About Us
Our Mission
The Livermore Falls Betterment Group (LFBG) seeks to revitalize the downtown village area both economically and esthetically.
Acting in accordance with the Comprehensive Plan of 2002 approved by the town, and the Pierce Atwood Planning Study and Revitalization Plan, approved by the Board of Selectmen in 2004, LFBG wishes to create an inviting atmosphere in the downtown village area which will draw in new sources of retail and services. In the process, LFBG will help Livermore Falls develop a more diversified economy, while retaining a small-town/village feel. Recently, with Livermore Falls' acceptance into the Square One Program of the Maine Downtown Center, we also have agreed to organize ourselves according to the four-point principles of the Maine Street Maine Program.
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Betterment Group Board
President
Jackie Knight- Livermore Falls Selectmen
Jackie Knight
is currently running a Childcare Business in
her home in Livermore Falls. She is Licensed
and Certified by the State of Maine and will
be graduating June 1st from Andover College with
an Associates Degree in Early Childhood Education.
She is currently the Chairman of the Board of
Selectmen in Livermore Falls, a volunteer
for the Jay Fire Dept Auxiliary, and has coached
High School Cheering for three years. She has
been active in the Area Youth Sports Program,
being Secretary, Vice President and member. Jackie
came to Livermore Falls 17 years ago and loves
Livermore Falls and feels as though she has grown
up here. Jackie has been married to her husband
Richard for almost 19 years, and they have two
sons Corey 16, Craig 14, daughter Michelle 25
and granddaughter Alyssa who is four.
Vice
President
John Ross- Kimber & Ross
Inc
John became a
part of the Livermore Falls Downtown Betterment
Group, as a member of Kimber & Ross Inc.,
a property management company, headquartered
in Livermore Falls since 2005. Kimber & Ross
Inc., has a real estate management portfolio
throughout Maine , with a high concentration
in Western and Central Maine . John helped form
Kimber & Ross Inc., after many years at RF
Integration Inc., of Lowell , Massachusetts as
a Director and Software Engineering Manager.
Prior to RF Integration, John worked as a Software
Engineer at Hittite Microwave Corporation (NASDAQ:
HITT), and held several positions at Teradyne
Inc. (NYSE:TER). John began his career as a Project
Manager with Johnson/Bartel a joint venture of
two international construction firms. John is
an active member of community improvement organizations,
projects and events such as The Jay, Livermore,
Livermore Falls Chamber of Commerce, the LF Downtown
Betterment Group, LF History Night, and the Apple
Pumpkin Festival. He is currently the Vice Chairman
of the Jay, Livermore , Livermore Falls Chamber
of Commerce, Chair of the Visitor's Guide Committee
and a member of the Economic Development and
Apple Pumpkin Committees of the chamber.
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Treasurer
Gordon Flint- Regional Vice-President of Androscoggin Savings
Bank
Gordie has over
38 years of experience in all facets of Trust
and Investment, Consumer, Private and Commercial
Banking. Based in Livermore Falls and Jay, he
directs commercial banking and new business development
activities in the greater Franklin County region.
He is a graduate of Bowdoin College , and attended
the National Graduate Trust School at Northwestern
University . He has held senior management and
lending positions at Norstar Bank, Fleet Bank
of Maine and United Kingfield Bank prior to joining
Androscoggin Bank in November, 2003. A long-time
resident of the Farmington/Wilton area, currently
residing in Wilton , he has been a senior banker
in the Franklin County region for over 24 years.
A four time winner of the prestigious FAME Dirigo
award, he has previously served as a Director
of the former Brighton Medical Center in Portland
as well as a past Treasurer, Vice-Chair and chair
of Franklin Memorial, and many other area community
and non-profit organizations. He is currently
a Director of the Franklin County Children's
Task Force and the Tri-County United Way, Treasurer
of the Farmington Ski Club for over 14 years,
President of the Jay-Livermore Falls Rotary Club,
Treasurer of the Livermore Falls Downtown Betterment
Group, LLC, Trustee of the Franklin County Community
Action Property Trust, member of the ACVOG Revolving
Loan Committee, the AVCOG Brownfield's Steering
Committee and the Western Mountains Alliance
Agricultural Loan Fund Committee. Until February,
2006, he was a Director and Treasurer of the
Western Mountains Alliance. He and he and his
wife, Patricia, were Co-Chairs of the 2004-2005
Tri-Valley United Way Campaign of which he is
currently the Director. An enthusiastic booster
for prudent economic development in the Franklin
County region for many years, his personal hobbies
include fly fishing, golf and all outdoor recreational
pursuits.
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Secretary
Marilyn Grant
Marilyn, is a life-time local citizen, having
moved to Livermore Falls four years ago.
She is currently working her tenth year
at Wausau Paper Company as Administrative
Assistant to the Vice President of Operations.
