A crowd turns out Thursday for a special meeting of the Winslow Town Council. Joe Phelan/Kennebec Journal

WINSLOW — Between multiple town officials’ resignations, a councilor’s request for a protective order against the town manager, questions about potential transparency violations and more, Winslow’s municipal government had a rocky 2024.

Councilor Frances Hudson of District 3 speaks Thursday during a special meeting of the Winslow Town Council. Hudson was elected council chairperson during the meeting. Joe Phelan/Kennebec Journal

Some town councilors say their New Year’s resolution is to change that in 2025. Others are prioritizing policy.

The Town Council held its first meeting of the new year Thursday afternoon, swearing in newly elected Councilor Doris Labranche and electing Frances Hudson the new council chairperson. Many councilors said they hope the year ahead is calmer and more productive than the one that has just ended.

Labranche said her resolution is to stabilize Winslow’s property tax rate in 2025. After last year proved so tumultuous, Hudson said her resolution is to enact positive change at the Town Office.

“My resolution is for this council to move forward, be positive, progressive and work well together,” Hudson said. “I want this council to move forward and be positive.”

Several councilors shared Hudson’s sentiment Thursday at their special meeting, which followed a turbulent year at the Town Office.

In the previous months, a contentious November election was followed by Town Manager Ella Bowman’s resignation days after the election, due to a “smear campaign” of “hateful” comments from town councilors and residents, she said. Bowman is among the only openly transgender town managers in the nation. Her resignation takes effect in early February.

Bowman’s departure was preceded by former Councilor Ray Caron’s abrupt resignation in September for “personal reasons” days after the window closed for Winslow residents to declare candidacy for the council in the 2024 election.

Councilor Michael Joseph of District 1 speaks Thursday during a special meeting of the Winslow Town Council. Joe Phelan/Kennebec Journal

In November, some residents called on Labranche, Hudson and Councilor Michael Joseph to step down in the wake of Bowman’s resignation and after screenshots were posted on social media of anti-transgender remarks that Labranche had repeatedly shared on her public accounts, before she threatened legal action against the resident who had shared them.

Months prior, Joseph filed for a protective order against Bowman after she reprimanded Joseph for his five minute public tirade at a July council meeting in which he accused Bowman and the media of conspiring to “undermine” and “embarrass” him. A judge denied his request.

The current divide on the Town Council was foreshadowed by an April vote on the $20 million Winslow Public Schools budget, in which Hudson, Joseph and Councilor Adam Lint voted down the school budget for the first time in Winslow history. Nearly 60% of Winslow voters approved the proposed budget in the June election.

Joseph said his 2025 resolution is “to lower taxes. That’s it.”

Many other councilors and town officials expressed resolve to make the Town Office less contentious in 2025.

Paul Fongemie, the director of the Winslow Department of Public Works, was appointed Thursday as interim town manager. Joe Phelan/Kennebec Journal

Paul Fongemie, the director of the Winslow Department of Public Works, who was appointed interim town manager at Thursday’s special meeting, said one of his resolutions is to promote unity on the Town Council.

“I just hope I can bring a little more togetherness to the council,” Fongemie said after the meeting. “I won’t bore you with any personal resolutions this year.”

Councilor Lee Trahan, who is returning to the council after being sidelined by a coma for several months in 2024, said he wanted to see less politics in the Town Office in 2025.

“I’d like to see the town put first, and to continue moving forward without anyone’s self-interest or personal needs being put forward,” Trahan said.

Councilor Dale Macklin of District 2 speaks Thursday during a special meeting of the Winslow Town Council. Joe Phelan/Kennebec Journal

Councilor Dale Macklin said ahead of Thursday’s meeting that his resolution is to make the council more productive and produce good results for his constituents. Specifically, he said school funding and infrastructure projects are his priorities for 2025.

“My resolution is to do whatever I can to see that we keep moving the town forward,” Macklin said. “I want to do the best I can for the town, and not just for the people who voted me in by an overwhelming majority.”

Councilors Jeff West and Adam Lint declined to offer resolutions for the new year.

The Winslow Town Council is scheduled to meet once a month through 2025, holding public meetings on the second Monday of each month at the Winslow Public Library at 136 Halifax St.