American Journal Briefs, January 22, 2009

City finance director owes almost $6,000 in unpaid taxes and has had a lien put on her house:

Sue Rossignol, the finance director and a resident of Conant Street, said she
purposely has not been paying taxes on her property for the past year and a half
because she’s in a legal battle with the son of the property’s previous owner.
“I have nothing to hide,” she said last week.

Patrons at Walker Memorial Library watched last Tuesday's presidential inauguration:

With flags, decorations, refreshments and a table of books about former
presidents set up on the second floor of the library, the library was ready when
some 30 viewers filtered into the conference room just after 11 a.m. Tuesday to
get a good seat in front of the two televisions tuned to the inauguration. As
noon approached, more and more people gathered to watch both from inside the
room and through its glass walls. Some came to the library to celebrate the new
presidency. Others just happened to be passing through.

Sappi announces new round of layoffs:

Sappi announced that 19 positions will be temporarily eliminated over the next
several months. This is in addition to the nine employees who were laid off in
November and December. "With the current economic climate, like many Maine
businesses, Sappi Fine Paper North America's Westbrook Mill is experiencing a
change in demand for its products,” said Donna Cassese, the plant's managing
director.

City of Westbrook lays off nine:

City Administrator Jerre Bryant said that seven full-time staff members and two
part-time employees were laid off. The positions eliminated include a deputy
fire chief, the assistant code enforcement officer, the public safety
secretary, three public services employees, a customer service
representative and two part-time employees at the library.

- John C.L. Morgan