She was previously employed (for twenty-seven
years) by The Knowlton & McLeary Company in
Farmington, Maine. Her various titles at The Knowlton & McLeary
Company included: Bookkeeper, Office Manager, Purchasing
Agent, Cost Estimating Manager and Business Manager.
She has previously served as Treasurer of the Mt. Blue
Community Concert Association, was Treasurer and Board
Member of the Maine Graphic Arts Association, Board member
of Franklin County Credit Union and the Mt. Blue Women's
Bowling Association. She is currently serving as Secretary
of The Livermore Falls Downtown Betterment Group and
the Main Street Maine Grant Application Committee. Marilyn
is an active supporter of the Big Brothers/Big Sisters child
mentoring program, and has personally had a “little sister” for
the past two years. She is a graduate of Rockland District
High School in Rockland, Maine and attended The Universities
of Maine in Augusta and Farmington . Marilyn supports
many local projects and events, working to improve the
local economy and downtown aesthetics through active
participation. Marilyn has two grown children and five
grandchildren.
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Tricia
Cook- Western Mountains Alliance
Originally from
southern Maine , Tricia moved to Livermore Falls
ten years ago after receiving a BA in Women's
Studies from the University of Southern Maine
. She is currently finishing a BS in Public Administration
from the University of Maine in Augusta . Tricia
works for the Western Mountains Alliance, a non-profit
grassroots organization whose mission is to promote
sustainable community and economic development
in western Maine . Before her work with the Alliance
, Tricia worked in Adult Education for ten years.
Her primary focus was basic literacy, family
literacy and advocacy. Today she continues to
work with families as a parent educator for the
Franklin County Children's Task Force. Tricia
sits on the board of Mt Blue TV and on the steering
committee of Maurer Meals, whose mission is to
raise money for the Justin A. Maurer Memorial
Scholarship at UMF while raising awareness of
activities necessary to improve local community
health nutritionally, economically, environmentally
and spiritually. Tricia also runs a small sewing
business from her home called Get-Up Again ,
which sells unique apparel and functional art
handcrafted from reclaimed garments, textiles
and personal treasures. Tricia is proud to bring
her passion for community, beauty and sustainability
to her work with the Livermore Falls Downtown
Betterment Group.
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Michele
Coates- Central Maine Power
Michele Coates
is the Field Service Supervisor for the Northern
Region of Central Maine Power Company. She holds
a BSBA from Husson College . Michele was previously
employed at Forster, Inc. where she worked at
the Craft Service Coordinator for 6 years. Michele
was a United Way of the Tri Valley area board
member from 2001 to 2007, serving as Treasurer
in 2006.
Michele grew
up in Wilton and attended Mount Blue High School
, graduating in 1985. She currently lives in
Livermore Falls with her husband, Frank and twins,
Bailey and Brandon. Michele has resided in Livermore
Falls for the last 18 years. Through her work
with the Livermore Falls Downtown Betterment
Group, she is committed to making Livermore Falls
a town where her children will be proud to grow
up.
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Gary
Knight- State Representative, District 81
Gary is a life-long
member of the Livermore Falls community. He is
a graduate of LFHS, earned his BA in Economics
at Colby College , his MBA from USM and is a
graduate of the School of Banking at Williams
College . He recently retired from Androscoggin
Bank (after eight years as their Executive VP
and Senior Trust Officer). Gary had previously
spent 36 years with Livermore Falls Trust, finishing
his career in this "hometown" bank" as
its President and CEO. Gary has been a very active
member of the community serving on many boards
and committees including MSAD #36, Franklin Memorial
Hospital, CES, Inc. and Evergreen Behavioral
Services. He is very involved with youth; serving
Spruce Mountain, AYS and the Boys Scouts. He
currently represents District #81 in the 123rd
Maine State Legislature. Gary is married with
two grown children and has five grandchildren.
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Phil
Poirier- Photographer, Musician,
Protean Graphics Web Design
Phil was born
in Rumford, and graduated in 1976 with a BFA
in Art from the University of Maine, Portland/Gorham.
A past President of the Betterment Group, Phil
has offered his professional services in support
of LF History Night, Chamber of Commerce Visitor
Guides, The Apple Pumpkin Festival, and The Norlands
Living History Center, among others. Phil
was co-recipient of the Jay-Livermore-Livermore
Falls Chamber of Commerce Member of the Year
Award for 2007.
A recipient of
the Monhegan Artists' Residency Fellowship in
1996, Phil formerly served on the Board
of the Monhegan Artists' Residency Corporation,
the Livermore Falls Planning Board and is currently
an advisory board member for Portland Trails,
an urban land trust. Phil was a founding member
and past president of the Maine Outdoor Adventure
Club, an outing club some 1,000 members strong,
with chapters in Bangor and Portland. He has
designed and maintained many local web sites
for towns and non-profits including Livermore
Falls, Jay, Spruce Mountain Ski Slope, and Maine's
Paper and Heritage Museum.
