as well. Upton said when he first joined Norway’s town crew, the plows did not go out until there was four inches of snow accumulated. The routes were longer too, with three routes in the countryside and one in town.

“Technology has taught us, that’s the wrong thing to do,” he said. “That four inches is already compacted to an inch of ice. Now, the first snowflake hits the ground you go out there. It has helped cut down on our hours.”

Back then he ran wing on the Pike’s Hill, Thomas Hills, Milletville, Pleasant Street, Around the Pond and Upton Brothers road.

The most recent change, and one that Upton says he will miss, is the brand new town garage large enough so that every highway department truck can be parked inside for repairs and maintenance no matter the temperature or the weather.

“I’ll miss the camaraderie with the crew,” Upton said. “When it comes right down to it, everyone’s here until the job is done.”

Upton’s last day on the job was this week; by the time the newspaper is out he expects to be off on a camping trip with his wife Ruth. And for him, preparing for winter this year means getting their snowmobiles ready for the trails instead of making sure town plow trucks are fit for snowstorms.

“We’ve got a couple of brand new machines,” he said. “With very few miles on them.”

Parks & Rec. Director

Debra Partridge

Norway will lose its patron of community activities at the end of 2022 when longtime Parks & Recreation Director Debra Partridge retires.

A good portion of the community likely cannot remember a time when Partridge has not been the person in charge of making Norway a fun place to be a kid. She has been a fixture in the rec. department since the early-1990s when a friend invited her to volunteer on its committee, which then supported summer league baseball and softball teams but little else.

As more communities and activities were organized over the years, Partridge was appointed as recreation director, first in a part-time capacity starting in 1996 and eventually becoming full-time in 2001.

Today Norway Parks & Recreation is a far cry from the volunteer group that scheduled little league games. It supports a variety of athletic fields and courts, a lakeside park with a fitness trail and beach at Pennesseewassee Lake, an ice-skating rink, and oversees grounds maintenance of public areas, town cemeteries and village flowerbeds.

“We had a very active committee,” said Partridge of Norway Recreation’s early days. “We were an advisory group. My charge was recreational programs and special events. Then it expanded from there.”

Expansion was necessary; in 1998 Norway lost its playing fields which located at the Oxford County Fairgrounds in Oxford, when the space had to be used to expand the agricultural fair.

“We had to find someplace else to play,” Partridge recalled. “And it’s not easy to find flat space in Norway.”

Norway had to negotiate developing playing fields on land it already owned but leased to Central Maine Power. The end result was a space large enough for baseball, softball, tee-ball and soccer games.

Shortly after that expansion Partridge tackled transitioning Lake Pennesseewassee Park from state ownership to become a town-owned and managed park.

“They [the state] didn’t really have funds to put into it,” Partridge explained. “The YMCA had a satellite program they ran there so people felt like the YMCA owned it. That was in ’98, too. I was still part-time.

“I went through the Legislature to change it from the state to the town. I had to go to Augusta three times to speak before their committee as to why we wanted to do it. It took over a year to accomplish.”

Local elected officials Rick Bennett and Tom Windsor helped Partridge work through the red tape. The park is a big asset to Norway’s quality of family life. Partridge oversaw its rejuvenation, removing the old playground and replacing it with updated and safer equipment, funded by New Balance and built with volunteer labor from its employees as well as Norway residents. That was in 2006.

“I remember, it was a Tuesday, and we had over 60 volunteers,” she said. “That was incredible for during the week.”

The playground has over 40 elements and sections appropriate for different age groups of kids. In 2008 New Balance again underwrote park improvements, adding a fitness trail with eight standalone stations along the pathways.

Currently Partridge is working with New Balance to refurbish the Cottage Street double tennis court and move the parking area to accommodate a stand-alone basketball court.

“It will be an incredible court,” she said. “It was played on a lot as it was, but now it will be something.”

A particular area where Partridge feels pride is that all Norway recreation and sporting facilities are open not just to residents but to the public at large.

“That was a stipulation that I was very thankful for about Lake Pennesseewassee Park,” she said. “The state said it should be open to everyone regardless of residence. And it must always remain recreation.

“Most town beaches around Oxford Hills are restricted to residents only. That’s crazy, everything should be open. And everything [we have] is free. The only fee we charge is for the tennis court, and we do that because the surface is sensitive and fees help maintain it.

The tennis court is not free, but it also is not paid for with taxpayer dollars. The court was built almost 50 years ago with federal grants, and repairs and maintenance are covered by a family charitable trust.

The Cottage Street courts renovation will be completed soon. Ribbon cutting is projected to take place next month.

And even though she soon retires, Partridge is still advocating for more recreation. She is working on a project to build a nine-hole disk golf course. She is also working on a grant for more expansion at the Cottage Street courts, this time to add pickleball.

Post-retirement Partridge looks forward to doing some recreation for herself, exploring different areas around New England. She also anticipates visiting with extended family living in Massachusetts and North Carolina. She feels especially fortunate that she can spend more time with her mother, who at 96 still lives independently in Scarborough.

There is plenty Partridge will miss, from the families who benefit from Norway’s expansive recreation activities to being the person who gets to test out playground equipment at the park.

“I like to see people enjoying themselves,” she said. “When you see that spark on a child’s face when they catch the ball in tee-ball or hit it off the tee for the first time. That smile. In the swim program when they’ve finally got that stroke down and they feel good about. To see that face light up, it’s just incredible.

“And Halloween, I love it anyway. We started Norway Downtown Halloween in 2005. The person walking down the street, you had no idea who they were. But everyone enjoys the event and being out with their kids and other families. Now whole families dress up. Once you get the parents totally engaged … if they are part of it they have a lot more fun, and they stay longer.”

 

 

 

Copy the Story Link

Comments are not available on this story.