Friends of Midcoast Maine is comprised of local officials, planning board staffs and members, comprehensive planning committee members, local organization, and private citizens that have a unique ability to develop interest and formulate groups into local and regional coalitions. Our Board members represent a wide variety of interests, organizations and skills and live in communities up and down the coastal region. The Executive Board and the full board alternate monthly meetings and meet more frequently when needed. The Board Members include the following:
Stephen
Ryan, FMM Chair, Belfast.
Steve is President/CEO of Maine Network for Health, a provider-owned
organization specializing in healthcare business support services including
payment contracts, business office functions and quality improvement assistance.
He holds a M.S. degree in Health Care Administration from Simmons College in
Boston. Steve is active with various statewide healthcare-related boards
and committees, and volunteers in his hometown of Belfast by serving on the
city’s Planning Board and assisting with the annual Maine Celtic Celebration
which is coming up this year on July 18-20th. He lives in
Belfast with his wife, Carla, and two of their three children.
Christopher
Glass, FMM Vice Chair, Camden.
Christopher moved to Maine to practice architecture in 1970. After living in the
Rangeley area for a number of years he and his wife Rosalee moved to Camden,
where he opened his practice in 1974. He has designed numerous houses and
additions and has been active in historic preservation. For nine years he was
author and illustrator of the Newsletter for Maine Citizens for Historic
Preservation, and he is currently vice president of Maine Preservation.
For twelve years he was a member of the Maine Historic Preservation Commission.
He received the State of Maine Historic Preservation Award in 1991 and the Maine
Preservation Statewide Historic Preservation Honor Award in 2000.
Christopher taught architectural design at Bowdoin
for twenty years, and has published articles in Nexus Network Journal
(Florence, Italy),Yankee Magazine, and the Island Journal, among others. He has
a BA degree in philosophy from Haverford College, and a Master of Architecture
degree from Yale University, where he studied under Charles Moore, Vincent
Scully, and Paul Rudolph. In
his spare time, Christopher developed and is marketing an educational toy,
“Leonardo Sticks”, based on da Vinci's system for making domes from wooden
beams. He is a member of the choir of Saint Thomas' Episcopal Church in Camden,
Maine, and has served on the Diocesan Council of the Episcopal Diocese of Maine.
Jennifer
Merritt, FMM Treasurer, Waldoboro.
Jennifer grew up in southern Maine, went to Massachusetts for education
and work, and returned home to Maine about 3 years ago. She owns Enterprises of
Merritt and has been self-employed since 1993. Since her return to Maine,
Jennifer has accepted and is serving in leadership roles in her community. She
is serving her second year as President of the Waldoboro Business Association
and her second year as the Gateway One steering committee alternate for
Waldoboro. She has strong interests in economic development, land use,
affordable housing and transportation.
Betsy Clemens Saltonstall, Rockport. Betsy has served the Midcoast Maine community in a variety of capacities throughout the years as a Rockport School Board representative, Comprehensive Planning Committee member, Pen Bay YMCA’s Sailfish swim team parent group president, Center for Women’s Policy and current board member of Emerge Maine, all contribute towards her knowledge and enthusiasm for the Midcoast Maine area, where she is currently organizing Pen Bay Healthcare’s community capital campaign to build a Birth Center and Hospice House.
She’s called the Pen Bay community her home since
1972, watching and participating in many changes that have occurred in the area
throughout those years. She obtained her Masters in Educational Media from
Boston University and completed undergraduate work at Drew University, she is
presently studying for advanced degree in non-profit management at the Muskie
Center for Public Policy
Misty Gorski
Parker, Dresden. Misty Parker
holds a B.S. in Environmental Studies from UMaine Machias and a Masters in
Resource Management and Conservation from Antioch University New England.
Through her education and work, Parker has focused on building a more
sustainable relationship between the built and natural environment throughout
New England.
Currently, Parker serves as the Town Planner for
Wiscasset where she focuses on community development, site review and economic
development. With the cancellation of the bypass project in Wiscasset, Parker is
working with ME DOT on a collaborative master planning process for the Route 1
commercial corridor to facilitate sustainable development that promotes economic
development opportunities as well as efficient traffic movement.
Previously as Planning and Development Director for
the town of Waldoboro, Parker focused on promoting economic growth and
development within the town that is complimentary to the quality of life and
needs of the community. As part of her time in Waldoboro, Parker worked with the
Economic Development Committee to develop a revitalization plan for downtown
Waldoboro that met the needs and financial constraints of the rural community.