Phil camps and
backpacks year-round, always taking a camera.
He has recorded CD's of his original music, and
from time to time, plays his original music out
at coffeehouses. After 30 years of residing in
the Portland area, Phil chose to return to his
roots in the foothills of the western mountains
of Maine , and has spent the last four years
as a volunteer focusing on revitalizing
the local economy.
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David
Sanders- Attorney at Law
David was born
and raised in the State of New York; and currently
resides in Mount Vernon, Maine, with wife, Daphne
Sanders. They have three children, Abigail, Aaron,
and Meena. Abigail is presently in medical school,
Aaron and Meena both in college. Attorney Sanders
received his B.A. from Syracuse University,
Syracuse , NY in 1971 and his J.D.
from the University of San Diego School of Law,
San Diego, CA in 1974. From 1976-77 he served
as State of Maine Prosecutorial District Three,
District Attorney's Office, Farmington, Maine.
From 1977-87, he was in a Private Practice Partnership
with William A. Rowe, Esquire, Livermore Falls
, Maine . From 1988 to the present, he has been
Sole Practitioner, in Livermore Falls,
Maine, General Practice of Law, including domestic
relations, criminal defense, civil litigation,
personal injury litigation, real estate, and
is Title Insurance Agent for Ticor, Title
Insurance Company.
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Kathleen
Szostek- e-PRO, Realtor®, Keller Williams
Realty Mid Maine
Kathleen was
top salesperson in her real estate office in
2006 prior to joining Keller Williams Realty
Mid Maine in March of 2007. The company's agent-centric
culture emphasizes access to leading-edge education
and promotes an economic model that rewards them
as stakeholders and partners. Using
these resources to serve clients in Androscoggin,
Franklin and Oxford counties, Kathleen brings
a strong property marketing focus to her work
with sellers and an unquestioned partnership
to serve the best interests of all her clients—buyers
and sellers alike. Kathleen, a product of rural
Maine, spent her early years on a dairy farm
in Albion. She is a graduate of Goddard College
, Plainfield, Vermont and received an M.S. Ed
from the University of Southern Maine. She spent
many of her young adult years between Boston,
MA and rural Maine —and returned to Maine ‘finally'
in 2001.
With her husband
of 22 years, Fran, Kathleen moved to Livermore
Falls in the fall of 2003. She has served on
the Apple Pumpkin Planning Committee, is a member
of the Jay-Livermore-Livermore Falls Chamber
of Commerce for which she was Secretary in 2007,
the Livermore Falls Planning Board, Vice President
of Western Mountains Women's Connection and is
Chairing the Livermore Falls History Night 2008
Committee. Kathleen is a 6 year member of Lewiston-Auburn
Toastmasters where she has held the roles of
President, VP of Public Relations and Treasurer.
She serves as PR and Logistics Director for the
creative and inspiring Frantasia Festival of
Out Music and Arts, an annual August event for
which her husband is originator and creative
director.
Heartfelt contribution
for Kathleen is a joint commitment: to help others
to
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Heidi
Wilde- Artist
Heidi was born
in Massachusetts and raised in southern Maine.
She graduated from South Portland High School
in 1973. After high school Heidi worked in the
private sector until 1991 when she began working
for the U.S. Probation Office as a Procurement
Specialist. Heidi resigned in 2002 to pursue
a career as an artist, forming her business,
Wilde Accents. In 2004 Heidi and her partner,
Phil Poirier, also an artist, moved to Livermore
Falls to allow more time for their creative work.
In January, 2007 one of Heidi's reverse painted
windows was accepted into the juried “ Area
Artists 2007” show at the Atrium Art Gallery
at USM in Lewiston-Auburn, Maine. She then went
on to a six week show, “Life in a Window” at
Coffee by Design in Portland, Maine. Each summer
Heidi participates in selected art shows and
in 2007 received several awards for her art work.
Heidi is a member of Artworks, Upcountry Artists,
Routes to Success (a program for entrepreneurs),
has served on the Board of the Maine Outdoor
Adventure Club and taught glass painting in the
local Learning Opportunities Center in Livermore
Falls. Heidi joined the Livermore Falls Downtown
Betterment Group in 2007 and has been intimately
involved in many LFDBG projects over the past
year. Heidi's other interests include hiking,
backpacking and gardening. Heidi has two grown
sons who live in Portland, Maine and Astoria,
NY.
