S. Portland councilor elected new head of MMA

South Portland City Councilor Linda Cohen was recently sworn in as president of the Maine Municipal Association. Effective Jan. 1, 2018, she will lead the 12-member executive committee that steers MMA on operational and budgeting priorities.

Cohen noted that MMA is working on an ambitious campaign to reach out to young people in Maine and beyond the state’s borders, encouraging them to consider careers in municipal government and to think about running for local office.

Cohen has served as a council member in South Portland since 2012 and was mayor of Maine’s fourth-largest municipality in 2014-15. She has experience in the banking and real estate industries and served as municipal clerk for the city of Portland from 2001-11 and in South Portland from 1989-2001.

She has also held code enforcement, assessing and police positions. Cohen is a University of Southern Maine graduate with a degree in business administration. She also holds a degree in law enforcement from Southern Maine Community College.

Founded in 1936, the MMA is a member-service organization to which 485 municipalities in Maine belong. It has a core belief that local government is a fundamental component of a democratic system of government. MMA’s services include advocacy, education, and professional legal and personnel advisory services.

Mid Coast Hospital Auxiliary holds annual meeting

More than 50 members of the Mid Coast Hospital Auxiliary met Oct. 11 for their annual meeting and brunch at Brunswick Hotel and Tavern. The event highlighted the 2017 accomplishments of the Auxiliary, as well as the election of new board members and contributions by the Auxiliary to priority projects at Mid Coast Hospital.

“The Auxiliary is vital to our commitment to healthcare excellence as we work to keep healthcare costs as low as possible,” said Lois Skillings, president and CEO of Mid Coast–Parkview Health. “We are so grateful to for your dedication and continued support.”

In 2017, the Mid Coast Hospital Auxiliary raised more than $125,000 at four major fundraisers held throughout the year. At the meeting, Mid Coast Hospital Auxiliary outgoing president Cyndy Bush awarded a check for $60,000 to Skillings as a contribution toward the MRI machine being installed at the hospital.

The meeting also highlighted incoming board members, which include Joyce Morgan of Brunswick as the incoming president, and Diane Field of Harpswell, Catherine Johnson of Brunswick and Lynn Shipway of Bath as new members of the board of directors.

Hires, promotions, appointments

The Salvation Army has announced new officers have been appointed to serve the Portland Corps. Maj. Kim D’Amaro is the new corps officer/area coordinator, and Lts. Reginald and Marie Ardrine Montour are assistant corps officers. D’Amaro has 24 years of service as an officer in The Salvation Army, having served in New Hampshire, Ohio, Kentucky, Massachusetts and at the Army’s Territorial Headquarters in West Nyack, New York.

Recognition

The Manufacturers Association of Maine has received the Program of the Year Award from the Northeast Economic Development Association for its Defense Diversification Program. Through the pilot program, MAMe helps defense-dependent companies assess their product offerings and provide technical assistance to open doors to new and emerging markets. As part of the program, MAMe has helped eight Maine companies diversify their manufacturing capabilities and sell into new commercial sectors. 

Certified

Maryann Glidden of South Portland has received her credentials as a Certified Registered Rehabilitation Nurse. Glidden works at New England Rehabilitation Hospital in Portland; candidates must have practiced in a rehab setting for two years, be recommended by two nurses and a rigorous certification exam.

Granted

Coastal Enterprises, Inc. in Brunswick will receive $31,858 of $196,124 in grants awarded from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Microentrepreneur Assistance Program. The funds will be used to help microenterprises start up and grow.

Save the date

Benchmark Residential & Investment Real Estate will open its fifth office at 5 Portland St. in Yarmouth across from Rosemont Market. A grand opening is set for Nov. 19.

It is Benchmark’s first office located outside of Portland, where it has offices in four locations throughout the city. 

Benchmark agent Lianne Mitchell lives in Yarmouth and couldn’t be more excited about the new office. “I joined Benchmark because of their commitment to local ownership and community involvement,” she said. “Having an office so close to home will help me better support and attract new clients in the area.”

The grand opening will offer various activities for kids and families from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., including face painting, family portraits, food and drinks from local vendors, and a raffle to win $50 gift cards from a host of Yarmouth businesses.

Cohen

After a decade in Falmouth, owner Peter Leavitt has opened a second Leavitt & Sons, offering the same menu of sandwiches, salads, soups and, of course, chicken pot pie, for which the restaurant is known. The new deli is located behind the Main Post Office, across the street from the Chipotle parking lot off Forest Avenue in Portland.

GliddenD’Amaro