This master plan, developed in partnership with the consultant team of Rodney
Lynch, Denis Lachman, and Regina Leonard, received the Maine Association of
Planner’s Plan of the Year Award in 2012.
Prior
to moving to Maine, Parker played an active role in New Hampshire’s Community
Technical Assistance Program (CTAP) helping communities within the I-93 corridor
meet the wide range of challenges facing the region, including
increasing transportation needs, economic development, infrastructure
improvements, environmental pressures and preserving quality of life,
by providing
technical assistance and access to tools for innovative land-use planning.
Parker
lives in Dresden with her husband and two dogs. She enjoys backpacking, fly
fishing, paddling, gardening and exploring the forest behind her home.
Robin Mayer, Damariscotta.
Roberta (Robin) Mayer
is currently Principal at Mayer & Associates, a strategic communications
consulting firm that focuses primarily on traffic safety.
She has participated in a number of assessments of State occupant
protection and impaired driving programs, and has assisted in the development
and updating traffic safety curricula, websites, and guildebooks on a variety of
topics. She also provides services
as a copywriter, technical editor, and social media trainer, and is a
contributing writer for several newspapers.
She currently serves as the communications and public relations manager
for the Damariscotta Pumpkinfest & Regatta.
Mayer was elected to a three-year term of the Damariscotta, Maine, Board of
Selectmen in 2012. In addition to
her regular duties, she represents the Town of Damariscotta on the Lincoln
County Route 1 Corridor Management Committee.
She also is a member of the Friends of Midcoast Maine Ambassador program.
Prior to her election to the Board of Selectman, Mayer was the chairman
of the Damariscotta Planning Advisory Committee.
Rodney
Melanson, Newcastle. For the past six years Rod
Melanson has served as the Natural Resource/ Assistant Planner for the Town of
Topsham. His work in Topsham has spanned the planning spectrum from
directing Topsham's Historic Preservation Commission to developing the
Town's Natural Areas Plan. Rod is an executive board member of the Maine
Association of Planners. He graduated from the Muskie School of Public Service
in 2004, and "cut his teeth" in the planning profession with the Friends of
Midcoast Maine in helping to coordinate the Lincoln County Initiative (Smart
Growth Endorsement Program). Prior to exploring the planning profession, Rod was
an educator and trip leader at the Chewonki Foundation where he lead sea
kayaking trips which began in Wiscasset, and ended in Northeast
Harbor....affording a unique perspective of the Midcoast area. Rod lives with
his wife Danielle and son Eli in Newcastle.
JoAnn Myers,
Waldoboro. JoAnn is a current
Secretary of MOFGA board, past Chair and Vice Chair of the Waldoboro Planning
Board, past board member of the Medomak Valley Land Trust and a farmer. She has
been involved in rural health care development with her husband, for most of
their adult lives and is an anthropologist. The farm is certified organic and
they raise heritage breeds of fiber animals and are involved in the fiber
industry in Maine. JoAnn has also been involved with and participates in
Maine Fiber Arts.
Wayne & Jo Ann Myers’ Beau Chemin Preservation
Farm, begun in 1998, is in Waldoboro. The farm itself is very old. All things
that grow from the soil for livestock or human consumption are certified organic
as are the laying hens. They operate a small visitor farm and we pick/you-pick
farmstand with an emphasis on heirloom vegetables and flowers, endangered
heritage breeds of livestock and wool from their heritage breeds of sheep. They
find that one way to raise awareness about organic practices and biodiversity in
vegetables and livestock is by opening the farm to visitors and talking with
people. Pre-farm, Jo & Wayne worked on developing & sustaining rural health
care. Wayne continues this as a volunteer and consultant with a broader view to
general rural policy here and overseas. Jo is on the local planning board, and
the Medomak Valley Land Trust Board. They believe that maintaining a sustainable
(not there yet) farm operation is one way to contribute to rural community
viability.
Michael Tomko, Boothbay Harbor: Michael Tomko is a recent addition
to the Maine community, but has not wasted any time immersing in community
development & local improvement initiatives. Since arriving in the Fall of 2007,
he’s pursued his passion for civic participation by joining numerous volunteer
organizations & been appointed to a variety of local & regional committees.
For the last 6 years, Michael has served on the Boothbay Harbor Planning
Board and been its Chair for the past 4. He prides himself on being able to
guide his neighbors & local businesses through the application process with fair
and helpful reviews, while working to keep his town viable and help preserve its
heritage.