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Members
at Large
Alison
Hagerstrom is the Executive Director
for Greater Franklin Development Corporation
and resides in Farmington . She holds a BS
in Secondary Education from the University
of Maine at Farmington . In September 2006,
Alison was chosen as The Franklin Journal and
Livermore Falls Advertiser's first-ever "Person
of the Year". Alison is a former business
owner with over 20 years of manufacturing and
management experience. Her company, MTE, Inc.
located in Farmington, manufactured wiring
harnesses and other electrical sub-assembles
for the electronics industry. Alison served
on the Plus 1 Small Business Committee created
by former Governor Angus King and in June 1991,
she received the University of Maine at Farmington
Alumni Association's Alumni Achievement
Award . Prior to becoming the executive
director, Alison was employed by SCI in Augusta
as a program manager and later consulted with
Franklin Memorial Hospital on a software development
project. Alison currently serves on the University
of Maine at Farmington 's Board of Visitors,
the United Way of the Tri-Valley Area Board
of Directors, and is past treasurer for Mission
at the Eastward, a position she has held for
eight years. Alison is also a member of the
Farmington Rotary Club. Alison has enthusiastically
supported the various efforts of the Livermore
Falls Downtown Betterment Group.
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Claire
Laverdiere is a resident of Jay and
has been employed as an educator for many years
in the central Maine area. A graduate of UMF
with a Bachelor’s Degree in Science,
she is currently working on her Master’s
Degree in Counseling.
Claire was an
elementary school teacher and also worked for
a non profit organization called The Maine Parent
Federation as a parent educator. She worked for
Central Maine Community College as an Admissions
Counselor and for Mt. Blue High School in the
Guidance Department. Currently she manages her
own business, “Educational Solutions” catering
to individual educational needs of all levels
and genres.
Claire is the
mother of two daughters, Amy a graduate of MIT
and a successful biotechnology engineer who is
earning her MBA at Duke University. Her younger
daughter, Donna is a graduate of Tufts University
and has her Masters Degree from Duke in Public
Policy. She also has two stepsons, Bob and Mark,
businessmen in central Maine, and two grandsons.
Claire is the
educator for the Paper and Heritage Museum of
Maine and is a member of Delta Kappa Gamma, an
honorary teacher’s society. She lives with
her husband, Robert Michaud, Legislative Law
Librarian for the Maine Legislator.
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Martin
Puckett has served as town manager
of Livermore Falls since his appointment in
December of 2005. Martin holds a BA in
Public Management and a Master's Degree in
Public Administration from the University of
Maine. His background includes project
development and public policy research. Martin
is a member of the Maine Municipal Association
and International City Manager Association.
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Paul
Soucie has been involved in the financial
industry for over 21 years. At Androscoggin
Bank, he currently serves as Vice President,
Commercial Lender in the Livermore Falls branch.
Before working for the bank Paul served as
the Town Manager for several Maine communities.
Because of his education and experience in
government, one of Paul's specialties is public
sector / local government lending.
Graduating with
his bachelors degree in Public Management, Paul
later attained a Masters degree in Public Administration
from the University of Maine at Orono. Paul also
attended and graduated from the New England School
of Banking at Williams College located in Massachusetts
.
Paul Soucie has
been involved in the financial industry for over
21 years. At Androscoggin Bank, he currently
serves as Vice President, Commercial Lender in
the Livermore Falls branch. Before working for
the bank Paul served as the Town Manager for
several Maine communities. Because of his education
and experience in government, one of Paul’s
specialties is public sector / local government
lending.
Graduating with
his bachelors degree in Public Management, Paul
later attained a Masters degree in Public Administration
from the University of Maine at Orono. Paul also
attended and graduated from the New England School
of Banking at Williams College located in Massachusetts.
Paul has been
active in the Western Maine region for many years
and has been involved in the leadership of a
variety of civic and non-profit organizations.
He is currently a member of the Franklin Community
Health Network / Franklin Memorial Hospital Board
of Directors and serves Treasurer of the Jay – Livermore – Livermore
Falls Chamber of Commerce. Paul is a native of
Maine and was raised in Old Town. For the past
25 years, he and his wife have resided in Wilton.
In his spare time, Paul enjoys golf, woodworking,
billiards and music.
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Tanya
Swain serves as executive director
of the Western Mountains Alliance; a community
economic development organization located in
Farmington. WMA serves four western Maine counties
with a grassroots leadership program and projects
for 2007, supporting local agriculture and
resource conservation and planning. Prior to
her position at the Alliance, Tanya worked
as a regional coordinator for the Maine Community
Foundation where she staffed three grant- making
committees. Her background includes public
relations and journalism; including serving
several years as the editor of a weekly western
Maine newspaper. She is currently pursuing
a Masters in Public Policy and Management at
the Muskie School; University of Southern Maine
in Portland, and holds a BA in Political Science
from the University of Washington in Seattle.
She lives in Farmington with her husband and
two daughters.
