The Rumford Memorial Bridge

Memorial Bridge by Adam Waleik

What is Envision Maine?

Envision Maine is a non-profit, non-partisan think tank that was created in the fall of 2009 by Alan Caron, the founder and past-President of GrowSmart Maine, who was responsible for enlisting the Brookings Institution to come to Maine and to produce their landmark report Charting Maine's Future, in 2006.

Alan is a Maine native with over 30 years of experience as a small business owner, community volunteer, consultant, strategist and writer who has worked on many issues facing Maine.

Envision Maine is building a network of advisers and leaders, researchers and associates. They represent a full spectrum of ideas, backgrounds and experiences, from business, government, academia and the non-profit world. Their common thread is a sense of vision and hope for what Maine can become, a willingness to think in new ways, a respect for different views and an appreciation of the practical realities and difficulties of managing change. (see the adviser list under the REINVENTING MAINE GOVERNMENT section for the beginnings of that list.)

Mostly, they share a love of Maine and a desire to see the state, and its people, advance.

Littleton, New Hampshire

The Newry Community Church

A Collection of Church Pictures

Strathglass Park, Rumford, Maine

Trouble viewing? Please click here.

The Kennebec Arsenal, Augusta, Maine

Trouble viewing? Please click here.

Paying Tribute to Him by Investing in His Temple

Catholic Church in Rumford, Maine

Multi-Family Apartment Buildings in Boston Area

Thank You Angel Mower, Thank You

Prospect Ave, Rumford

Penobscot Street, Rumford

These two infamous properties were on the market this winter if you didn't notice. But, soon they will be back on the rental market with someone local to manage them. Until recently, the person who owned these buildings was deemed an "absentee landlord" and demonized for putting his tenants in "harm's way."

Well let's enter the no spin zone and put things in perspective. But for the Sun Journal, all the drama that ensued during a property owner versus overzealous code inspector could have been avoided. It not only cost the town money for nothing (no pun intended) but it cost the property owner greatly as well. The owner was forced to evict all the tenants because he couldn't afford the laundry list of ridiculousness so he cleaned up after all the tenants, winterized the buildings, and put them on the market.

After some hard work on the part of the Town of Rumford and the Landlord Association, an agreement was met on what building code is appropriate for a one hundred year old community like Rumford. The focus was on ensuring tenants were safe while not making things so cost prohibitive that it would force a landlord out of business. These new standards now apply to our out-of-state landlord, right? Everything works out in the end. And, in this case, everything worked out for the Town of Rumford, the landlords, the tenants, and the victim of yet another Sun Journal character assassination. He is NOT a slum lord.

The guy who owns these buildings, the one from Massachusetts, yeah he's good people. His apartments are nice, he takes good care of the inside of the buildings, and was planning on taking care of the outside as well. He just didn't take into consideration all the people who feel entitled to just not pay their rent and to basically steal from the property owner. Oh and the messes they leave behind. They never paid the security deposit to begin with so they had nothing to lose. And, he was at another disadvantage. He didn't know the players in Rumford. He didn't know who doesn't pay their rent or plays games. He learned the hard way.

The number one reason this piece was written was to thank the person or persons who mowed the properties at Prospect Ave and Penobscot Street. It is very much appreciated and it just goes to show how God works in our lives. Thank you from the bottom of our heart for your kind deed. And yet another reason to LOVE Rumford.

Historic Building on Waldo Street Torn Down

Empty Lot; It Actually Looks Better