In the Fall, 2012 with the help of the Friends of
Midcoast Maine, Mike worked to launch a Walkability Workshop to grow the local
economy, and enhance the community. To further those efforts, he applied for and
was awarded a $2K grant, along with monies pledged by the Towns of Boothbay and
Boothbay Harbor to launch a Regional Branding Initiative for the Boothbay
Peninsula.
Michael currently serves on the Exec Board of the
Lincoln County Regional Planning Commission, the BBH Comprehensive Planning
Committee and numerous other sub-committees, including the BBH Bicycle
Pedestrian Plan, Route 27 Corridor Committee, & Lincoln County Sea Level Rise
Committee. You will also see him attending many of his Town's Selectmen
meetings.
Advisory Board
Jan
Anderson, Belfast: A lifelong resident of Belfast, Jan has had many local
roles including farmer, city councilor and business developer. With her
business partners Tony Kelley and Wayne Snyder, Jan started Coastal Farms Food
Processing, a $2 million food processing, storage and distribution center
located in Belfast in the past production facility of Moss Fabrics on Route 1.
Coastal Farms & Foods is available for farmers and growers from within a
100-mile radius of Belfast to take advantage of the opportunity to use Coastal
Farms’ tunnel freezers, kitchens and processing space to add value to their
products. "We will create and provide the infrastructure for farmers to store
their vegetable products here, and for food entrepreneurs to take the vegetables
and do a value-added food product," according to Ms. Anderson.
Stephen A
Cole, Damariscotta. Steve is the
Community Development Director, Coastal Enterprises, Inc., B.A. Brown
University, Masters in Regional Planning, University of Massachusetts, Amherst.
Has an extensive background in land use, environmental planning and
community-based development. He manages CEI’s Sustainable Economic Development
Initiative, a place-based project to promote and implement sustainable economic
development in Lincoln County. Steve lives in Damariscotta with his wife and two
children.
Evan Richert,
Bangor. Evan Richert is associate research professor in the Muskie School of
Public Service, University of Southern Maine. In this capacity he directs the
Gulf of Maine Program of the Census of Marine Life, teaches graduate courses in
land use planning, and is a consultant to state and local governments.
From 1995 to 2002, Evan served as Director of the Maine State Planning
Office under Governor Angus S. King. Evan also chaired the cabinet-level Land
and Water Resources Council, the Land for Maine's Future Board, and represented
Maine on the international Gulf of Maine Council on the Marine Environment,
which he chaired for two years. Prior to his appointment to the State Planning
Office, Evan was co-owner and president of Market Decisions, Inc., a planning
consulting firm, and was Planning Director for the City of South Portland,
Maine. He is the founding president of the Gulf of Maine Ocean Observing System
and is on the boards of directors of Maine Coast Heritage Trust, the New England
Forestry Foundation, and Grow Smart Maine. Evan has a Master of Regional
Planning degree from Syracuse University and is a member of the American
Institute of Certified Planners.
Rep. John F.
Piotti, Unity. Maine House of Representatives, Director of the Maine Farms
Project, which provides support services to small-scale farmers, retailers and
processors through a variety of programs. Previously, John was an independent
consultant and Associate Director of the Maine Science & Technology Commission.
John has degrees in engineering, public policy and management from MIT.
John is an active resident of Unity, Maine and is active in Unity
BarnRaisers.
Mary Kate Reny, Bremen.
Mary Kate received a B.A. in Geography and Environmental Studies from
U.C. Santa Barbara, and a Community Planning and Development Masters Degree from
the Muskie School in Portland, Maine. Mary Kate is an Advisory Board member of
the Maine Downtown Center, is a Board member of the Damariscotta Region Chamber
of Commerce and is active in the Damariscotta Region Business Alliance.
Mary Kate is employed at the Renys Headquarters in Newcastle, and lives in
Bremen, Maine with her husband Bob.
Staff
includes a full-time Executive Director and 3 part time staff support staff
(planner, web master and bookkeeping.)
Jane
Bechtel Lafleur, FMM Executive Director,
Camden.
Jane grew up in Lewiston, Maine and
has been a city and regional planner since 1981. She served as Town Planner in
Conway, New Hampshire and as City Planner in South Burlington Vermont as well as
a private planning consultant. She graduated from the University of Maine at
Orono and received her master's degree in City and Regional Planning from
Harvard University. Jane lives in Camden.