David Cole has been the Town Manager in Gorham since 1994. He remembers a photo in an early issue of the Times showing him with his wife and then young children shortly after he started here. His children, like the Town of Gorham, have grown quite a bit since then.
Photo credit Roger MarchandCole noted that the challenge for Gorham has been managing the growth of the town and reconciling the differing opinions about what was in the best interest of the town. Cole noted that Gorham “is fortunate to be growing” as towns that do not grow tend to be deteriorating, adding that “other communities might like to have these growth problems.”
Residential property owners pay property taxes based on the assessed value of their property but these taxes do not cover the costs of education and public safety which are subsidized by businesses. For that reason, Cole reiterated the importance of business growth as well. Gorham is looking for more density in housing which means less land and infrastructure. Homes that are closer together are more economical for Gorham than those that are spread out, but like everything, this concept has both pluses and minuses.
One of the many challenges for Cole has been having the Town’s infrastructure keep up with its growth. In 1999, the Town Council did a study of the Town’s facilities laying out deficiencies that needed to be addressed. Over the years, the Town Council has addressed these issues and authorized both new and repurposed facilities.
Starting that transformation, a new Public Works building was authorized in 1999. In 2004, Baxter Memorial Library underwent a major expansion which included other improvements. In 2006, a new Middle School was built and the former Shaw School became the new Municipal Center. In 2011, Great Falls Elementary School opened.
The construction of a new Police Station as well as an upgrade to the current the Public Safety Building took place in 2016. Along with equipment for the Fire, Police and Public Works, the addition of new roads and athletic fields has also been necessary to keep up with the growth of the town.
The Bernard Rines Bypass, which connects Rt. 114 to Rt. 202 and Rt. 25, opened in 2008 after 55 years and 16 studies. Cole hopes that the proposed turnpike spur from Exit 45 to the Rines Bypass will not take as long to come to completion.
Cole is proud of Gorham, the fastest growing town in Maine, and views it as a “good place to live with good schools.” He expects the town will continue to expand and notes there is still plenty of room for more growth. He commended the Town’s employees as being both very productive and able to do more than other communities with fewer staff.
Cole expects he may do some consulting work after his retirement. He also hopes to travel more with his wife, Kathy, but plans to remain in Gorham for the foreseeable future.
The Town Council held a special meeting on March 20 to begin discussing the process of selecting a new Town Manager.