WATERVILLE — Paul Mitchell, businessman and former alderman and Planning Board member, was honored this week for all his community work and presented a copy of the city’s annual report for 2015-16, which is dedicated to him.
Mayor Nick Isgro, City Manager Michael Roy and city councilors Tuesday night praised Mitchell, whose family and friends were present for the dedication.
Roy said that each year for the last four, the annual report has been dedicated to a resident who stands out in the community.
“Certainly, in the years that we’ve recognized people, we haven’t had a more worthy candidate,” Roy said.
He said Mitchell headed up the city’s urban renewal effort many years ago and served on the Planning Board many years. He also was a trustee of the Waterville Sewerage District and served on the Board of Alderman after being elected in 1958. He has been a member of the Waterville Rotary Club, Knights of Columbus and a trustee of the University of Maine.
He and his son, Paul, who attended the meeting, own GHM Insurance Agency on Main Street downtown.
“Paul, we thank you for your service to the city and hope you’ll keep this as a memento of what you mean to Waterville,” Roy said, handing him the annual report, which bears a photo of Mitchell and a page of his accomplishments.
He received a standing ovation from the audience and city officials.
Mitchell stood to thank Roy and the city for recognizing him.
“I’ve truly enjoyed being part of a great community throughout my life,” he said.
He said his mother and father came to Waterville in 1930 when he was four. His younger brother is former U.S. Sen. George Mitchell.
Paul Mitchell graduated from Waterville High School in 1944 where he played football, baseball and basketball and was on the team that won the New England Schoolboy Basketball Championship, according to the city’s annual report. He served two years in the U.S. Navy and attended Bates College and the University of Iowa as a cadet in the Navy’s V-12 Flight Training. Later, he attended the University of Maine and Columbia University and earned a master’s degree in 1950. He married Yvette Pooler in 1949, and they raised four children: Paul Jr., Linda, Jeffrey and Bill.
Amy Calder — 861-9247
Twitter: @AmyCalder17
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