Gorham Town Clerk Laurie Nordfors, left, Tuesday administers the oath of office to newly elected Town Councilors Janet Kuech and David Willis. Robert Lowell / American Journal

The Gorham Town Council, with two newly elected members, reorganized the seven-member board Tuesday.

It unanimously reinstalled Suzanne Phillips as chair and chose Rob Lavoie as vice chair.

Lavoie fills the post of Lee Pratt, who didn't seek reelection to the board. Town Councilor Virginia Wilder Cross also did not seek reelection.

Former board member Janet Kuech and David Willis, making his first bid in the political arena, were elected last week to three-year terms and were sworn in Tuesday.

Kuech is an educational technician at George E. Jack Elementary School in Standish. Willis owns a family real estate firm in Gorham.

In parting comments, Wilder Cross thanked supporters who trusted her with the job on the council. "It's been a privilege," she said.

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Pratt, a former board chair and a prior Planning Board member, stepped down to spend more time with his wife and children. "It hasn't been an easy decision to not run again," he said.

Offering some parting words of wisdom, Pratt said, "You don't get to be the tallest tree in the forest by cutting the others down."

Bidding farewell: Town Council Chair Suzanne Phillips, left, presents outgoing councilors Lee Pratt and Virginia Wilder Cross with plaques, a T-shirt for Pratt, and flowers for Wilder Cross. Pratt has been a faithful advocate of donating blood. Robert Lowell / American Journal

Lavoie thanked both for serving and cited their "passion, professionalism and heart. I learned from both of you."

Phillips presented both Wilder Cross and Pratt with a plaque, Wilder Cross with a bouquet, and Pratt with a T-shirt that read "Donate Blood, Donate Life," a reference to Pratt's habitual call in monthly board meetings to give blood.

Action Tuesday included asking the town's capital improvements committee to investigate ways to improve accessibility to Metro's Husky bus line in hopes of the service becoming a catalyst for economic development.

The Husky bus line runs between the University of Southern Maine campus in Gorham and the Portland waterfront.

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The Husky bus, in addition to the campus, has one stop in Gorham Village and another at the intersection of Main Street and Libby Avenue.

Town Councilor Phil Gagnon, citing only 25 non-student riders daily, advocated stepped-up town marketing to increase ridership and make it more feasible.

Town Councilor Seven Siegel, a member of Metro's board of directors, pointed out the bus service is helpful for Gorham people who don't drive and Councilor Lou Simms said the town needs bus stops where people live.

"This is appropriate to go to the committee," Kuech said.

The board approved the measure seeking the committee's recommendation, 4-3, with Gagnon, Lavoie and Phillips opposed.

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